You'll see what I mean.
If you haven't started the series yet, you'll want to do that and read the first three entries by clicking on the links below in order--
Here's the interview:
ME: You were one of the harder ones to get on the phone.
PATTY: Was I? I'm just busy, hon. I'm a busy woman.
ME: Well, thank you for making time for me.
PATTY: Pleased to do it. Whatcha wanna talk about?
ME: I want to talk about the opening night where--
ME: I want to talk about the opening night where--
PATTY: With all the fighting?
ME: Yes.
ME: Yes.
PATTY: We've been waiting for somebody from Hollywood to come and make a movie about it.
ME: I call dibs if somebody tries to make that happen.
PATTY: You're smart, because they won't know where they're at unless they ask you first.
ME: I wasn't born yesterday, [Patty].
PATTY: What do you want to know, hon?
ME: I want to know--I guess, first of all, how aware were you of what was going down before it went down?
PATTY: I saw--My girl [Marcie] and I sat together anytime we were at a show, watching a show--
ME: I want to know--I guess, first of all, how aware were you of what was going down before it went down?
PATTY: I saw--My girl [Marcie] and I sat together anytime we were at a show, watching a show--
ME: You didn't work on this show?
PATTY: We did the costumes. Marcie did costumes, and I helped, and I took the tickets. We had a good time. We would, this is going to sound strange to you, because we weren't doing professional theater--
PATTY: We did the costumes. Marcie did costumes, and I helped, and I took the tickets. We had a good time. We would, this is going to sound strange to you, because we weren't doing professional theater--
ME: Doing unprofessional theater is not strange to me.
PATTY: (Laughs.) I thought you had a big theater up in Rhode Island?
ME: I have a prop tea set and a prayer.
ME: I have a prop tea set and a prayer.
PATTY: (Laughs.) God bless you, hon. We--what was I--
ME: You and Marcie?
PATTY: Me and Marcie would sit and watch the show, but Marcie sat with me and took the tickets, and so I saw Pigpen come in, and I went 'No no no' and he didn't even come up to me, because I don't deal with that. I'm not getting into it with him fighting with people--
PATTY: Me and Marcie would sit and watch the show, but Marcie sat with me and took the tickets, and so I saw Pigpen come in, and I went 'No no no' and he didn't even come up to me, because I don't deal with that. I'm not getting into it with him fighting with people--
ME: With Charlie?
PATTY: With Charlie, with anybody. I got a job to do. I'm here to get these tickets and get everybody in. Pigpen sees me--he and me, we had words before too--
PATTY: With Charlie, with anybody. I got a job to do. I'm here to get these tickets and get everybody in. Pigpen sees me--he and me, we had words before too--
ME: What about?
PATTY: There was a bar that we all went to, and three or four times, he gave me lip, and I grabbed his ear and twisted, the last time he did it, and I let him know that if his mother was too big of a whore to teach her piece of shit son how to talk to women, then I was happy to catch his ass up.
PATTY: There was a bar that we all went to, and three or four times, he gave me lip, and I grabbed his ear and twisted, the last time he did it, and I let him know that if his mother was too big of a whore to teach her piece of shit son how to talk to women, then I was happy to catch his ass up.
ME: Oh wow.
PATTY: You're not going to talk to me however you want. No sir. The night he and Charlie were fighting, I heard him going at Charlie, and I almost went over and Marcie stopped me and told me to leave it alone, but I was ready to get in my car and run his sorry ass over with it.
ME: It sounds like a lot of people didn't like Pigpen?
PATTY: He was fun when he was sober, but he wasn't sober all that often, you know?
ME: Did you see what happened after he walked in?
PATTY: I was busy taking tickets and minding my p's and q's.
PATTY: He was fun when he was sober, but he wasn't sober all that often, you know?
ME: Did you see what happened after he walked in?
PATTY: I was busy taking tickets and minding my p's and q's.
ME: Were you worried he would start something?
PATTY: I thought he was going to sit in the back and sulk and pout like the bitch he was. That was my feeling on what was going to go down.
PATTY: I thought he was going to sit in the back and sulk and pout like the bitch he was. That was my feeling on what was going to go down.
ME: Then he and Charlie get into the fight.
