I Was Stuck

"Well," he sighed, "any place takes getting used to."
-James Kirkwood
"Good Times Bad Times", a novel

Twenty-five years ago today:

September 9, 1985
Monday

I telephoned Loic. We made arrangements to get-together on Friday or Saturday.

Paloma gave me instructions to meet her so we could go to buy my new leather jacket.

We met at a designated spot and bought pastries to munch on, too. We went over to Notre Dame. It is such a gorgeous cathedral. It is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in France and in Europe. I, of course, forgot my camera but I bought some postcards.

We returned to my place to lounge and joke. Tonight is dinner with my Aunt Pat and Uncle Richard at the Hotel Lafayette. Paloma left to get ready. I got ready and took the METRO. Suddenly, the train had to be evacuated. We were told we all had to find other sources of transportation. One could easily imagine my look of terror. I was LOST—to say the least. I didn’t have my Uncle Richard and Pat’s telephone number, so I couldn’t call them.

I did telephone Paloma’s mom and she couldn’t understand me. I was stuck. I tried to hail a taxicab. Then I called Paloma again and her mom gave me another telephone number which happened to be a phone booth! I was stuck.

I telephoned Paloma once again but this time the line was busy. I was stuck.

Finally, I called Paloma at her mom’s house and she was there. She came to pick me up in front of an Air France Ticket Office (forty-five minutes later).

I telephoned Aunt Pat and Uncle Richard to apologize, leaving a message that I had gotten lost. 

Paloma and I ended up eating dinner at a nice restaurant that she used to frequent. I had the most delicious pepper steak. It was filling (especially after the chocolate ice-cream with whipped cream). After dinner we went driving all over the city. Paloma drove through a street where there were actually transvestites and transsexuals on the streets. Weird! Then we drove though a prostitute-populated street. It was interesting to see.

Paloma spent the night with me but we didn’t do anything of intimate proportions this time. I really didn’t want to. I like her but I don’t know if things will work between us. While Paloma was with me I thought of other girls I’d been intimate with (like Michelle VonThaden, Rachelle Davies and Lynne Major). They are all so different.


-as heard in the 2009 film, UP IN THE AIR
Q: "Honey, who's that at the door?"
A: "Just someone who's lost."