The Guy in Shades

Impossible it is for me to go on expressing my emotions because I know I could go on rambling for ages and never reach the point that is foremost in my mind.
-Nial Kent
"The Divided Path"

Another great tune that I loved during my avid cycling days in the mid-1980s was by Corey Hart called "Sunglasses At Night". If you hear the lyrics you can understand why I loved the song so much. I distinctly remember riding my bike 'at dusk', wearing my sunglasses while the tune was playing on my SONY headphones. It made me ride so much FASTER! The speed of my pedaling was an ultimate thrill.
CLICK this link to listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2LTL8KgKv8

Sunglasses At Night (lyrics)

I wear my sunglasses at night so I can so I can
Watch you weave then breath your story lines.
And I wear my sunglasses at night so I can so I can
Keep track of the visions in my eyes.
While she's deceiving me
it cuts my security.
Has she got control of me? - I turn to her and say:
Don't switch the blade on the guy in shades oh no.
Don't masquerade with the guy in shades oh no
I can't believe it!
You got it made with the guy in shades oh no.

And I wear my sunglasses at night so I can
Forget my name while you collect your call so I can
And I wear my sunglasses at night so I can
See the light that's right before my eyes. so I can
While she's deceiving me it cuts my security
Don't switch the blade on the guy in shades oh no.
Don't masquerade with the guy in shades oh no
I can't believe it!
Don't be afraid of the guy in shades oh no it can't escape you

'cus you got it made with the guy in shades oh no.
I said: I wear my sunglasses at night.
I wear my sunglasses at night
I wear my sunglasses at night.
I said to you now: I wear my sunglasses at night
I wear my sunglasses at night
I wear my sunglasses at night.
I cry to you: I wear my sunglasses at night. I wear my sunglasses at night

Twenty-five years ago today:

November 17, 1984
Saturday

The phone rang at about 9:15am. It was Helen.
“Mike, I may come by today for the food I left in the fridge.”
“Oh, okay, I should be here.”
Then mom called to invite me for breakfast. As I was dressing into my bike gear and about to depart Helen arrived. I helped her take her stuff to her car. I waved to my friend, Aubrey, the fourteen year old chap that I had not seen for a few weeks.

I waved goodbye to Helen and got on my bike. As I was about to ride off I spoke to Aubrey who was waiting for my next door neighbor to return from SAFEWAY. I learned that he is actually thirteen years old and that his mother is thirty-two years old.
“I have two younger brothers,” Aubrey said.
Aubrey reminded me of a young version of Jeffrey Burr because of his striking blue eyes and dark hair. We began to talk of movies because he mentioned his wish to see ‘The Last Starfighter’ when it is released on January 2, 1985. I invited “Aub” into my pad via my garage so that he could see the UC Theater movie schedule that I happened to have in the house.
“You have a nice apartment,” Aubrey said.
I thought, “What a bright kid.”
“Thanks! You know, we should go bike riding some time to Castro Valley.”
“Ah yeah, but my bike needs to be fixed. I plan on fixing it today though,” Aubrey said happily.
“Well maybe we can go next weekend. Or maybe we can go see a flick sometime.”

And so, maybe we’ll go together. He is only in seventh grade at Wood School. He’s my new buddy. I felt like a big brother. We returned to the garage and I got on my bike and headed to mom’s to eat.

When I returned home to check my mail I looked to see if Aubrey was around because I like ‘looking’ and ‘talking’ to him. He was not around, so I got on my bike and rode along the beach.

I was riding through Encinal Avenue to Central Avenue and spotted a house in Central Alameda that I truly love on Dayton Avenue. There are two lion sculptures side by side in the front yard. I was riding until 1:30pm on Bay Farm Island. Some guy named Ralph called my name out, “Mike!”

Ralph had ridden his bike from Hayward and after speaking with him he explained that he mistook me for another guy named Mike that he knew. We talked briefly and then he went his way and I went mine. I saw Ron, the windsurfer guy, on his bike, too.
“How you doin?” I asked as I rode by, nodded and continued on my ride.
I’ve given up on his bland intellect. There was no point in speaking to him again.

I found myself at mom’s house again and played with Ashley for a while. I accompanied mom and Ashley to South Shore Shopping Center where we saw Diana Rodrigues. She is the daughter of my parents’ family friends (Pete and Marcela Rodrigues). Diana is quite pretty. It’s just my luck that she is now engaged and a wedding date is set for sometime in May 1985. There were a lot of shoppers looking at me, mom and Ashley today. I honestly believe that Ashley was the main attraction. She was so cute today.

I returned to my pad to nap until about 5:30pm, returned to mom’s house only to be entertained by Ashley again. She had fallen asleep in my arms earlier while at South Shore Shopping Center.

At around 7pm, Sherri came by for Ashley. Sherri left and I joined mom and dad for dinner at the Mexicali Rose restaurant. My stomach was satisfied.

I’m so glad this week is a three-day work week. Times are tough. Perhaps my part-time job at MACY’s will prove to be helpful in paying off my car note and credit card bills. I warned Aubrey about the dangers of plastic (credit cards) today.

Ironically, being in debt did not stop me from filling out an order form from the International Male menswear catalog for two-hundred dollars worth of merchandise. I intend on placing the order. I feel I deserve it. I know I will ‘catch up’ and pay off my credit cards eventually. And besides, I do have $8,600 in cash coming to me on or before January 1987.