The Beginnings - Part 74: THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE

Children love to play in the piles of leaves, hurling them into the air like confetti, leaping into soft unruly mattresses of them. For children, leaf fall is just one of the odder figments of Nature, like hailstones or snowflakes. Walk down a lane overhung with trees in the never-never land of autumn, and you will forget about time and death, lost in the sheer delicious spill of color. Adam and Eve concealed their nakedness with leaves, remember? Leaves have always hidden our awkward secrets.
-Diane Ackerman
A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SENSES

Twenty-five years ago today:

September 15, 1987

This is a random photograph of me, seated on my living room couch at 3348 Solomon Lane, Alameda, California with my black panther print overhanging on the wall (inspired by my love for the Nastassja Kinski film CAT PEOPLE).

PHOTO:  Michael J Armijo

The Beginnings – Part 74: THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE

Monday, August 22, 1983

I brought Lilia De Morales my letters that I’d received from Maria De Lourdes.
Lilia commented, “I thought they were kind of dull.”
I laughed. I guess she expected some steamy, sex letters.

I ended up having a little sales contest with Lilia while at work. She won, of course. The tentative prize is for me to treat for drinks at the HYATT REGENCY in San Francisco. Who knows? The strike may be officially over effective on Thursday, so there’s no telling when I can provide the prized cocktails.

After work I took BART to the Fruitvale BART station and found my car safe and sound in the BART parking lot. I drove to San Leandro for another load of my goods and transported them to the Townhouse in Alameda.

While at the Townhouse I decided to paint the stairwell railing.

I spoke to George by phone for a while and promised to call him again at around 10:30PM in Los Gatos.
George had asked, “What size KQAK T-shirt do you want?”
I was excited about that because he knew I wanted one. I love that KQAK radio station. He has some musical pull for t-shirts and tickets at WHEREHOUSE RECORDS.
George also asked, “Can you come over this Wednesday night?”
“Maybe,” I said, “I’ll see what I can do.”
However, I doubt that I will go. It’s such a tiresome drive on a weekday when I have to work the following day.

I was a bit pissed-off because that first card that I mailed to Ann-Margret was returned to me with a stamp on it: “no such address”. Now I’m wondering what happened to the other two cards I sent her. The third card was that really cool “BALLOON” card, too. Oh well…I will try and mail it again in care of Colombia Pictures. Maybe it will be forwarded to her (somehow/someway).

Today, David Vigil and I shared lunchtime together. We talked about the telephone company strike and our respective weekend.
Dave said, “I went dancing at TOSCADERO’s and ECHO BEACH.”
“Well, I’ve been painting up a storm, getting my new pad ready.”

I was too tired to call George as I’d promised. I ended up falling asleep by 10PM. The CIRCUS OF THE STARS TV show didn’t keep me awake.

Tuesday, August 23, 1983

Today was an okay sort of day. I only sold $288 worth of telecommunications services though.

My Supervisor, Ida, is super ‘keeno’. I find her pleasant to work for.

There was a lull in the day when no phone calls were coming in. I found myself making a list on a yellow memo about subjects that would be good for ‘my book’:
Murder
Intrigue
Initial Friendships
Long-Term Friends
Adultery
Incest
Death
Suicide
Mental Illness
Humor
Romance
Horror
Gothic
Novel
Character Build-up
Sexuality: homo, hetero, bi, asexual
Children and Childhood
Secrets
Plot Twist
The Element of Surprise

The free food in the cafeteria is spoiling both me and David Vigil.

David and I were having dinner when this guy named Jim Lucero joined us.
He’s a really nice guy but I’m sure he’s gay because he said, “My lover and I bought a house back East.”
He seems like a nice guy and I am wondering if we might be distant relatives given that my mother’s maiden name is Lucero. It’s a mystery. Jim Lucero walked with me to the BART station. We talked about the current work environment and other ‘small talk’. I shared with him about a friend of mine (George) moving-in with me at the Townhouse in Alameda. It was a cool, harmless conversation.

After the BART ride I drove my car home and went for a long bike ride along the beach. I dropped by to see Suzy and Renee Miller. I almost joined them for dinner at THE SIZZLER but I wasn’t very hungry. Instead, I continued riding my bike. I saw a number of good-looking ones while riding my bike this evening. That’s a surprise.
PHOTO:  George Gregg Jones, 1983

This morning I telephoned George Jones in Los Gatos and he said, “I’m getting my haircut today.”
He’s was staying in Dan and Ken’s apartment in Los Gatos. I must admit that the surroundings are much better than his mother’s trailer.
George also mentioned, “I’ll be moving-in to the condo in Alameda on September 2nd…but I’ll be moving my stuff there on Monday, August 29th…if that’s okay.”
“Sure,” I replied as I realized that the time is drawing near.

“I just thought you should know the story behind these stories in case anyone should ask.”
-Jeremy Irons as ‘The Old Man’
In the 2012 motion-picture THE WORDS