PATTY: I wish I had been close by, I would have banged that boy's head so hard into the wall, he'd still be seeing stars.
ME: You seem very comfortable with fighting.
PATTY: You can't let people push you around, hon. Especially not when you're a woman. The town we were in, you didn't need to be known as somebody people could push around.
ME: Sounds like jail.
PATTY: It is like that. Not that I've been to jail, but I know that you gotta let people know who you are first chance you get. That's why I don't have trouble much.
ME: Did you see what happened between Sally and Woodstock?
PATTY: Let's--When this fight started and you had people throwing punches left and right, Marcie and me were in the theater.
PATTY: Let's--When this fight started and you had people throwing punches left and right, Marcie and me were in the theater.
ME: You were in the theater for that and for Linus and Schroeder going through the window?
PATTY: Yes, because the doors of the theater were thick, and we had closed them all so we could clean up and pick up all the programs on the floor, because we rented the auditorium, so we had to keep it clean, and we didn't hear anything until somebody came running in to get us and by then it was almost over, which made me mad, because I would have loved to get into it with a few of them.
ME: Like who?
PATTY: Pigpen. Lucy.
PATTY: Pigpen. Lucy.
ME: You didn't like Lucy?
PATTY: No.
PATTY: No.
ME: Why?
PATTY: Because Lucy tells everybody everything.
PATTY: Because Lucy tells everybody everything.
ME: See, that's what Woodstock said about you and Marcie.
PATTY: What did she say?
ME: She said you and Marcie were gossips.
ME: She said you and Marcie were gossips.
PATTY: I told--Let's get this straight, hon--I told--me, not Marcie--told one person, one time something that maybe I shouldn't have. That's it.
ME: Was it about Woodstock?
PATTY: Yes.
PATTY: Yes.
ME: What was it about?
PATTY: I saw--The night Charlie and Pigpen fought--
PATTY: I saw--The night Charlie and Pigpen fought--
ME: At the cast pasty for the previous show?
PATTY: At that party at--I think it was at Snoopy's house, but I can't remember--but I do remember seeing Woodstock in Pigpen's car after that, and she was all over him, and he was crying, because he's a little bitch, and he was hurt, he had hurt feelings, and I saw them getting friendly, and I came back into the house and told Lucy and then Lucy told Charlie. It got back to Woodstock and she was pissed at me. I apologized for it, but she didn't accept my apology, and she roped Marcie into it, because Marcie and I were friends, and the whole time, Marcie had nothing to do with it.
PATTY: At that party at--I think it was at Snoopy's house, but I can't remember--but I do remember seeing Woodstock in Pigpen's car after that, and she was all over him, and he was crying, because he's a little bitch, and he was hurt, he had hurt feelings, and I saw them getting friendly, and I came back into the house and told Lucy and then Lucy told Charlie. It got back to Woodstock and she was pissed at me. I apologized for it, but she didn't accept my apology, and she roped Marcie into it, because Marcie and I were friends, and the whole time, Marcie had nothing to do with it.
ME: Did you and Marcie pull Woodstock into the theater to talk to her after the opening night fight?
PATTY: We pulled her away from Lucy, because she and Lucy kept going at each other, and when we brought her into the theater, she starts trying to swipe at me, saying I got everybody turned against her. I grabbed that girl by her hair and Marcie had to get between us--
PATTY: We pulled her away from Lucy, because she and Lucy kept going at each other, and when we brought her into the theater, she starts trying to swipe at me, saying I got everybody turned against her. I grabbed that girl by her hair and Marcie had to get between us--
ME: So you fought in the theater?
PATTY: We didn't fight. There was no fight. I grabbed that woman by her hair and I told her that if she takes a throw at me she better not miss, because I don't miss my throws. Marcie broke us up and then Woodstock went running.
PATTY: We didn't fight. There was no fight. I grabbed that woman by her hair and I told her that if she takes a throw at me she better not miss, because I don't miss my throws. Marcie broke us up and then Woodstock went running.
ME: That was when the police showed up?
PATTY: The police were one policeman. That was it.
PATTY: The police were one policeman. That was it.
ME: But people got arrested?
PATTY: Somebody did.
PATTY: Somebody did.
ME: I heard more than one?
