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-4- The anticipated verbal club descended on my resisting head.... "But Blanche, you are ONLY thirteen." My parents were amused. They also ignored my pleadings. Ignoring was worse than a beating. Resistance from the Top Two—— Mother and Dad ...was a new experience. I didn't like it. They underestimated the guns and the tremendous fire power of my arsenal. I turned on the waterworks, I threw tantrums that Peter Niero could have used for new routines, I threatened to blight their lives by running away from home. Then I pulled a switch and tried the soft sell. [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]] They were persuaded to buy a single cylinder Cadillac. I moved into the driver's seat and drove the horse-frightener everywhere possible. In those simple times there were no such things as a driver's license——at least not in hometown Rochester, New York. Horse owners and apprehensive pedestrians along with my antics, claimed the interest of some of the local officials. A special meeting of the Rochester City Council was convened to and I quote "Stop this child from driving a dangerous vehicle." Imagine their embarred [[sic]] confusion when they discovered there was no law to cover this situation. This gave them the opportunity to do nothing gracefully. I continued on my merry way covering as many roads as were available. These were few and strictly terrible. A new England boarding school submerged me and my desires for the unusual. With the platitudes of the graduation address ringing in my ears and my diploma clutched in my hand New York City became my residence. The city fathers broke out no bunting. Circumstances tossed me into a very knowledgeable and news-making group..chiefly theatrical personalities whose names were spoken with respect throughout the land. As a great egotist, I thirsted again for their fame, adulation and importance. How [[strikethrough]] can it be [[/strikethrough]] could it be achieved without being a
