Come And Go As You Wish

“You can’t know what’s going to happen before it happens.”
“Yes, I can,” he said.  “If I’m any good I can.”
-Garth Stein
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN,
a novel

Diary Notes/Photos  May 8-13, 1988

May 8, 1988

It is Ashley’s 4^th Birthday today.   Sherri organized a party at her house on Cook Lane.   I arrived with mom with enough presents for Ashley to feel content.   Mom brought her share of gifts, too.   Ashley was dressed in a cute ‘little girly’ dress with her hair all curled.

It was another festive family time.   Ashley was gathered around all of her gift-wrapped presents.   My brother, Tony, and sister-in-law, Helen, arrived with Lauren and Leigh.  

It was cute with the two new babies around (Holly and Leigh).  They were both so good.   We just put them on the couch and they seemed to amuse themselves. 

Lauren was amused and happy with her very own Cabbage Patch doll.  

I kept snapping more family photos.  

There were a couple of celebrations today.   It was also MOTHER’s Day.   I took a photo of mom with my brother, John.

After Ashley’s birthday festivities I accompanied mom to her house.   Tony, Helen and the girls followed suit.   Ashley was too entertained with all of her gifts that she wanted to stay home and play with her latest toys. 

I took a photo of Tony with Mom also.   Tony was munching on a chocolate croissant with milk.   He’s always eating something but he always seems to remain very fit.  

Mom was happy.   She had her new living room furniture delivered recently and I took a photo of her on her favorite chair.

Earlier this morning I wrote out a Mother’s Day card.   I found a good card at WALGREENS with a picture of three chimpanzees.

I wrote on the card:

Dear Mom, 
Happy Mother’s Day.   If it’s not one holiday it’s another.   At least today is Ashley’s 4^th Birthday and we can kill two birds with one stone.  

I thought you’d get a kick out of this chimpanzee card.   It reminded me of you and dad and me when we used to ‘monkey around’ together at 356 Magnolia Drive, Mexicali Rose Restaurant or ‘wherever’.   I thought I’d be different instead of sending the usual “flowery” Mother’s Day card.   Besides, these are more fun.   Don’t you agree?

I LOVE YOU and mushy-mushy, kissy-kissy and all of that.   I have to get all of that stuff out of the way, too.   It’s no trouble for you.   You really are my best-friend and I do LOVE YOU.   I’m glad you’re alone in your house now because I can bug you whenever I want without interrupting another family (referring to the fact that Tony, Helen and kids as they were living with her until their new house was ready). 

Your house is looking so beautiful, too.   I am envious.  Maybe we can think about a new black carpet and new tile in my house now.   I know I better wait until I get into Telephone Sales and/or become a psychologist when I can afford it.

Once again, I love you because you’re THE BEST.   How did I end up with such a beautiful MOM?   That’s for being there all of the time!   Don’t forget…Las Vegas is set for November 1988.

Love, Michael

The song of the week was by Gloria Estefan called ANYTHING FOR YOU. 

A few days later I received correspondence from Honolulu.   It was a surprise postcard postmarked May 13, 1988 from Bill Matson.    Does he think about me?   I had forgotten all about him.    I had written him about my NOT going to Mexico as previously planned and how my girlfriend, Kelly, pulled a week long escape from me to San Diego to visit her brother.   I didn’t really think he’d write back.   I was happy that he did.

Bill’s postcard did make me laugh.   The card depicted a guy sleeping with a hand pouring eye-drops onto his eyelids   The copy read:

…AND FINALLY ONE NIGHT, IN A LOVER’S RAGE, TERRY QUIETLY GLUED MIKE’S EYES SHUT WITH SEVERAL DROPS OF SUPER GLUE.  HER TASK COMPLETED, SHE CREPT TO THE DOOR—PAUSED FOR A MOMENT—THEN YELLED, “FIRE”

Bill wrote:  Well, when it rains it pours.  No Kelly and no Mexico in the same week—Ouch.   
You’re always welcome to come to Hawaii.   The apartment is small (studio) but you’ll have your own sofa bed (beats the floor) and set of keys—come and go as you wish.   I’m here until June 1^st, then back to California (Elk).   I also understand that you probably want to take off and spend time alone.   But…Doug did cut his hair!  Ha—Take Care, Bill.

I was happy to know that I had the option to just up and go to Hawaii.   I had to work though.   It wasn’t as easy as all of that.   It made me want to go to Hawaii again though.  I love that tropical feeling.   I also liked that feeling of knowing that 'Kelly and I' were together.   We talked often and kept looking forward to the next time we'd see one another.   One of our many songs was playing:  DANCE AWAY by Roxy Music  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur2_y9abMWk

“You have to work for what you want in this LIFE.”   The words sounded trite and old-fashioned , yet he knew instinctively that they were true.   “The mark of a man is not what he has, but what he is, inside.” 

-Paul Huljich, BETRAYAL of Love and Freedom, a novel