PATTY: They could have, but it was only one policeman. It wasn't like the riot gear was out, hon.
PATTY: They could have, but it was only one policeman. It wasn't like the riot gear was out, hon.
ME: And did you and Marcie and Woodstock leave at that point?
PATTY: I didn't leave. Why would I leave? I hadn't done anything.
ME: Originally it sounded like maybe you were scared that the police were there?
PATTY: I'm not scared of the police. A police officer wants to arrest me for not doing nothing, I'm going to do something that's going to get me arrested. That's how that's going to go.
PATTY: I'm not scared of the police. A police officer wants to arrest me for not doing nothing, I'm going to do something that's going to get me arrested. That's how that's going to go.
ME: Okay, so then you were there and had an altercation in the bathroom?
PATTY: The thing in the bathroom was with Charlie.
ME: With Charlie?
PATTY: Yes.
PATTY: Yes.
ME: Is that when somebody came out with blood on them?
PATTY: That was Charlie.
PATTY: That was Charlie.
ME: I thought you and Marcie had a fight?
PATTY: Marcie and I never fought. Never.
PATTY: Marcie and I never fought. Never.
ME: Why was Charlie in the bathroom with you?
PATTY: I went into the ladies room to--Me and Marcie went in there--and we were talking--We just needed to get away for a second from all the stupidity out in the lobby--and Charlie comes in, and I think he's looking to take a piss and got the wrong door, or he wants to get cleaned up, because he was banged up, and he sees me, and he starts going off on me about how I was causing all the problems and this was my fault for telling Lucy what I saw with Woodstock and not telling anybody that I saw Pigpen come in and he knew I had to have seen him because I work box office and I look at Marcie like 'All these mtoherf***ers are trying me tonight.' I said 'Charlie, you're upset. You need to calm down and get out of this ladies room.' Then he goes--'Not to MENTION what's going on with you and--' He points to Marcie '--And you and Sally.'
PATTY: I went into the ladies room to--Me and Marcie went in there--and we were talking--We just needed to get away for a second from all the stupidity out in the lobby--and Charlie comes in, and I think he's looking to take a piss and got the wrong door, or he wants to get cleaned up, because he was banged up, and he sees me, and he starts going off on me about how I was causing all the problems and this was my fault for telling Lucy what I saw with Woodstock and not telling anybody that I saw Pigpen come in and he knew I had to have seen him because I work box office and I look at Marcie like 'All these mtoherf***ers are trying me tonight.' I said 'Charlie, you're upset. You need to calm down and get out of this ladies room.' Then he goes--'Not to MENTION what's going on with you and--' He points to Marcie '--And you and Sally.'
ME: What was going on with you and Sally?
PATTY: Nothing was going on with me and Sally. There was something going on with Marcie and Sally.
PATTY: Nothing was going on with me and Sally. There was something going on with Marcie and Sally.
ME: What was that?
PATTY: I'm going to tell you because it was a long time ago and most of this is water under the bridge, but Marcie and Sally were together.
PATTY: I'm going to tell you because it was a long time ago and most of this is water under the bridge, but Marcie and Sally were together.
ME: But Sally was married.
PATTY: Yes.
ME: To a man.
PATTY: Yes.
ME: That must have been...People knew this?
PATTY: People...People suspected it. They didn't really try to hide it.
PATTY: People...People suspected it. They didn't really try to hide it.
ME: What--So--was it an open marriage?
PATTY: We didn't have--We didn't call it things like that back then. This was twenty-five years ago. We called it swingers, but they weren't really swingers, they were in love.
PATTY: We didn't have--We didn't call it things like that back then. This was twenty-five years ago. We called it swingers, but they weren't really swingers, they were in love.
ME: And what about the husband?
PATTY: He kept himself busy.
PATTY: He kept himself busy.
ME: He was seeing other people too?
PATTY: No, he was seeing me.
PATTY: No, he was seeing me.
ME: F*** me.
PATTY: (Laughs.) That's about it.
ME: Because Linus said you and Marcie were fighting over Sally's husband.
PATTY: There was no fight. Marcie had Sally, I had Rerun.
ME: The husband?
PATTY: Yes.
PATTY: Yes.
ME: And this was all--kosher?
PATTY: Yes, it was.
