The Company Picnic

"Why do we write about people we've loved?"
"You want to see if the flame is still burning?"
-"Children of The Century", 1999 French Film
aka "Les Enfants du Siècle"

August 3, 1985
Saturday

My new 25”-inch JVC TV arrived rather early which was good. The deliver guy was pretty nice.
He said, “All you have to do is plug it in.”
I thought, “Easier said than done.”
I quickly called mom and she came over and helped me take it out of the box.

I telephoned Dale and got his answering machine.
“Hi Dale, do you need any help for the picnic?” I asked.
Rachelle called me to say that Dale had called her, asking what it was that I wanted. I eventually ended up speaking to him.
“I just got my new TV,” I said excitedly.
Dale’s response was as if things were clean slate with us.
“Oh, I can come by and help you connect the VCR sometime.”
I thought Dale was trying to get on my good side.

I went to pick up Rachelle after fiddling with the TV and VCR for a good while. Rachelle wasn’t home, so I waited for her to come back from Concord where she was visiting Jim (returning his guitar or something).

We did go to Danville together where my office picnic was being held. While at the picnic Rachelle came up and asked me point blank questions about Lorraine Garcia.
Rachelle suddenly asked, “Are you going to Paris?”
I froze and shrugged. Then I thought about how dishonest and untrustworthy she can be. She read my journals that were in my car! How could she?
I explained, “My trip to Paris would only upset you, so that’s why I didn’t mention it.”

During the picnic Rachelle got all huffy and puffy.
“You know, Michael, you are being rude. You told me to lay out over yonder with you and then when I went over you just ignored me!”
“Give me a break!” I snapped, thinking she was talking nonsense.

I did not speak to Dale much throughout the picnic happenings. I don’t really want to speak to him either. I plan on standing firm to my words. I don’t want to be in the same friendship terms as we had been in the past. It will only mean trouble.

Rachelle and I made a deal to reach each others’ journals at my house after the picnic. We did it. She read about my plans to lock the screen door, so she couldn’t come freely waltzing into my house. I read her journal and how Art kept calling her and how she had a mad crush on Joe’s old friend, Eric. She also wrote about how she was starting to fall for Jim as more than a mere friend. I wonder if she’s doing---or planning on---making it with someone other than me. Or has she already done so?

We made LOVE tonight even though scenes from the picnic sure made me feel that we’d be breaking up tonight. We watched the ’79 PARK AVENUE’ mini-series starring Leslie Ann Warren after we’d gone to NATIONS BURGERS. ’79 PARK AVENUE’ was so good. It was great to see it again. I believe Rachelle actually enjoyed it, too. I’d like to see STUDS LONIGAN, too.

"Don't toy with desire. It's a dangerous game."
-"Children of The Century", 1999 French Film
aka "Les Enfants du Siècle"