Only Me

"I've enjoyed every book I've read for one reason or another."
-as heard during the
On-Broadway show
starring Matthew Broderick,
"The Philanthropist"

I love old and rare books. I am a novice collector. While walking in London, England there was a table of old and rare books I noticed in the Knightsbridge area. I found a hardcover book titled "Only Me", An Autobiograhy. Alan bought it as a gift for me. Alan wrote a private inscription note inside that I love. It is not clear who the author is as it simply states 'By the Author of "UP TO FIFTEEN". I read the first page and it felt like something I might have written in another lifetime:

"ONLY ME"
Chapter I
My Childhood's Home

I should very much like to write my history, though it cannot be a long one, for only a few chapters have been lived out yet; there is, as it were, only one volume yet filled up; but even in that one volume there has been much experience. I have gone through many and strange scenes, and over all there has been a tender Father's loving hand, dealing out to me great mercies.

So I will begin and tell my story to other boys from a boy's point of view...

Twenty-five years ago today:

July 1, 1984
Sunday
While I was in the shower the telephone rang. Boy, did I jump! Could it be Katie?
No, it was mom.
“John and Sherri are going to the County Fair in Pleasanton and I am going to babysit Ashley all day,” mom said.
I explained about my waiting on Katie’s telephone call. I also gave her some nonsense gossip about Steve and Helen at work.

Now it is 11:30AM and there is still no call from Katie. I guess I will give her until 4 or 5PM. What a “let down”, getting all hyped up over the last few days and she may not even call!

I made myself breakfast and lounged in the backyard, taking advantage of the sunlit rays. The sun was a scorcher today, too. I wanted to get on my bike and ride but I chose to exercise indoors. I persuaded mom to come over to my place with Ashley. I can play with Ashley when they arrive.
If I’m lucky Katie Jones will call me. Now I am beginning to wonder if “Jones” was a fake surname.

Oh well, my brother, Tony, came by to visit and left around the same time I did (1:30PM). Howard Edelstein had returned my call after I decided to call him the other night. I was curious to see what he was up to these days.
“Yeah, I’m open for a short bike ride today if you’re up for it,” Howard suggested.
And so, I decided not to ‘hang out’ another minute waiting on Katie Jones’ phone call that may never come. I left for North Oakland.

I laid out on Howard’s lawn near College Avenue and Claremont, reading PEANUTS and other newspaper comic strips for a while. Then we went bicycling around the UC Berkeley Campus and the adjacent areas of Telegraph Avenue.

I thought of visiting my coworker pal, Barbara Reynolds, but did not. Howard took a wrong turn and I just ditched him and headed home. Silly fun…but perhaps a bit of revenge on my part after what he did to me in Guadalajara, Mexico.

By 6PM I was home taking a call from Christopher Cordellos.
“Yeah, I am moving out today and Barbara V. is giving me a bad time,” Chris shared with a slight whisper.
I explained about my meeting Katie Jones and he did not hide his bummed out feelings.
“Don’t worry, she probably won’t even call back. Things will still be okay,” I said reassuringly.
By the time we hung up the phone all things seemed pretty much together between us. The only issue is that he may not be coming back down to the Bay Area until August 15th. This is when his ‘financial bind’ will clear. Speaking of financial binds, I am not in one but money matters could be brighter than they actually are. Then again, I have $8,600 coming in 1986 and I am maintaining my $2000 per year IRA Contributions (since 1982). I am a 25 year old so I’d say I’m doing better than most.

I went over to Mom & Dad’s house and hung out until about 11PM. Tony was kind enough to drive me home.