PATTY: Yes, it was.
ME: Did you all...ever...?
PATTY: Together? No.
PATTY: Together? No.
ME: Did you and Sally ever...?
PATTY: Once, but I didn't care for it. She was one crazy ****ing bitch, let me tell you. You didn't--you couldn't get a handle on Sally, but Marcie loved her. And Marcie was my friend, and we would all hang out.
PATTY: Once, but I didn't care for it. She was one crazy ****ing bitch, let me tell you. You didn't--you couldn't get a handle on Sally, but Marcie loved her. And Marcie was my friend, and we would all hang out.
ME: That must have been a scandal though.
PATTY: Not really.
ME: So why did Linus think you were both fighting over Rerun?
PATTY: Because not everybody knew all the details, and Sally and Marcie were always fighting, and I think it became this story that had some version of the truth in it, but wasn't true.
PATTY: Because not everybody knew all the details, and Sally and Marcie were always fighting, and I think it became this story that had some version of the truth in it, but wasn't true.
ME: How much longer did you all see each other?
PATTY: I stopped seeing Rerun pretty soon after the theater closed. He was just fun. We just had fun with each other. Sally and Marcie kept seeing each other for a long time after that, and she even moved in with them.
PATTY: I stopped seeing Rerun pretty soon after the theater closed. He was just fun. We just had fun with each other. Sally and Marcie kept seeing each other for a long time after that, and she even moved in with them.
ME: Marcie did?
PATTY: She did. They all went to [Name of City] and were living together up there and nobody even knew it, except me, because Marcie and I still talked every day.
PATTY: She did. They all went to [Name of City] and were living together up there and nobody even knew it, except me, because Marcie and I still talked every day.
ME: How long did that last?
PATTY: Until Sally and Rerun kicked her out.
PATTY: Until Sally and Rerun kicked her out.
ME: Why did they do that?
PATTY: Ask Marcie. I won't talk about that.
PATTY: Ask Marcie. I won't talk about that.
ME: So how did Charlie leave the ladies room bloody?
PATTY: He got in my face.
PATTY: He got in my face.
ME: And what did you do?
PATTY: I got in his face too, and he put his hand on me, and Marcie went off. Marcie wasn't the type, but you have to understand, that's my sister. We're not blood, but we're sisters for the most part, and Charlie put his hand on me--
PATTY: I got in his face too, and he put his hand on me, and Marcie went off. Marcie wasn't the type, but you have to understand, that's my sister. We're not blood, but we're sisters for the most part, and Charlie put his hand on me--
ME: What do you mean he put his hand on you? He hit you?
PATTY: No, but he put his hand on my shoulder as though to shove me back, and Marcie came at him, man, she went off. She went at him--I thought she was going to kill him.
ME: What did she do specifically?
PATTY: She was scratching at him, slapping him, she got a good chunk of his cheek under her fingernails--
PATTY: She was scratching at him, slapping him, she got a good chunk of his cheek under her fingernails--
ME: Jesus.
PATTY: I had to pull her off him, and she was strong. She didn't like seeing--Well her father used to beat her up, Marcie, and her boyfriend did too. She was always finding these men who would beat on her, and I think something just snapped in her and she went to town on Charlie. He was down on the ground, covering his face, because she was ready to rip his eyes out.
ME: Were the police still there when that happened?
PATTY: No, they were gone.
PATTY: No, they were gone.
ME: Do you know what happened to Charlie?
PATTY: That night?
ME: No, nobody knows where he is, and he's the only one I can't find. I've got contact information for everybody else.
PATTY: That night?
ME: No, nobody knows where he is, and he's the only one I can't find. I've got contact information for everybody else.
PATTY: He's hiding out somewhere.
ME: You think he just wants to lay low?
PATTY: I know I'd be laying low if I were him.
PATTY: I know I'd be laying low if I were him.
ME: Why?
(Silence.)
PATTY: Cause of the money.
(Silence.)
PATTY: Cause of the money.
ME: What money?
PATTY: The money he stole from the theater.
ME: He stole money?
PATTY: Yes, he did.
PATTY: Yes, he did.
ME: How much?
PATTY: (Laughs.) A lot.
PATTY: (Laughs.) A lot.
Patty is a retired federal worker.
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