-Pierre Frei
BERLIN, a novel
The Beginnings – Part 25: HORROR MOVIES, A NEW LOVER and THE HUNGRY TIGER
May 6, 1983
There was nothing very eventful that happened today. I just worked my 8:30AM until 5PM shift. I did take a walk (alone) to Lake Merritt. I also stopped at the BASS Ticket Office during my lunch hour.
Helen asked, “Who are you seeing lately?”
I gave her a phony lie ‘just to be left alone’.
“I may be seeing Renee Miller for a movie.”
I figured I did speak to Renee as she was babysitting her niece and nephew tonight. Renee was on my mind. How unfortunate that she was babysitting.
I wanted to see the new Nastassja Kinski flick called EXPOSED. I tried to get a hold of Michael Miller but he wasn’t around either. It’s just as well.
Elisa didn’t show up with baby Stephanie this evening as she said she might. I wanted to flash a few photographs of the baby, too.
I remained home and listened to dad bitch about my NOT helping him wash mom’s car and how I owe him five-thousand dollars and how I can’t use his truck when I move to my new pad. After enduring all of that I chose to watch THE SHINING. I also sorted out all of my credit cards neatly in my wallet. I did some testing on my new lamps to make sure they actually will light up. The lamps look so nice reflecting against my ROAD WARRIOR framed print of Mel Gibson.
It looks like dad my talk mom into trading-in her 1976 Mustang for a new 83 version tomorrow. She deserves the new wheels.
I will most likely meet Jackie Woods for a minor shopping spree in The City (San Francisco) tomorrow.
Michael Padazinski asked, “Are you having a housewarming party since you’re moving to your own pad?”
I think he was kidding but I asked him right back, “Are you going to give me one?”
He answered, “Sure!”
I wonder if I’ll have a housewarming party. Who would come? Helen, Michael, Geneva, Howard, Seanne, Geneva, Paige, Barbara, Jackie, Juanita, Renee, Sue, Mike…(?)
May 7, 1983
Jackie Woods and I went to The City after all. Before I left to pick her up at the Fruitvale BART Station I washed my car and waited for mom and dad to come home. They went to look at new cars. They returned with mom’s brand new 1983 Coppertone brown Mustang.
I asked in a puzzled tone, “Brown?”
I was slightly upset by the color and I inadvertently made mom cry over the whole situation. Ooops…I actually liked the 1976 Mustang that she had before; however, this one must be better. I chose to leave after the slightly troubled argument. I wonder if mom was having buyer’s remorse herself.
Jackie and I visited the SEIKO Watch and Clock joint at NEIMAN-MARCUS. We also ventured over to I.MAGNIN, EMPORIUM-CAPWELL, and MACY’s and then we went over to Berkeley to the PIGGY MALONE’s card store that I like so much. I bought a number of greeting cards there along with some candy and a scarf with an ‘A’ (for Armijo) imprinted on it at EMPORIUM for my mom for Mother’s Day. It was flattering when three girls asked me what ARMIJO ‘stood for’ on my license plate. Apparently, they were from Fairfield, CA and had attended ARMIJO HIGH SCHOOL.
After my excursion in to The City with the black girl, Jackie Woods, I returned home to watch EDGE OF NIGHT with mom. Obviously, things were better when I arrived home. I joined mom and dad for dinner and drinks (a pitcher of Margaritas) at MEXICALI ROSE in Alameda. I especially enjoyed the dinner with my folks. We had some good laughs. When we returned home we watched TIME AFTER TIME starring Malcolm McDowell (of CAT PEOPLE) about a time machine and the Jack the Ripper mystery. It was very good. I love the idea of time travel. I want to do that! Malcolm played H.G. Wells. Who knew that H.G. stood for Herbert George?
May 8, 1983
I love this new radio station in San Francisco called KWAK (pronounced QUAKE) that plays New Wave Rock of the 80’s.
I showed my brother, John, the new greeting cards I bought. We both wondered if the ‘Having A Ball’ series of cards are truly having a ball. John’s kind of shaky about Cindy Mikeljohn’s idea of their relationship.
John said, “I don’t know. She wants to get a little more serious and I don’t want to because she’s not totally my type.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“Her hips are real wide and her ass his too flat,” John said seriously.
I laughed at his comment.
I have a commitment for Saturday morning to show my Aunt Betty where Lafayette Street is located here in Alameda. She plans on taking a Country and Western Dance lesson class there. That’s funny.
