I Know He's Iffy

"I've had many enemies over the years.  If there's one thing I've learned, it's never engage in a fight you're sure to lose.  On the other hand, never let anyone who has insulted you get away with it.  Bide your time and strike when you're in a position of strength--even if you no longer need to strike back."
-Stieg Larsson
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

Twenty-five years ago today:

June 19, 1985
Wednesday

It’s difficult to recall what happened at work today. Dale returned from being sick. He and Rachelle still have plans of looking into scuba diving.

I want to be on ‘The Wheel of Fortune’ show but I have to call the first week of July to schedule an appointment.

Work was really kind of a drag. Stephanie Redding finally called me at work with a real order to place. It’s been a while since she’d called on business. I let Rachelle listen while I talked to her. Rachelle pressed her touchtone beeper when Stephanie made some remark. That was funny.

I went straight to the gym after work. Bob Maloney showed up. He waved to me while I was on the Life Cycle. As Rachelle would put it, “I know he’s iffy.”

Bob Maloney may be tempting for a night or two—and then some but I would never disclose this to Rachelle. She’s right. He does have a nice body but just wait until I’ve been exercising and lifting weights steadily for one and a half years (like he has done). I’d best watch my diet though. I better keep away from Rachelle and her pizza and ice-cream sundae cravings!

After two sets on the weights and twenty-four minutes on the Life Cycle I went to my car. I sat in the driver’s seat and finished writing the card to Rachelle. The card depicted a picturesque, elegant bed. I hope she likes it. I went to her house. Her mom, stepdad and brother were there.

Rachelle’s mom is a sweetheart. I believe she thinks I am nice, too. Her mom and stepdad are both very nice to me. Her brother, Billy, is pretty nice, too. Rachelle’s mom made some excellent homemade peach pie. Yummy! Rachelle’s mother and I were trying to be subtle about it—but we both were trying to persuade Rachelle against the idea of scuba diving. She is a stubborn child sometimes.

Rachelle and I and Billy played Monopoly. The game couldn’t  last longer than half an hour with the stubborn, spoiled Rachelle playing the game. I landed on her Kentucky Avenue and she didn’t notice until after Billy tossed the dice for his turn. I wouldn’t pay her rent, so she quit because it wasn’t fair! If she had been paying attention and asked to collect the rent it would be a different story. It reminds me of my little brother John’s ‘growing up’ days. He used to do that until he got his way. What burned me is when Rachelle said, “And you can leave the house, too.”
That really burned me inside but when I started to leave she jumped up and said, “No, wait!”
Why I returned is beyond me. We sort of made up through hugs and kisses. When I see her smile of innocence and that caring look I want to melt inside.

1982 Song: “I Melt with You” by Modern English
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuN6gs0AJls

I guess it is ‘pure love’. We left her house and parked up at a nearby park in Castro Valley. We looked out at the view and then drove down a bit. We began to have a very serious talk.
“I have to tell you something, Rachelle.”
“What--go ahead?”
“Well, I’m tired of hearing you say that maybe we should break up after having those little argumentative fights that you always start.”
“I start?”
“Yes…and you don’t need to even start it in the first place!”
She really needs to be refrained from her ‘No No No’ way of complaining. She needs to be able to let go and say, “Yes Yes Okay.” It’s like she’s been getting away with it all of her life.

Who knows? We departed as lovers once again.

Peace returned, like the cooler air after a storm.
-Stefan Zweig
"The Post-Office Girl"