It's Kind Of A Drag

Mikael got out of bed and went to stand naked at the kitchen window.
-Stieg Larsson
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

Twenty-five years ago today:

June 4, 1985
Tuesday

It’s another day at the office and my last day riding in to San Francisco with Sherri.

During lunchtime Dale and I went to CARL’s JR. and we spoke of Rachelle’s urgency to get her hands into my journals.
“You know, Dale, I may be able to share a lot with you from my journals that you don’t even know.”
He frowned but I could tell that he was eager to know what I’ve written.

Work was really kind of a drag.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq1fpN1qWv8

Rachelle called me once but I was on my break. When I tried to return her call—many times—there was no answer.

I telephoned mom and she said, “I have a package here for you from International Male.”
“Oh good, I’ll pick it up later.”
I can’t wait to see the striped yellow and gray shirt and the khaki colored shirt I ordered.

When I arrived home I immediately readied myself for the gym. I did a one set round on the Nautilus equipment and left.

I dropped by mom’s house for my package and had some rice and pink lemonade.

I telephoned Rachelle.
“Hi, I tried calling you a bunch of times today.”
“I got my haircut. Remember?”
“Oh yeah, and how does it look?”
“It looks the same.”
“So…what else is new?”
“Well, now that you mention it…I was talking to Joe.”
“What? Why? He still calls you?”
“Sometimes.”
“Okay, well I’ll call you back around nine-thirty after I leave my mom’s house.”

Later, I was getting comfortable underneath my bedroom covers and called Rachelle at nine-thirty. We ended up talking to one another until 11:30PM. Then, she called back and we talked until 2:45AM! Outrageous! At least our eyes were closed. I j—o’d while talking to her.
“I want Rodney to feel good,” Rachelle said.
And so, I obliged.

The key to our entire telephone conversation on this night started when I explained about Dale’s deceit. I explained how I was listening in on their conversation last Sunday.
“I knew about your conspiracy to locate and read my journals,” I revealed.
“I can’t believe it. I think I should work on Dale and catch him in a really big lie,” Rachelle said, hoping to comfort me in some way.
I decided to confess further and read aloud my journal entry from May 25th. I also told Rachelle about some of my past writings. For instance, I shared the story about Craig from Palm Springs that I met in Hawaii. I also told her about Jim, the Jesus of Los Angeles lookalike.

Rachelle questioned me about Ryan Hargrave.
“Nothing ever happened between Ryan and me,” I said truthfully. I began to wonder if she had heard something from Dale about him.

I could tell that Rachelle had taken a lot in for one night. She seemed to handle it well.
“I still love you,” Rachelle said.
“I love you, too,” I said, feeling so happy that our feelings for one another had not changed. We still love each other and want to be together so very much.

Things are moving too quickly and too strangely for sound sleep for any of us these times. I've been thinking that tomorrow night will not see things as they have been. We'll have to look back, and forward a little more than we have done.
-Bram Stoker
"Dracula"