-Pierre Frei
BERLIN, a novel
Twenty-five years ago today, September 7, 1987
PHOTO:
Michael J Armijo and Michael G Miller, Sept. 7, 1987
At the doorway/corridor of 3348 Solomon Lane, Alameda
The Beginnings – Part 66: MY SEXUAL PREFERENCE
August 7, 1983
Kevin and George left my apartment early this morning. Once they left I went to mom and dad’s house and helped clean-up the townhouse now that mom’s cousin, Sophie, has moved out.
I didn’t bother to call Nici Maurino. I had promised a call back but ‘what the hell’. She’s not so reliable herself.
I also learned that the telephone company is on strike; whereby, I don’t have to go to work tomorrow. Hurrah! I’m simply happy because my rent will be one-hundred and ninety dollars less as of September 1st.
At approximately 2:30PM this afternoon I returned to my San Leandro apartment and spoke to my next-door neighbor, Ted. We discussed the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph strike.
I finally decided to phone Nici. I would have felt guilty if I didn’t. It wasn’t so bad because there was no answer when I called her. It’s just as well.
Helen called, asking me to come over. I dropped by via bicycle transportation and was pleased to see her and her sister, Geneva. We talked and I felt comfortable enough to take a nap there. They didn’t mind. Helen practiced a bit of manicuring know-how by pushing my cuticles back into a more presentable shape. She also massaged my hands. It’s no wonder that I felt like taking a nap. I was so relaxed and the hand massage felt so good.
When I woke we ate at Round Table Pizza. It was fun to simply eat and chat.
While I was cycling to my apartment I ended up falling on Washington Avenue. I skinned my knee near the railroad tracks. Luckily, there were not a lot of cars around to witness the embarrassing moment. More importantly, my bike was unharmed and my knee will survive. The knee doesn’t look the most beautiful right now though.
My coworker, Pat Overshoun, called.
“Hi Mike.”
At first I didn’t recognize her voice.
“Oh, Hi Pat!”
“I just wanted to tell you that I’m not working tomorrow because of the strike.”
“You know I’m not going either.”
She laughed.
“Good,” Pat said, “I just wanted to make sure.”
It was sweet of her to call me.
I talked to George Jones later. It was after 11PM and we discussed the excitement of our moving-in together.
George said proudly, “I already gave my three week notice at the Wherehouse Record Store.”
“That’s great,” I said, thinking that our living arrangement would be a very good thing.
I know George and I can work out any differences we may have. We are such good friends.
George confided in me about some family problems that he’d come across. He was hesitant at first.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Well, I guess my dad questioned my sister, Becky, about my sexual preference.”
“I knew it.”
“Yeah…”
“I knew when he saw us in bed together he knew something was up.”
“Yes, when he saw us in bed he asked Becky about it.”
“So, what did Becky say?” I asked with bated breath.
“Well, Becky ended up asking my other sister, Cathy.”
“And then?”
“Cathy went to my mom.”
“Oh Wow!”
“Yeah, the whole story cruised through my whole family tree.”
I laughed.
“So, what did you finally do?”
“I just denied it…and I’m not saying a word about it to my pop.”
“Don’t you feel bad that your dad was discussing this with your sisters and NOT…you?”
George finally said in an uncaring tone, “I guess.”
I know the situation will come to pass. I figure as long as George and I are happy it is all that matters. We already know that we are very, very close friends. That’s all that should matter. I’m just sorry that he has to deal with the crazy mess of family gossip.
“There are darknesses in life, and there are lights. You are one of the lights.”
-Dracula,
From the Bram Stoker 1897 gothic-horror novel
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