Why Penny and Robbie Risked Pregnancy, Part 1
Why Penny and Robbie Risked Pregnancy, Part 2
Robbie's View of Penny as His Potential Wife
"Going Steady" versus "Going Slumming"
Robbie Gould's Denial of Paternity
Penny's and Robbie's Prospects in Paternity Trial
======
Robbie Dumps Penny
Robbie Gould broke up with Penny Johnson at about the end of June 1963, because he felt they were not a good match intellectually and culturally. Whereas he is enrolled in Yale Medical School, she dropped out of high school when she was 16 years old. Then Penny's mother kicked her out, and Penny soon went to work as a dancer in the Rockettes.
Robbie wanted a life-partner with whom he would be able to discuss long, philosophical novels such as Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. He wanted a wife who would socialize with his fellow intellectual professionals and their families. While he went steady with Penny, he came to realize that Penny never would live up to such expectations.
Robbie broke up with Penny properly. He assured her that she was a beautiful, talented and nice woman who had done nothing wrong in their relationship. However, he knew it would be better for both of them to go their separate ways. He would remember Penny fondly, but now he had to terminate their romantic relationship.
Penny Continues to Hope
Penny was heart-broken. She had been so happy and proud to be going steady with such an admirable man. Robbie was handsome, intelligent, confident, capable, successful and charming. In a few years he would become a respected doctor, with the job security and a high income to fund a beautiful lifestyle.
Penny could not get over Robbie. After the break-up, her sorrow continued for weeks. If only she could get another chance with him, she would restore his love toward her. She would ask him to lend her The Fountainhead again, and this time she would read it with all her heart and discuss it with all her mind. When Penny had tried to read the The Fountainhead in June, she had not understood that her reading it was so important to Robbie. Now she would read it all, and she would love it as much as Robbie loved it.
Robbie Moves On
While Penny was making herself miserable by wallowing in such futile thoughts about Robbie, he moved on with his life and plans. He flirted, socialized and dated with other women. He enjoyed their beautiful female bodies as much as he could. He was getting to know and enjoy a variety of women along his way to finding the right woman to marry.
Penny is Pregnant
In early August, Penny realized she might be pregnant. She felt nauseous. She was not merely late with her menstrual period -- she apparently had missed it.
If Penny indeed were pregnant, then the future baby would be the product of the real love that Penny and Robbie had shared. The baby would be a boy, and Robbie would love and raise his son. They would be a happy family, and Robbie would be proud of his son and of his loving and smart wife Penny.
Other People Become Involved
Just after the first week of August, Penny told her dance partner Johnny Castle that she was pregnant from Robbie. Since her pregnancy might affect her dancing, she had to tell Johnny. She begged Johnny to keep the secret to himself.
Penny begged Johnny also to refrain from confronting Robbie about the situation. Penny explained to Johnny that she wanted to discuss her pregnancy with Robbie at the right time and in the right way.
Johnny told only his cousin Billy Kosetecki, because he wanted Billy to watch Robbie and to find out how to arrange an illegal abortion.
Of course, Penny told her two fellow female professional dancers, Janet and Maria. Penny asked them to watch Robbie and to report to her about his remarks and activities.
Robbie Becomes Involved With Lisa
On the evening of Saturday, August 10, Robbie was introduced to the Houseman family, which had arrived earlier that day. As a waiter in the hotel restaurant, he was introduced to the Housemans by Max Kellerman, who was the hotel's owner and also was a medical patient and a personal friend of Dr. Jake Houseman.
Robbie understood that he would please Max if he pleased Dr. Houseman's daughter Lisa. After Robbie finished waiting on his final table of that evening's work shift, he hurried back to his cabin, changed into a suit, hurried to the ballroom and asked Lisa to dance.
As Penny and Johnny were performing their rumba dance in the ballroom, Penny noticed Robbie dancing with Lisa. Penny understood that Robbie constantly was prodded by Max to dance with the guests' teenage daugters, but Penny wondered how far Robbie would go with Lisa in the coming days. Penny did not want Robbie to be involved with any other young woman when Penny talked with him about her pregnancy.
Later that night as Penny settled prepared to go to sleep, her roommate Janet told her that she had seen Robbie kissing Lisa that evening. Janet's spy report worried Penny.
Johnny Talks With Penny About an Abortion
On the evening of Sunday, August 11, Johnny took Penny aside to talk with her. Johnny had learned from Billy that an abortionist would be in the vicinity on Thursday, August 22. Johnny did not know yet how much money an abortion would cost, but he promised to help pay for it out of his own pocket.
Penny still was hoping that her talk with Robbie during the next day or so might begin a reconciliation. Surely Robbie would want to help raise his own son. Surely Robbie would fall in love again with Penny.
Penny told Johnny that she did not want to decide yet about an abortion. Penny would talk with Robbie before she made any decisions at all.
