-Nancy Huston
THE MARK OF THE ANGEL
Approximately Twenty-five years ago
Sometime in August 1987
I have a postcard of two beach lounge chairs under a tree, facing a blue and pink sunset. I sent this postcard to my mother and wrote the following:
Dear Mom,
…For ironing my clothes that day
…For just plain being the BEST mom ever
…Because your birthday is coming up (September 6th)
…And because I LOVE YOU.
Here is a little something, especially chosen for you by me.
Love Forever,
Michael J Armijo
June 20, 1983
My first day back to work was a breeze. I was in the Public Office and I will be working there for the rest of this week. It’s a test pilot thing to see if I can sell custom calling features and gift certificates to walk-in customers.
I dropped over at the BASS Ticket Office during my lunch break to find out what was going on in terms of concerts and events. I would like to attend the following:
DAY ON THE GREEN #1 on July 30th
A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS on July 8th
THE B52’s on July 1st
ANN-MARGRET in San Francisco ‘this week’ at the CORONET THEATER
I shall soon decide.
Nici did say, “I saw two movies this week.”
“Oh…what did you see,” I asked.
“RETURN OF THE JEDI and OCTOPUSSY,” she replied.
I began to wonder who accompanied her to see the movies. I didn’t bother to ask.
After work I called Frank. We were clearly in our introductory phase as we both spoke of how we missed each other.
Doug Siu telephoned me later in the evening. We talked about our astrological signs, people’s personalities, each other, our age and a possible excursion to the GREAT AMERICA amusement park in Santa Clara.
Doug said, “I still can’t get over the fact that Helen is thirty-five years old.”
“She doesn’t look her age.”
“No, she looks GREAT!”
June 21, 1983
Today was a more productive day in the Public Office. I sold more. There were also some prettier girls that walked in to the office. In fact, I was sure I saw Lisa Pingatore and the ‘bitch’ just ignored me. I am sure it was her. I am also sure that she recognized me. Such is life.
I did see a beauty during my lunch break at the POT BELLY DELI. The real question is whether we will ‘eye’ each other again one day.
I also broke down and bought two tickets to see ANN-MARGRET perform at the CORONET THEATER this Friday night. I notified Frank that we are attending. It should be a blast.
I guess I plan to see Frank tonight along with his friends Tammy and Sean at the skating rink. It’s ‘gay’ night. It ought to be interesting.
I plan to visit Helen Wong before the skating rink visit to show here the pictures I took at our SF Bay Cruise. She wants to see my PLAYGIRL COVER picture, too. Ha-ha.
I left Helen’s pad soon after Susan Espino arrived. I ate two slices of Helen’s banana nut bread. It’s so delicious.
I arrived at the skating arena and Frank was nowhere to be found at 7:30PM. He had promised me he would be there. He finally appeared and blamed the driver (another guy named Michael).
I didn’t really like the skating joint. I wanted to leave by 9PM.
“I think I’m going to leave,” I said to Frank.
Frank is just TOO MADLY IN LOVE with me…or something. Perhaps it is his youth and he is simply too immature. I did decide to stick around the skating rink after Michael and Tammy introduced me around to some other people. Frank chose to just skate around the arena (as he kept an eye on me from time to time).
I began to speak to a young skater guy named George Jones. He seemed super nice. He has the most gorgeous blue eyes. They’re dreamy.
“How old are you?”
“Nineteen,” George answered.
I would say he seemed a tad more mature than Frank. I could tell that Frank was jealous because I was chatting with him.
As the night dragged on I started to get friendly with Tammy Duhr to the point that we were actually ‘KISSING’. I must be listening to that KISS ME song too much. I went out to the parking lot and had a couple of daiquiri cocktails that were safely secured in the car. That enhanced the kissing ‘Tammy’ situation.
Frank was so pissed about the scene. He remained silent, giving me a stern look. He stormed out of the skating place shouting, “Oh Fuck it…leave me alone!”
I was shocked. Everyone was concerned about him. He didn’t say those words to me. I wasn’t sure who he was speaking to. Maybe it was directed for me.
I thought, “Gee…he could have a nervous breakdown if I hurt him in some way.”
I knew it was a delicate situation and I didn’t want to harm him in anyway. Tammy, Michael and I all looked for him and finally saw him by Michael’s car.
Frank was rambling two words over and over: “Mother-fucker!”
I ran up to him before anyone else and whispered, “You know I love you.”
“Oh yeah?” he asked, “I’m just some fuckin’ seventeen year old and you’re twenty-four!”
It made no sense. His yelling at me in the parking lot made me very upset. I was also embarrassed with the group watching nearby.
After things became more organized we drove to SEASON’S COFFEE SHOP for laughs. It seems many of the skating entourage tend to go there afterward. We all seemed to be having a good time, including a water fight at the table. Frank still remained silent and gave me the ignorant treatment but he came around a little bit.
Tammy and I were flirting continuously.
Frank asked me, “Could you take me home now?
I did as he requested but I signaled to the group that I would return.
I merely kissed Frank goodnight while in my car and he went into his house. I drove back to the SEASON’S COFFEE SHOP (which wasn’t very far). I managed to get the telephone numbers of Richard Anderson and George Jones who happened to be there.
I drove home with Tammy in my car (if only Frank knew). I was thinking that I would call George Jones. I didn’t know. It’s amazing what a couple of daiquiri cocktails could do.
Tammy walked with me into my apartment and we stayed awake all night. We were talking, kissing, caressing and ‘yummy-ing’. I didn’t go all-the-way. I tried to explain why.
“I just like to start a relationship slowly,” I explained.
She had big dynamite blue eyes as she smiled at me.
I added, “I don’t like to ruin it by hopping in bed…the first thing.”
I could tell she liked my response. We continued to talk a lot about this past evening. Tammy seemed to know Frank and his sensitivity quite well.
Tammy announced, “I am sure Frank had some sexual events with his History teacher, Mr. Stringham.”
I was surprised and said, “You’re kidding me! I just don’t know about him.”
Tammy and I returned to the SEASON’S COFFEE SHOP in the morning. She spent the night and it was nice lying with her on my futon. We had a plan.
“I will shake off Frank for Friday so we can go see Ann-Margret.”
“How are you going to do it?” Tammy asked.
“I’ll just tell him that I need time to think after the explosive events of last night. I’m sure he’ll understand based on the circumstances.”
After my breakfast with Tammy I drove directly to work.
“I totally believe that love conquers all. Sometimes you just have to give it some space.”
-Candace Bushnell
SEX AND THE CITY
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