Only Yesterday: The Carpenters' Story Page #6

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or our mother came in and said, "Absolutely not."

It's all poppycock!

It was all up to Karen and she listened to all the people whose opinions she respected

and it was her decision...and she said, "We're not putting it out."

And that was the end of that.

If there was this lack of support and it wasn't the right move,

she would rather be known as The Carpenters, and it was easier to put on the shelf.

Work finally began on the next Carpenters' album.

But for Karen, a new distraction was just around the corner.

# As a child I was known for... #

Well, we'd hardly gotten started on that in 1980, when she meets...this fellow...

Tom Burris.

# ..Like a child... #

He was a dashing real estate man and he had lots of personality and she was so happy.

# ..Finding answers to my prayer... #

I never dreamed that two months later, they'd be married.

It was a whirlwind romance

and they got married on August 31st of 1980.

# ..It's a new day for those good old dreams

# And it's all because of you... #

She was very anxious to be married, but she picked the wrong guy.

It was the first time I'd been attracted on the first date.

Usually, you open the door and you go, "Argh!"

- But from then on, it...

- Degenerated.

I was worried about it and discussed with her the fact that there was some issues,

but she was determined.

I know that Karen's mom Agnes, and Harold, tried to counsel her that, you know...

you do have to be careful when you are in the arena that you're in,

that you marry someone that's not just after money or fame.

He had a jet plane and he had a boat and, er, lived lavishly.

At the end of the day, there was really nothing of financial substance left.

Even like the influence that her family had or that I had...

And he didn't treat her too well.

Ultimately, I think he reached the conclusion that the marriage was not successful

and wanted it terminated. And she agreed with that.

It was obviously a tough time for her

because with the marriage not working out and...

her being painfully thin, she had to know by this time that something was wrong.

# Such a feeling's coming over me... #

Richard talked to her about it. She went to New York to be in the care of a self-styled doctor.

TV:
'Steven Levenkron treated Karen Carpenter for anorexia...'

He said, "For all you know..." in so many words, "..when we get to the bottom of what this is,

"Karen may find out that she doesn't even enjoy being a singer."

And I'm thinking, "Bull-sh*t!"

# ..Is the love that I've found

# Ever since you've been around

# Your love's put me at the top of the world... #

I think the idea that she would never sing again was an exaggeration.

The sentiment was that she would like to be able to choose what she does.

But she probably would have loved to sing to some extent,

she just needed more say in who she was and how it all happened.

# Play us a song we can slow dance on

# We wanna hold each other... #

She came back out in April for a visit.

I mean, so thin!

She wanted to cut a few songs. She sounded marvellous - it didn't matter what shape she was in!

# ..Touch me when we're dancing

# You know you've got that loving touch... #

Karen headed back to New York, but her condition deteriorated

and she was admitted to hospital weighing just 5 stone.

Here she is and I'm saying, "Karen, this is crap! Don't you understand?!

"You're going about this all the wrong way.

"This guy isn't getting anything accomplished cos you're in the hospital!"

When you don't know what's wrong with someone you love, usually, your reaction is to become afraid

and, when we get afraid, we quite often cover it with anger.

Unfortunately, putting her on the defensive would not have helped.

It doesn't usually help obsessionals.

There were rumours that you were suffering from anorexia nervosa.

No, I was just pooped. I was tired out.

She was the most truthful person I've ever met about almost everything.

But she lied like a trooper about the anorexia situation.

- You went down to about six stone in weight, didn't you?

- I have no idea what six stone in weight is!

- It's very difficult to work out! About 84lb...

- No.

- No?

- No.

The doctors said to be more physical, grab Karen and tell her you love her.

Maybe, you know, she needs to hear that more.

And her mother was very hurt by that.

She loved Karen very deeply

and it just was very hurtful to hear doctors say, "Show her love."

By Thanksgiving, she's decided she wants to - of '82 -

she wants to come home.

We were just so glad to have her back, but we didn't feel that she was in any way a lot better.

We really differed with the doctor, I guess, on that point.

She had marvellous eyes. The eyes are the window to the soul.

I could see in her eyes that she was not well.

I reported this to our long-term financial advisor, who is still with me today,

and it got back to Karen who found out where I was - shopping, one particular evening.

When I walked out of the department store,

here's my Jaguar and here's her Jaguar. Oh-oh!

This is trouble! If she sought out where I am, then there's trouble!

And, oh, she read me the riot act!

"I supported you and you should support me!" And so on.

I said, "Karen, I'd support you through anything if I felt you were doing the right thing,

"but I can look right into your eyes and tell that you are not well!

"The only reason that I am raising red flags to the folks

"is because I believe you are still sick and I love you."

And am I glad I said that! Within weeks...

she was dead.

The last time I saw her, it was actually two days before she died,

she had come to my office

to review her divorce agreement...

from her husband.

And, er, it had to be revised in a couple of respects

so we made a date to sign it on Friday which was the day she died.

Karen Carpenter died today of cardiac arrest. She was just 32 years old.

A spokesman for the family said that Miss Carpenter had battled anorexia nervosa for years.

Anorexics are compulsive dieters, sometimes to the point of starvation.

No-one actually dies from anorexia nervosa -

it's complications due to. But it doesn't much matter in my book.

She wasn't treated properly and that's all there is to it.

An autopsy failed to determine the cause of death of Karen Carpenter.

She died in California today at the age of 32 of cardiac arrest.

A coroner says it could take weeks to find out why she died.

I don't think we'll ever know what killed Karen.

I do agree with everything I've read that she didn't want to die. She wanted to stop the way things were

and I think she desperately wanted time for herself to think about

what she wanted out of her life. She felt she didn't have what she wanted.

But I do wish Karen had been here now because we know so much more now.

It wasn't that she had bad treatment, there wasn't enough knowledge.

# When I was young I'd listen to the radio

# Waiting for my favourite song... #

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