Post by cam83 on Sept 26, 2003 13:48:48 GMT -5
She was very busy with her social life, but to her surprise, her Mom never said too much about Karen needing a rest, or to take it easy. Karen usually went out every night, hanging out with her friends, Carol, Frenda, Olivia, Dorthy, or chatting on the phone with friends Frank, Karen I, and Debbie. They would go out and eat, and go see a show, movie, or to a concert. Sometimes, she would even go to a charity event to help raise money for different functions. She would then read about it, or see her picture in one of the magazines.
She was getting a lot of attention, especially with her battle against anorexia nervosa. She would get phone calls from concerned parents, which kind of bothered her, because she felt that she was no expert. She wasn't ready to talk openly about her battle, there was still a lot to try and deal with in her life. Was she even fully cured. She thought she was, but then she knew that within her heart all was far from fine. She wasn't cured. She still wanted to be thinner, deep within her. Yet, she never told anyone else these feelings. It would do no good to open up to someone else. In 1982, she had talked about a lot of things, but she knew that there was more that she needed to try and deal with.
She had tried to call Tom, but he was never home, and he never returned her calls. It bothered her greatly, even though she made light of the situation. I mean, he probably is terribly busy, and wants to call me, but can't. Even she knew that she was just making up excuses. She had just gotten home from the recording studio, when the phone rang. She was surprised that someone would call that late. Who could it be?
"Hello?" asked Karen. "Hey Karen, it's me, Tom. How are you doing?" asked her husband. They were still legally married. Karen had not gone and signed the divorce papers yet. She wondered when she would, and if she would.
"Uh…fine. I'm just surprised to hear your voice. It's been such a long time since we last talked. Back when I was in New York. I've tried to call you, and left messages on your machine, but you never returned my calls…" said Karen, with a pause, wondering how he would respond.
"Well… I've been kind of busy. Work is giving me a lot of hassles, and I'm just kind of stressed out. I decided to call you after your heart attack, but I just couldn't. I guess I was kind of scared, so finally I got the nerve to call you up. I read about your story in People, and I don't know what to say…except that I still care for you Karen. I still love you. I wish…" and he choked off the last sentence, as his eyes moistened.
"Tom…oh Tom! I love you too. But I am not ready. I wish I was. Believe me. I still have to deal with a lot of things, and…" her voice trailed off, as she began to fight back tears. It reminded her of the times she had been at the Regency Hotel in New York, and their phone calls to each other, left her in so much turmoil and pain.
"Well," said Tom, regaining his composure, " I just wanted to tell you this. I really don't want you or me to give up this time. We have to try, and to work it out."
"I have to go Tom, but thank you for your call. It means a lot to me. If you call, call me here. Don't call at my parents. They want me to sign and get it over with, but I am still unsure. Take care!" said Karen in a soft voice. They said their goodbye to each other, and Karen hung up the phone, leaning against the wall.
What would she do? What could she do? Too many decisions and questions to answer right now. She was just plain exhausted with everything. She was rundown and so very tired.
During the next few days, Karen met with her lawyer Werner Wolfen, and they discussed the matters regarding Tom and Karen's divorce papers. Even though everyone wanted Karen to divorce, she wasn't ready. She felt that in the back of her heart, there was a tiny flame of hope that maybe just maybe, she could work it out. But she couldn't involve her parents in what her decision was, she just needed time to sort the many jumbled feelings that she felt. Werner was kind of like a father-figure to her, always concerned with the best interest of Karen.
Karen still had to go back into the studios, and record some additional background vocals with Richard. She liked a lot of the songs that she and Richard had recorded. From the way everything sounded, it looked like their first single would be MAKE BELIEVE IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME. Karen thought this song to be a lovely masterpiece. She had recorded an earlier version of this song for her solo album, and was so taken with it, that she had brought the idea to Rich for them to record it. Rich saw the potential in it, and their version was as different as night is to day, in comparison with the solo version that Phil produced.
They still hadn't thought up a title for the album, but this album was basically a continuation with 1981's MADE IN AMERICA album. It had the same style of selections, and songs. There was going to be a bigger marketing campaign to help sell it.
For their 1981 album their biggest problem had been that many radio stations had chose not to play the Carpenters because of their goodly two shoes image, which maddened both Richard and Karen, which was one of the reasons why their ballad TOUCH ME WHEN WE'RE DANCING only hit # 16 on the charts. At least it brought them back into the Top 20 and hopefully now, they would be back at the top where they belonged.
They would be traveling around the U.S. for about 4 weeks doing a mini tour. In the fall, they would head over to Japan and England, where they still had a loyal following. Their records there would still sell quite well.
