Love At First Sight: LAURA

He has evidently some deep problem in his mind, for he keeps a little notebook in which he is always jotting down something.
-Bram Stoker, DRACULA

Diary Notes/Photos July 4-8, 1988

The Fourth of July weekend was busy.  I accomplished the completion of painting mom’s house at ‘356 Magnolia Drive’ in Alameda with the white and black trim.   It came out beautifully and mom was happy with the interior of her house as well as the exterior ‘for the time being’.   She loves it ‘spic and span’.   I was pretty proud of how the house appeared now, too.

John Kennedy Tuzziano arrived over the 4^th of July weekend with a couple of friends from Los Angeles.   I know they were experiencing San Francisco and other sights but they managed to come over to Alameda to visit me.  I showed them around Alameda and took them for a ride into Berkeley.   I really like Berkeley, so I thought it would be a pleasant switch of scenery for them.   I took them up to North Oakland and we walked along College Avenue, browsing a few shops here and there.  

They were hungry and it was pre-dinner time, so I suggested a cool pizza joint known as ZACHARY’s.   It’s known for their deep dish Chicago-style pizza but the thin crust is also quite good.   There was already a line out the door but we managed to arrive early.   The wait wasn’t very long.

I believe John Tuzziano had an ‘infatuation’ with me but I couldn’t be sure.  I don’t think I was in any interest mode ‘at the time’; however, something challenged me when I saw HER smile.   I think it was ‘love at first sight’.   Laura was her name.   She was our waitress at ZACHARY’s.   Each time she came to our table the eye contact and smile she gave me was NOT exaggerated.   I know she felt something strong as well.  It was the ideal mutuality connection.

I learned that she attends UC Berkeley and that her major is PSYCHOLOGY.  

“How impressive,” I thought.
I managed to get a new question thrown in every time she came to the table.
“Where are you from originally?”
“OH, Newport Beach.”
I asked John and his friends, “Do they ALL look like her in Newport Beach?”  
Sigh.  
This was my final chance. 
“Can I get your phone number?  Maybe I can show you around the Bay Area one of these days?”
She smiled, took our check and came back with a little slip of paper signed, ‘Laura Munoz', with her telephone number!
I was ecstatic.

John and friends returned to Alameda with me.    As soon as they departed I went to mom’s house only to find her in front of the house that evening, watering her lawn.  

While we were watching television later that evening I nonchalantly announced, “Oh, I met someone.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, her name is LAURA and she goes to UC Berkeley.   I don’t want her to think I’m too desperate so I’m not calling her until tomorrow.”
Mom laughed.

July 6, 1988

I found a cool, vintage Sonny and Cher postcard.   Realizing how Paloma had this fanatic phase for CHER.  I had to send her the postcard.  I wrote:

July 6, 1988

Paloma,

Being the postcard collector that I am I would normally NOT send you this postcard.   I’d keep it but I knew you’d get a kick out of it—because I did.   Do you remember how you said CHER was your idol?  And how you admire her?   Well, this proves that certain people do improve with age!  Ha-ha.

Thinking of You…

How’s Jonathan?
Ashley, Lauren, Leigh and Holly Armijo are all FINE.
I’m yearning to go to FRANCE again.   Next year maybe…
Hello to Alexandre.
Always,
Michael J Armijo

I didn’t mention LAURA.   It’s too early to report anything of substance.
 

July 8, 1988: 
My grandmother (mom’s mom) came to stay at mom’s house for a couple of nights.   I stopped by while mom was cleaning the garage.   Grandma was sipping coffee.   Mom was clearing out the garage of old junk.   She found three toilet plungers and we all laughed.    I think it was more hysterical for mom and grandma when I got my Polaroid and took a photo of the two of them with mom holding the three plungers.   Silly me…but a funny, memorable moment.

When Grandma left I thought it was only fair for mom to photograph me with one of the plungers, so I allowed her to take one of me by the kitchen sink.   Once again…we laughed.

More importantly, I am ever so excited.   I have a date planned for July 10^thwith LAURA.  That is only two days from now!   I called her and she was pleased to hear from me.   I will pick her up in Berkeley and bring her to Alameda.    She lives in a house with three or four other college girls.

We’ll probably go to the Ice-Cream dock for a light meal and then come to my place for a possible video movie screening.   I can’t think about anyone else right now except Laura.   She’s THE ONE!  She is my ‘Josette’.   Her name is LAURA MUNOZ, so I think she’s part Spanish.  

PHOTO:  Laura Munoz

He had never before encountered such a look in anyone’s eyes, a look at once so searching and so loving, so innocent and so critical, radiating such kindness and such omniscience.
-The Glass Bead Game, a novel by Hermann Hesse
(A CONVERSATION)