Diana Altman
I was born at Lennox Hill Hospital in New York to eccentric parents. My father was the MGM talent scout who discovered Joan Crawford, Ava Gardner, and James Stewart. In those days, MGM headquarters were in Times Square in a sixteen-story building built by Marcus Loew, the founder of MGM. Al Altman was also a magician, a prominent member of the Society of American Magicians. He was never without cards in his hands. I was forever picking a card, any card, and not showing it. My mother was a Spanish dancer from El Paso, Texas, probably the only Jewish Spanish dancer on the globe. As a child, when I rummaged through her bureau drawers I found castanets, lace shawls, and tortoise shell combs. It was in her nature to be reclusive. Before old age made her need help, she lived alone on five acres in the woods. She died age 100.
My parents were divorced when I was 12 so I moved from our house in New Rochelle to an apartment in Scarsdale. My goal in life was to not get divorced. Now I see I could have had other goals, too, but that one seemed monumental at the time. Now I live in an apartment on New York’s Upper East Side with my husband of fifty years. My advice about marriage is NEVER threaten divorce unless you mean it. Don’t ever let that word enter your household because from thought to action can sometimes be quick.
After I graduated from Scarsdale High, I went to Connecticut College for Women where I studied writing with the poet William Meredith. He was encouraging and made me feel that I was his pet. My story, “Receptions with The Poet,” in my collection of stories, Love at a Girls’ School is based on my friendship with him.
I was supposed to be engaged by the time I graduated but I wasn’t, so I figured I’d better go someplace where there were lots of boys. I went to Harvard and there were lots of boys. Even so, I didn’t find my soul mate until several years later. Now we have two grown daughters and two grandchildren. We all love being together so I must have done something right!