The Flight to Paris

"That's one of the first things I noticed of you...how sure of yourself you are."
-A Single Man, 2009 film
starring Colin Firth

Twenty-five years ago today:

September 2, 1985
Monday

Finally, it was my day of reckoning. I telephoned mom at 6AM.

I woke Dale who was sleeping on the couch downstairs.
Dale asked, “Did you already jack-off?”
How disgusting to ask that. I gave him a negative look.
Dale continued, “You can watch me.”
That was so rude and vulgar. Although the sneak peek I saw was that he’s got a huge one diameter-wise. Yuck though! I’m in no way interested. Yuckie!

Dale and I were eventually dressed and ready to leave for my mom’s house. We had breakfast at the airport of all things. I missed my 8:30AM flight to New York! Shit! I had to take the 1PM flight instead. I had to wait around the airport. Dale and mom waited with me until 11AM and then they left.

I wrote out a number of postcards.
I telephoned mom to see if she was home yet.
“I’ll call you when I arrive in New York and find my baggage, okay?”
She said, “Okay.”

Right now I am on Flight 201 bound for New York and some guy sitting next to me is going back to New York where he lives. He was visiting his folks in Lafayette, CA. I’m pretty sure he’s a QBL (Questionable one). He looks intelligent and he’s nice enough to talk to.
He said, “You’ll love Paris.”
“I’m just glad I’m on a plane that will get me to New York before eleven-twenty when my next flight leaves for Paris.”

It’s time to read my new ESQUIRE, MADISON AVENUE magazines and/or my jump-rope book.

The guy bound for New York wrote in my diary:

Jonathan Hamlin
24 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
Apt. # 516
212-260-7595

Jonathan was real nice. He’s from Lafayette and I had a few White Russian cocktails with him while on the plane. He works at a travel agency in New York. It’s fun meeting people on planes.
Jonathan said, “Be sure you give me a call before your next layover in New York. Then I can show you around.”
“I wish I could have four more days off just to see New York.   We’ll see how it goes.”

My Air France flight was delayed. Instead of leaving from New York at 11:20PM it left at midnight. It was a longer flight. I didn’t say much throughout the flight from New York to Paris. I was trying to fall asleep. However, I did finally meet Loic Rabier, who is from Paris and seated nearby.  He was vacationing with his family. He is only eightteen years old. He’s a real nice chap.
We exchanged addresses and it made me feel good when he said, “I will make up a MICHAEL file for you on my computer.”
I have been instructed to call him when I am in Paris, so we can see a movie together or something. Yes, he’s a QBL (Questionable).

"No one's more important than people! In other words, friendship is the most important thing--not career or housework, or one's fatigue---and it needs to be tended and nurtured."
-Paul and Julia Child
"My Life In France"