Johnny immediately raised another consideration. Johnny reminded Penny that they were scheduled to dance at the Sheldrake Hotel on that same Thursday, August 22, when the abortionist would be available. Penny would have to decide soon about an abortion, because the date conflict might compel Johnny to cancel the performance or else practice the performance dance with another female dancer.
Perhaps Janet or Maria would be able to replace Penny at the Sheldrake performance. Penny did not want to discuss it. Johnny decided that he would, without Penny's knowledge, ask Janet and Maria whether they would be free on that future weekend.
Johnny Considers Baby as a Replacement Dancer
Later that Sunday night, Johnny and Penny went together to a "dirty dancing" party in the employees' bunkhouse.
By that time, Johnny had talked with Janet and Maria and had found out that neither of them would be able to replace Penny in the Sheldrake performance on August 22. Johnny considered that Penny would have to dance with him and therefore would not be able to get an abortion on that day -- if she did agree to get an abortion.
As Johnny was dancing at the party, he noticed Baby in the bunkhouse -- a place she did not belong. Johnny expressed his displeasure at Baby's presence and then resumed dancing with Penny.
Suddenly Johnny had a new idea. Perhaps Baby could dance well enough to learn to replace Penny at the Sheldrake. Johnny decided to test Baby's dancing skills.
 |
| Johnny invites Baby to dance with him in the bunkhouse. |
 |
| Johnny sees that Baby has no dancing skills. |
Robbie and Lisa Begin to Go Steady
On the mid-day of Monday, August 12, Penny was demonstrating wigs to a group of hotel guests that included Lisa and Baby Houseman. Robbie approached Lisa from behind and remarked softly into her ear that he had collected a lot of tips so far today, and so he soon might be able to buy an Alfa Romeo automobile. Lisa responded that the Alfa Romeo was her favorite kind of car.
 |
| Robbie tells Lisa about earning good tips and buying a car |
Lisa whispered to Baby that she and Robbie intended to meet secretly in a secluded location at the golf course that night. Lisa asked Baby to lie to their parents in case they asked Baby that night about Lisa's whereabouts.
On that occasion Penny heard enough of Robbie's and Lisa's remarks to realize that they were beginning to go steady. Robbie was telling Lisa about his finances and intended purchases, and Lisa was expressing her support. Lisa knew that the characteristics of going steady included the sharing of decisions about money.
Penny knew also that Robbie's invitation to Lisa to meet him at the golf course was an indication that he would advance to the sexual second base that night. In fact, that was the same location where Robbie had reached second base with Penny herself -- where Robbie had caressed Penny's naked breasts for the first time.
After Lisa departed, Baby complimented Penny for her dancing skills. Penny responded with irrelevant information that she had been kicked out of her home when she was only 16 years old.
Baby HousemanPenny was preoccupied with thoughts that her lack of education and culture were the cause of her breakup with Robbie.
So you were really a Rockette? I think you're a wonderful dancer.
Penny Johnson
Yeah? Well, my mother kicked me out when I was sixteen. I've been dancing ever since. It's the only thing I ever wanted to do anyway.
Penny's Spies Report About Robbie and Lisa
Lisa's spies -- Janet and Maria -- secretly watched Robbie's and Lisa's movements and observed that they were going separately to the golf course to meet there. From a distance, Janet and Maria even saw Robbie and Lisa meet and embrace. They they saw Robbie petting Lisa's breasts through her blouse.
Janet and Maria saw enough to report to Penny that Robbie and Lisa were well on their way to second base, so they rushed to Penny to deliver their spy report.
Penny was devastated. Penny felt that she could not compete with Lisa -- who was younger, more educated and cultured, and the daughter of a medical doctor. Penny could not control her emotions. She fled to the restaurant's dark, empty kitchen and collapsed into a corner and wept.
Penny did not pay any attention to Baby and Neil when they came into the kitchen. After just a few minutes, Baby and Neil left. After another while, Johnny came into the dark kitchen and picked Penny up. He carried her into the empty bunkhouse, where he sat her down onto a sofa.
Penny Loses All Hope
Now Penny began to grapple seriously with the idea that she should get an abortion. She might do so, but she did not want Johnny to pay for it. That would not be fair to Johnny.
Penny Johnson
Forget it, Johnny. I'm not taking what's left of your salary.
Johnny Castle
Penny, that's my business.
Penny Johnson
Besides, it wouldn't be enough.
Oh, God, it's hopeless!
 |
| Penny crying that now she is hopeless |
However, most the most hopeless aspect for Penny was that she realized now that she never would be able to reconcile with Robbie. Penny could not compete with one of the Houseman girls -- with that rich bitch Lisa.
=====
This series of articles will conclude with Penny's and Robbie's Prospects in a Reconciliation.
No comments:
Post a Comment