A Psych Lecture

"Just like everyone else on the planet. There are some things I know and some things you don't."
-as heard while watching the 2010 film,
BURIED

Twenty-five years ago today

January 20, 1986
Monday

I am here at a metered parking space in San Francisco on this early morning once again. I will only end up paying sixty cents—if all goes well—today.

I ought to take some time to write Chad a serious letter. Perhaps I shall do that tonight. I plan on going to mom’s house for dinner tonight since she has Martin Luther King Day off. After dinner I’ll go home to change clothes and run off to hit the gym. I may seriously outline and write-up Chad a meaningful letter this evening. To think I started this journal book ten days after meeting Chad. We’ve come a long way—but there’s more of a journey ahead. We’ve hardly reached the core.

Last night my fortune cookie FORTUNE was ‘Trust Your Feelings’.

Oh yeah! I saw Elizabeth Kools at the Video Store. We caught up on things. She is working in San Francisco now, too. I gave her my business card so we could hopefully meet up sometime. It’s been a long time since our high-school Chemistry class days. She was always the smartest one in Chemistry. Thank goodness I sat next to her. I had a crush on her during those 'in-the-lab' days.

PHOTO: Elizabeth Kools, 1977

I was thinking tonight about how pissed-off Chad was feeling.
I blurted, “Don’t give me a psych lecture!”
“I can’t help it if that’s the way I talk!”
I know I got on the wrong wavelength during that conversation. I truly hate to argue with him. I hope we work to improve our differences together. I forgot to write the ‘special’ letter to him last night. Perhaps I will do it tonight.


I made an appointment with a dermatologist for this Wednesday (after my dentist appointment). I figure I’d best get some medicine for this damn blemish on my chin that’s been there for about two months now. I can’t stand to deal with it anymore.


Dale Orlando asked, “Would you tradeoff your one-hundred and twenty-five dollars worth of travel vouchers for some of my PNS sales points?”
“Why?”
“Well, it’s because I’m going to Florida in two weeks.”
I know he was dying for me to ask where he was going and why. I didn’t question him any further.
Margaret Lai came by, overhearing and asked, “Why Florida?”
I truly didn’t give a shit; however, I am going to do him the favor only because he’s in my Section.
I still consider him a fat, meddling mother f---ker.

It’s the new Federal Holiday today: Martin Luther King’s Birthday. It was a slow work day as there were a lot of businesses that were closed.


The Service Committee got together. Mary and I kicked-off the baby pictures and posted about eighteen photos of our fellow coworkers. We expect to receive more baby pictures throughout the week. Steph, my boss, gave me my copies of my Job Transfer requests. Hurrah! I hope I get out of this office whether it’s in Los Angeles or not. I believe Chad will go with me anyhow. I haven’t heard from him all day—by the way.


After work I had dinner with mom. She had the day off and we watched ‘The Young and The Restless’ together. She got me up-to-date as to what is going on.

While at the gym I saw Mark Landreth but we didn’t talk. Leonard Perillo popped in and we chatted for a little while. I continued with my workout and went back to mom’s house to watch the end of that ‘Bel Air’ TV-movie starring Mark Harmon and Kirstie Alley.


Once home it was time to just hit the sack. I kept thinking the alarm clock was going to ring and it never did. When it finally did ring I didn’t want to wake up. I wanted to return to my dream.

LIFE is like that.  You live it forward, but understand it backward.
-Albert Verghese
"Cutting For Stone"