Rumors

"A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, and to dominate them."
-Oscar Wilde
"The Picture of Dorian Gray"

August 4, 1985
Sunday

I had a great breakfast at mom’s house and went to MERVYN’s to get Nicole (Geneva’s daughter) a gift since mom and Ashley are invited to her Birthday party this Sunday. Then I went to my house to rearrange the furnishings to make room for the new Entertainment unit which is being delivered (who knows when?).

I figured out my new VCR and it plays great. I just need to know how to record shows from TV. I need to talk to Diana, the gal who sold it all to me. Speaking of the devil, she called to tell me my TV went down by two-hundred dollars and offered me a Stereo at a $200 price cut. I may take her up on it—but I think I may buy another VCR instead so that I will be able to tape the good movies that I rent.

I went over to Mike and Sue Miller’s and the three of us went for a leisurely bike ride.
Sue said, “I haven’t gone riding in so long!”
“You don’t look so out-of-shape,” I said with a smile.
“No, I have to confess to gaining some weight,” Sue insisted.

We saw Sherri and Ashley at mom’s house when Mike, Sue and I dropped by there for refreshments.
Mom said, “Tony and Helen decided to name their daughter LAUREN.”
“That sounds nice. I like it.”

By the fall of the evening I was at home with my TV when Mike Miller called again. He was going to come over and then asked, “Is it okay if I bring a girl I know?”
“Sure, it’s okay,” I said, figuring what’s the big deal.
Of course, when Mike Miller was at my doorstep he announces that the woman has two kids! Great! She looked like she’d had a rough life. I could see it in her face. I let them all come inside. We were going to watch “EXCALIBUR” but it’s a long movie and it was already 9:30PM, so I refrained from putting that on. They left at 11PM (Thank God!).

There is still no word from Greg Manachevitz. I promised him I would not rent my place but he’s not responsible enough—in my opinion. He tells me one thing and then it’s a mystery thereafter.

I spoke to Cedric Green, my former co worker at Pac Bell in Oakland and he seems interested in moving in with me. He’s black and I find him to be a very nice chap. Then again, I just don’t know.

Rachelle was upset because I told her she couldn’t’ come over with her friend, Danee, to watch the Rick Springfield concert on my VCR.
Rachelle asked, “Could you do me a favor then?”
“What?”
“Could you tell Dale that I can’t make it for lunch tomorrow?”
I said, “Yes,” but I probably won’t tell him a thing. 

Dale’s such an ass, meddling with my girlfriend. I learned that he told Rachelle that he knew that Lorraine was in San Francisco, bringing me a teddy bear. It will be great when he runs out of information to tell about me. The Fat Snob! He told people at the pool—during the picnic—that I had a fear of deep water. Dale also told Rachelle about the message I got at work, confirming my flight to Paris. He told Rachelle of Lorraine’s visit to the office even though he didn’t know for a fact that it was her. He’s told people countless things about me that I’m sure I don’t even know about myself. The funny thing is that his statements are said through his own volition and interpretations when they aren’t always valid. That’s how rumors start and get stretched out of proportion.

It often happened that when we thought we were experimenting on others we were really experimenting on ourselves.
-Oscar Wilde
"The Picture of Dorian Gray"