Russian Cut

"Do you have some chocolate cake?" she asked.
"A chocolate cheesecake," the woman replied.
She nodded.
"Bring a piece for my friend, here," she said. "His life has suddenly turned bitter and he neeeds some sweetness to get him through the next few days."
-John Katzenbach
"The Analyst"


Twenty-five years ago today

December 3, 1985
Tuesday

I was thinking of Chad this morning and wondering if he may show up one day at my home (upon my arrival home from work). That would be a nice surprise. Just then—Chad telephoned.
“Hey Mike, I just called to wish you a good day and to tell you how very much I’ve been thinking of you today.”
That call meant a lot to me (as does he). WAGG: What a Great Guy.
Chad also said, “I played hooky from my first class today and I was just now reminiscing over everything—from beginning to end—between us.”
I’m glad he’s happy because it makes me happier.

I guess I will let Bella cut my hair tonight at 6PM. She’s the client who offered the free haircut.

Margaret Lai is out ill today. I hope she’ll show up on Thursday for the day at The Mark Hopkins Hotel. That’s a freebie day.

I went to Wendy’s for lunch with Mary McTiernan. I told a fib, mentioning my new roommate, Chad.
I added, “Chad might be going on the Company Christmas Cruise with me.”

I was just going over some of the things Chad (may have) read in my journal. He didn’t say much about what he’d read; however, I guess I didn’t write all that much that he didn’t know already (except for some of my private inner thoughts, relating to him). The thoughts were good (the majority of the time).

After work I went to the ‘Banana Republic’ store and bought Dad a Swiss army shirt, socks and a thermal-like T-shirt for Christmas. I also bought my niece, Ashley, something educational: An Activity School Center at a Toy Shop near Union Square. Then I went to Bella’s Salon which happens to be next-door to Vidal Sassoon’s Salon. She did a good job cutting my hair (at least I thought so). Bella has lived in San Francisco for five years and comes from Russia.
Bella says, “I’ve been cutting hair for sixteen years!”
I guess one could say that I just received my very first ‘Russian cut’.

I left San Francisco by 7PM and went straight home to telephone Chad. Chad read some statements over the phone about ‘The Positive Relationship’. We matched the statements to our own relationship. We agreed that we seem to be working out fine.

I wrote out some Christmas Cards to a number of people. My pictures (most of them anyway) were ready, so I included about half of them inside my cards.

I began watching the movie that Chad had given to me called “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” I was too tired to watch it all, so I went to bed.

Sometimes I wonder what the future holds. I know I am now having Chad in my life and all. I may as well make the best of it.

'As I have said many times, one is lonely when one is in some way impoverished inside oneself. I do still love solitude and need it to discover where I really am.'
-May Sarton
At Eighty-Two, A Journal (Sept. 15, 1993)