Club Med, BRECK Shampoo and PLAYBOY

The world turns on our every action, and our every omission, whether we know it or not.
-Abraham Verghese
"Cutting For Stone"

Twenty-five years ago today

January 27, 1986
Monday

Paloma telephoned me from France today. She gave me her new telephone number.
“I’m moving out this weekend from my mom’s house,” she said.
I was not sure if she was moving out ‘alone’ or with a roommate. I am not sure I really want to know.
She did say, “I won’t be in Paris any more starting May 1986.”
I asked, “Why not?”
“I got a job with Club Med and I will keep you informed of my traveling adventures, then maybe you can take a Club Med vacation.”
“That’s so great! I’m so happy for you. I will write to you.”
I kept my word. I wrote. I sent an Air-Mail letter today.

Steph Bautista, my supervisor, was at a Branch Conference in Concord along with most of the other managers. She will be there tomorrow also. Dale Orlando called-in sick today (no big loss).

Some asshole doctor customer kept me on the line well after 5PM today. I hate that.

I went home after work and immediately got ready for the gym. I met a really cute girl named Joyce.
The first thing I said to her was, “You know, your hair would make a great BRECK Shampoo TV commercial.”
She certainly seemed to like what I said.  I don’t think anyone ever used that line on her before.


While I was riding on the Lifecycle next to Joyce my pal, Leonard Perillo, came by and spoke to me briefly.
I asked, “So how are things with you?”
“Business is good. Have you seen Chad lately? What’s he up to?”
“Oh…the same—he’s very in to school right now.”
“Is he still living up there in Castro Valley?”
“Yeah, but he may move out in March.”
“Where to…Alameda?”
Leonard was obviously fishing.
I answered frankly, “It’s a possibility. I rode my bike from Alameda to his place just last Saturday. That was an exhilarating ride.”


Mark Landreth bid me a brief “Hello” today.  Rick (Chad’s friend) said, “Hello” too.
I asked Rick, “What’s up?”
He shouted, “I’m heading home to see the American Music Awards.”
I continued working out fairly well. I may make a return gym visit tomorrow because I feel fat lately.


After the gym workout I returned mom’s shampoo that I had borrowed.  I ended up not even using it because our showers have no hot water at the gym.  I borrowed some fresh grapes from mom’s fridge. I also took the extra quarters that she found and left for me (for my parking meter fees).


I showered when I arrived at my place and watched the ending of Natalie Wood in “The Memory of Eva Ryker”. It was sad because when I stopped watching the movie last night Clare Ryker (the character played by Natalie Wood) had been killed and left to drown amidst a torpedo stricken ship called the Queen Anne.  It’s a good movie, yet the connection to her true life drowning death was unusually uncanny.


This Thursday night some Chippendale’s men and some Playboy bunny named Kim Morris are supposed to be at this party at my 24-Hour Fitness gym.  I may attend—even if my chin is still in the recovery stage.
PHOTO: Kim Morris, Playboy
Playmate March 1986

By 10PM I decided to go to dream land. I was glad I had gone to the gym earlier because it made me feel much better.


I thought of calling Chad but I figured he’d be asleep.  I don’t want to bug him too much.  Our intimate episodes of last weekend were nice though. I miss him.  I can’t wait until we can meet up again and share more good times.

"I really believe that, at a certain point, if you’re born in ’60-something or whatever, you got ripped off—you know what I mean?  I always felt like I was meant to have been born in another era, another time."
-actor, Johnny Depp
VANITY FAIR,
January 2011 Issue