Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original
By Robin D.G. Kelley, 2009
Nellie Monk was a smart and resourceful woman with many roles throughout her life: seamstress, mother, wife with many duties to Monk, as medic, nutritionist, narco officer, and expert in all aspects of the music business. She was his de facto personal manager and assistant road manager.
Juicing was a daily routine for Nellie. There was a dispute about Nellie’s juicing that came to a head at the house. The solution was that Monk moved to the mansion of Pannonica de Koenigswarter (Nica), their friend and benefactor.
From Kelley’s tome: 438p-440p
The apartment began to resemble a health food store. According to their niece Jackie, “The neighbors would complain because they had so much trash, since it would leave lots of pulp.” … Nellie worked to keep abreast of Monk’s [contracts and] paperwork, but she also needed time to make her juices and nurse others. Monk had become so dependent on Nellie that he felt neglected. …
[Jackie Smith, his niece, said] “He moved in with Nica and never came back.”
At first, Nellie was distraught. Despite all the stress she endured caring for Thelonious she couldn’t live apart from her husband. They were best friends and she still adored him. And the move gave Nellie a much-needed respite. … Nica and Nellie’s relationship was not harmed by the change; on the contrary, they teamed up rather well to provide the best care possible [for Monk].
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