At least in the years to come, they would have a fan base following, in many other countries besides the United States. Of course, their parents were hoping that Karen and Richard would make a bigger comeback, like that of the 1970's and their arrival onto the music scene. Everyone was hoping for it: A&M Records, the Carpenter parents, Rich and Karen, and of course, their legions of loyal fans.
She was getting a lot of attention, especially with her battle against anorexia nervosa. She would get phone calls from concerned parents, which kind of bothered her, because she felt that she was no expert. She wasn't ready to talk openly about her battle, there was still a lot to try and deal with in her life. Was she even fully cured. She thought she was, but then she knew that within her heart all was far from fine. She wasn't cured. She still wanted to be thinner, deep within her. Yet, she never told anyone else these feelings. It would do no good to open up to someone else. In 1982, she had talked about a lot of things, but she knew that there was more that she needed to try and deal with.
She had tried to call Tom, but he was never home, and he never returned her calls. It bothered her greatly, even though she made light of the situation. I mean, he probably is terribly busy, and wants to call me, but can't. Even she knew that she was just making up excuses. She had just gotten home from the recording studio, when the phone rang. She was surprised that someone would call that late. Who could it be?
"Hello?" asked Karen. "Hey Karen, it's me, Tom. How are you doing?" asked her husband. They were still legally married. Karen had not gone and signed the divorce papers yet. She wondered when she would, and if she would.
"Uh…fine. I'm just surprised to hear your voice. It's been such a long time since we last talked. Back when I was in New York. I've tried to call you, and left messages on your machine, but you never returned my calls…" said Karen, with a pause, wondering how he would respond.
"Well… I've been kind of busy. Work is giving me a lot of hassles, and I'm just kind of stressed out. I decided to call you after your heart attack, but I just couldn't. I guess I was kind of scared, so finally I got the nerve to call you up. I read about your story in People, and I don't know what to say…except that I still care for you Karen. I still love you. I wish…" and he choked off the last sentence, as his eyes moistened.
"Tom…oh Tom! I love you too. But I am not ready. I wish I was. Believe me. I still have to deal with a lot of things, and…" her voice trailed off, as she began to fight back tears. It reminded her of the times she had been at the Regency Hotel in New York, and their phone calls to each other, left her in so much turmoil and pain.
"Well," said Tom, regaining his composure, " I just wanted to tell you this. I really don't want you or me to give up this time. We have to try, and to work it out."
"I have to go Tom, but thank you for your call. It means a lot to me. If you call, call me here. Don't call at my parents. They want me to sign and get it over with, but I am still unsure. Take care!" said Karen in a soft voice. They said their goodbye to each other, and Karen hung up the phone, leaning against the wall.
What would she do? What could she do? Too many decisions and questions to answer right now. She was just plain exhausted with everything. She was rundown and so very tired.
During the next few days, Karen met with her lawyer Werner Wolfen, and they discussed the matters regarding Tom and Karen's divorce papers. Even though everyone wanted Karen to divorce, she wasn't ready. She felt that in the back of her heart, there was a tiny flame of hope that maybe just maybe, she could work it out. But she couldn't involve her parents in what her decision was, she just needed time to sort the many jumbled feelings that she felt. Werner was kind of like a father-figure to her, always concerned with the best interest of Karen.
Karen still had to go back into the studios, and record some additional background vocals with Richard. She liked a lot of the songs that she and Richard had recorded. From the way everything sounded, it looked like their first single would be MAKE BELIEVE IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME. Karen thought this song to be a lovely masterpiece. She had recorded an earlier version of this song for her solo album, and was so taken with it, that she had brought the idea to Rich for them to record it. Rich saw the potential in it, and their version was as different as night is to day, in comparison with the solo version that Phil produced.
They still hadn't thought up a title for the album, but this album was basically a continuation with 1981's MADE IN AMERICA album. It had the same style of selections, and songs. There was going to be a bigger marketing campaign to help sell it.
For their 1981 album their biggest problem had been that many radio stations had chose not to play the Carpenters because of their goodly two shoes image, which maddened both Richard and Karen, which was one of the reasons why their ballad TOUCH ME WHEN WE'RE DANCING only hit # 16 on the charts. At least it brought them back into the Top 20 and hopefully now, they would be back at the top where they belonged.
They would be traveling around the U.S. for about 4 weeks doing a mini tour. In the fall, they would head over to Japan and England, where they still had a loyal following. Their records there would still sell quite well.
At least in the years to come, they would have a fan base following, in many other countries besides the United States. Of course, their parents were hoping that Karen and Richard would make a bigger comeback, like that of the 1970's and their arrival onto the music scene. Everyone was hoping for it: A&M Records, the Carpenter parents, Rich and Karen, and of course, their legions of loyal fans.
