A Few Other Options

All of them know I am the wittiest and the most stylish.

-Philippa Gregory
"The Other Boleyn Girl"

Twenty-five years ago today

May 2, 1986
Friday

Yesterday was payday. I took care of a number of things. My credit cards are getting there (much more presentable). I’ll be eliminating and closing out two of my credit cards very soon.

Steve Green left me a couple of nice notes that I read when I arrived home. It made me smile. My shaving cream disappeared though. I’m not sure why he’d have taken it. Oh well…

Sue Miller telephoned me because she’s in a predicament.
“Mike, I have to be out of my apartment by May 15th!”
I wasn’t quite sure what she expected to hear from me.
I replied, “Well, a pal of mine—named Steve may be moving-in here…so…”

I had my own personal intentions of going out with Mark Landreth tonight (Cowboy night) but once I was home a few other options came up:
Steve Green called and asked, “Do you want to go to dinner with me and my fifty-two year old Professor friend, Peter, in Palo Alto at MacArthur Park?

Denise Vinsonhaler called and asked, “Why don’t you meet me at Baxter’s in Concord tonight?”

Karen Craven called and asked in her Kentucky-style accent, “Why don’t you go out to Fat Fanny’s and see Amy, Ed and all?”
I knew Mike Miller and Greg Manachevitz had plans to go to Fat Fanny’s also.

Cedric Green called as he was still fishing and hoping I’d go out with him tonight.

Mark Landreth called to say, “Hey, I’m going out with Lana tonight—but why don’t you meet us at Bobby McGee’s tonight?”

And so, I decided to go and meet Denise Vinsonhaler at Baxter’s in Concord. I arrived at 9:20PM and waited until around 10:45PM. When I clearly saw that Denise pulled a ‘no show’ I decided to drive to Fat Fanny’s. It was fun. I saw Ed, Karen and Amy first. We had a nice talk. Amy gave me a phony line of bull by trying to make me mad and ‘pick a fight’. It backfired. I was glad that I purposely did not call her all week.

I later noticed Mike Miller and Greg Manachevitz at Fat Fanny’s as well. It was Mike’s birthday at midnight.

Karen, Amy, Ed and I went out after midnight breakfast at DENNY’s.
Ed asked, “Michael, why don’t you come on a boat excursion tomorrow?”
I thought that was a nice invitation.  I doubt I’ll take him up on it.

When I returned home to Alameda I chose to give Steve Green a telephone call.
“Hi Michael, I just got home.”
I explained where I was tonight.
I said, “I actually had three Michelob beers at Baxter’s.”
We didn’t talk long and I felt bad that I didn’t go out to dinner with him and his friend.


Denise Vinsonhaler called me to apologize.
“Michael, I just wanted to tell you that I got to Baxter’s late--like 11:15.”
She pissed me off because we were talking and she didn’t even recall my last name.
I hung up.
Then Denise had her friend, Kim, call me to defend her.
Whatever…
Yawn.

A memoir supposes. I think, distance, time: the whole point of a journal is the day-to-day struggle.
-May Sarton, October 25, 1993
AT EIGHTY-TWO, A Journal