The Stranger

“…He came up and spoke to me and then walked with me, in spite of the fact that there was nothing he wanted to find out from me and that he himself still had something else to do.

But now all of a sudden he has gone away, and yet I can’t have offended him even with a single word.

I did refuse to spend the evening in town, but that was only natural, that can’t have offended him, for he is a sensible person.”
-Franz Kafka
‘Wedding Preparations in the Country’


Twenty-five years ago today:

September 20, 1984
Thursday

Today was fun. Bobbie Renbarger never fails to amaze me. She actually brought in a rubber piece of vomit today. She set it on my paperwork and it made me laugh until my stomach ached. Laughing is so good for one’s health and abdominal muscles. She is fun. Bobbie says a girlfriend of hers is coming in from Chicago.
“You should join us for a drink next week,” Bobbie said.
That ought to be fun.

I enjoyed lunch with Bobbie and Pat today at the Health Food Store. We talked and ‘bitched’ about the things we forgot to say during our ‘T & F’ role plays. A ‘T & F’ is a term used regarding an order request to move telephone service from one location to another (Transfer ‘To and From’).

The old gentleman and stranger who looks a lot like actor Marty Feldman sat next to me on the BART Train ride this morning. I know he is gay and he is kind of gross but he is nice enough to have conversation.

PHOTO: Marty Feldman, actor

“I thought you were about twenty, not twenty-five,” the Marty-lookalike said.

“So, what do you do in the City?” I asked politely.

“I work for Union Pacific Railroad and I love my work.”

“It’s good that you enjoy it. I don’t see myself doing the work I do forever. I always look forward to the weekend.”

“I recall being your age and loving to have time off, but now…I find time off dull because I don’t have much to do.”

“Maybe you should write a book,” I said just as I started to get up as the BART train had arrived at my station. I hope I didn't offend him. I only hope I gave him something to think about.

I got into my car at the Fruitvale BART station and drove straight to mom’s house. I teased mom and Tony with the fake ‘vomit piece’ that Bobbie let me borrow. I don't know why it made me laugh so hard. I ended up having hamburgers for dinner which made it all the more gross.

At least I received my paycheck today. I still have debts.

I went cycling for a good forty minutes. Once home I hopped into my car and drove to mom’s once again to show her my latest photographs.

Bruce Gorce telephoned later. I explained to him that I was in Los Angeles last week.
“Oh, no wonder. Well, we should go on a hike on Sunday,” Bruce suggested.
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll call you on Saturday at around five o’clock,” I answered as I realized that I also expected a call from Frank Vasconcellos around that same time.