I went for a bike ride to Alameda’s South Shore Beach at my favorite spot at the end of Shoreline Drive. I needed to feel refreshed and have some rejuvenation time. I sat out on the beach watching a black lady and her son. The sailboats were drifting in the distance as I listened to the QUAKE radio tunes on John’s SONY WALKMAN. I love the song called DER KOMMISSAR by After the Fire. When it started to play I had to hop on my bike and start pedaling…FAST!
I slept, showered and relaxed to round out my normal Sunday schedule.
I love the Lucy and Ricky song called RICKY by Weird Al Yankovich. I also love that FRANKENSTEIN song: HORROR MOVIES by The Bollock Brothers. Music does ease my mind.
I taped the movie APOCALYPSE NOW and chose to watch LITTLE DARLINGS. Mom watched it with me. We munched out on Chun King Chicken egg rolls as we watched. Those are so good. Yum Yum. We also watched that program about the best and ‘most remembered’ TV commercials. That was fun.
The TV commercial documentary reminded me about that letter from Dot Salas, the PTT Advertising Manager. The Pink Cadillac greeting card I sent her must have sparked some wonderful memories for her. She responded so nicely. There’s nothing like flattery and nice gestures. It made her feel good. It makes me feel good.
May 9, 1983
Monday
Now I know what the person meant that created that fabulous song called BLUE MONDAY. It was quite BLUE for me today. After work, my brother, Tony, was not at the ALCP parking lot. I was stranded in Downtown Oakland with a penny. Eventually, I managed to call Tony and he met me in front of the City of Oakland Administration Building.
I bumped into Sharon Quinn and her son. I used to work with her on Franklin Street when we were working as Computer Operators. Her son, Michael, has grown up to be a respectable looking young man. However, the bitch couldn’t even offer to give me a lift after I told her I was stranded. It was still nice to see them. I shouldn’t think of the day so negatively. It was frustrating to walk around without a dime. I was home by 7:30PM.
May 10, 1983
My friend and coworker, Barbara Reynolds, found A NEW LOVER (it seems). She seems so ‘starry-eyed’ lately. She has an over-the-weekend visible hickey on her neck that has not yet faded away. She is wearing a scarf to hide it.
I placed my order for my new telephone service after work today. I was able to get a GREAT telephone number: 351-1234. It will be working and effective on May 27, 1983. I am looking forward to the move.
Joan Lyons and Pat Overshoun were kidding me by saying that I better enjoy ‘raiding the fridge’ now before I move out.
Doug Siu furnished me with man Ivory-colored TAMSTAR and a white Trimline Telephone. That was so nice of him.
Doug asked, “Why don’t we go to dinner this Saturday night at THE HUNGRY TIGER in San Francisco near Fisherman’s Wharf?”
Doug said, “It’ll be my treat. Consider it a courtesy advance birthday gift.”
“That’s so nice,” I said, but I couldn’t help think of him being the ‘hungry tiger’. Why choose a restaurant with that name? It seems to have a subliminal message. I am still debating on the invitation.
“I’ll let you know. It’s just that I’m so busy organizing the move, packing boxes and all.”
I also have a haircut scheduled for this Friday night. I may not like my new look and probably won’t want to be seen for a while.
I received my first subscribed issue of ESQUIRE Magazine today. It’s the 50th Anniversary issue. I am pleased with it. Now I need to find the time to read each and every article. There’s my MADISON AVENUE Magazine, too.
I spoke to a nurse today named Clare Lynch Wing who works at Highland Hospital. It was a work-related phone call but she actually knows Howard Edelstein. I had to ask.
“Could you send him my regards?”
Clare said, “I most certainly will.”
I wonder what his response will be after she relays that message.
My brother, Tony, was home tonight. I overheard him talking to dad about his plans to invest in stocks.
Tony said to dad, “You should tell John to invest some of his money.”
Of course, I didn’t hear him include me. I guess we are not really in speaking terms right now. I remember when he was in the Air Force for those four years. I used to write to him. I had more to say to him when he was miles away near the Panama Canal than I do now.
Tonight I read several articles in ESQUIRE Magazine. One of them was about RELATIONSHIPS IN THE 1980’s and whether or not to have babies. Another one was about GETTING AHEAD and NIGHT CLIMBING WITH THE SOCIAL ELITE in New York City. Another one was about UNEMPLOYMENT and the high-price of being jobless and how self-confidence is as easy to lose as a dollar-bill. The last article I read was about CRIME and THE CASE FOR GUNS with the drawbacks about gang violence, the John Lennon incident and how those reasons alone is good reason for people to arm themselves. I also like looking at the ads for new fashion ideas.
Fashions change so quickly nowadays they may even have altered by the time you get upstairs.
-Daphne du Maurier
REBECCA
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