A Day Of Harmony

One's days were too brief to take the burden of another's errors on one's shoulders. Each man lived his own life, and paid his own price for living it.
-Oscar Wilde
"The Portrait of Dorian Gray"

Twenty-five years ago today:

January 31, 1985
Thursday

Today was not as harmonious as my TAROT cards had predicted. It was hell.

I had to face an actual customer named Bob Tuttle of Pacific Leasing who had to pay a two-hundred dollar deposit for his new Business telephone service. There seemed to be one problem after another. Some other customer named Ira Israel gave me a bad time about transferring his ten business lines ‘now’ versus just ordering an RJ21X jack that would be capable of dealing with that problem. I spoke to Ryan Hargrave about it all at break time.

Ryan is all excited about next Wednesday night (as I am) for the Diana Ross concert. His mind is elsewhere.

I shared lunch today with Barbara Reynolds. She bought film for her camera while I went to my bank to deposit my measly thirty-dollar paycheck from the Women’s Health Center. Barbara and I stopped for some chocolate chip cookies and milk. We sat, feeling the sunshine. We talked about marriage; her boyfriend (Robert), Paloma, my friend Chris Cordellos, vacation, back rubs. We laughed and simply had a great afternoon.

The remainder of my afternoon dragged on.

I felt I was beginning to recover from my stressful day when Margaret Lai asked, “Michael, would you carry my architectural desk box outside?”
Margaret won a ‘put-it-together’ yourself desk that was in a box by her office desk. I assured her that I would carry it out for her at the end of the day.

Carl Brooks and I ended up walking together to the BART station once again. It’s becoming his time to release his anxieties (like a free psychological outpouring and I am the psychologist).
Carl announced, “You know, Michael, I am planning to sell my 1982 Mustang black T-top for eighty-four hundred dollars.”
I hope he doesn’t think I’d buy it.

I went to visit Dad who was counting John’s rent tips for February. He likes counting cash.

I fed Ashley an oatmeal cookie and left shortly after that.

I was reading the newspaper when Paloma called me. I had called her at 11AM this morning but she was not at home. We, of course, had another great talk. The question is whether there is real committed future between the two of us. I think…maybe not. She is now sure she may be working with Air France or Iberia Airlines of Spain as a flight-attendant. I will miss her. We talked about her leaving tomorrow morning for Los Angeles. We went on to discuss these other topics:
-The helpful hints she is giving to this designer she knows.
-The hotel rates at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel
-My Valentine Card to her
-Her Valentine Card to me
-The Paris Fashion shows
-The French styles and buying clothes
-Going to the gym
-Her new 1 year membership for ANY Fitness Center Nationwide.

Marty Louie called me while I was at work today. He will deliver the $800 check on Saturday or Sunday.

“Great!” I said and thought how much I need that moo-la! What will it be like with him around the house?

"What about me?"
"I really don't know," said Michael, cooly. "That's between you and ____.
Whatever happens, I'm sure you wont' be the one to suffer. You're not the type."
-Nial Kent
"The Divided Path"