The Love of Wine

"I mean, everyone knows most people are bi-sexual."
-Jonathan Rhys-Myers
as 'Brian Slade' in the 1998 film
"Velvet Goldmine"

As found in "The Divided Path" by Nial Kent:

The Ancient Poetry of CHINA
by Tschang-Tsi

In my boat rocked by the river,
gently rocked while the daylight lasts.
I row and I gaze at the mountains,
glassed in the water.

I have now no other love
but the love of wine,
and my cup full of wine is before me.

Once I had in my heart a thousand sorrows,
but now...
I look at the mountains,
glassed in the water.

Twenty-five years ago today:

January 28, 1985
Monday

This morning I was in such a rush. I was showering, ironing and stuffing pillows for tonight’s command skit performance for the Company Seminar meeting.

Ryan Hargrave came by my desk this morning.
He asked, “Did you remember to bring your gear?”
I laughed. “Yes, it’s going to be so much fun.”
Ryan is fun. I like when he talks to me.

I sold a three-path RCF (Remote Call Forwarding) to some Los Angeles Law Firm. They wanted Oakland telephone numbers forwarded to their LA office. Hurrah!

For lunch I dropped by Great Western to show off my three IRA statements and to question about reinvesting my first IRA. Then I dropped off my twenty dollar payment to MACY’s department store, grabbing a quick bite at Wendy’s.

The day was going swiftly for Cindy Chow (my tub mate) but it was a drag for me because of so many outgoing and return calls I had to make. Stephanie Redding, that gal, keeps calling me, too. Geez! Every day she is calling.

I think Sue (of the Data Marketing Unit) likes me, too. She stops at my desk and has this flirtatious allure in her eye. I can feel it.

Between 3PM and 4PM I was rehearsing with David Vigil, Ryan Hargrave, Dale Orlando, Dhyana, Jennifer and Kathy. It was the skit for Betsy, one of the other managers. We all felt confident about it.

Our moment of truth finally came. We had some good laughs. We made everyone laugh. Karyn Kossoff was handling my camera and took a few snapshots. It was great. I stuffed my shirt with a giant pillow but a few people commented on my body (namely Carl, Roxanne—the redhead, Ryan and Dale). Who knows what else was going on behind-the-scenes? Who was drooling? I wish. I know I have a long way to go for fitness sake.

Dale Orlando is now my “buddy”. He is so funny. I like his company.
Dale said, “There are a couple of guys in the Sheraton bathroom jacking each other off.”
“I don’t believe you. Get out of here!”
And so, Dale had to prove it to me. I went with him to check it out. Dale had apparently caught them in-the-act. It was true, too. The two guys in the bathroom had guilt-ridden, flushed, sexually tense faces. It was funny.

Dale made me laugh after Emmy (another very chubby coworker) came out dressed in drag! Emmy had to start on a “third” song and we knew this was just way too much.

Dale was kind enough to chauffeur me in his car to the MacArthur BART station in Oakland. It was so nice of him to do that. We had a fun, corporate camaraderie night. I enjoyed myself. I now owe Dale a TAROT card reading.

Oh yes, Sue (the Data Marketing gal) invited me to her new apartment in San Mateo for a TAROT card reading, too. That’s very interesting. Does she want my ‘you know what’? It could be. I know a lot of people in this office wouldn’t mind it. Ugh…gives me the creeps in a way.

I went straight to the gym after hopping into my car at the BART station. I was done with my workout by 10PM and couldn’t help myself as I had to quench my thirst for a milkshake and coffee at Jack-In-The-Box.

Once home I telephoned my Dad with the news.
“Hey Dad…guess what?”
“What?”
“I called Marty in Riverside and told him he could move in next Saturday! He’s going to call me on Thursday night with more details. It looks like I’ll have a roommate. Isn’t that great?”
“That’s good. Let me know what happens.”
“Okay, I will.”

Joan Rivers was on The Tonight Show. I was excited about that as I have missed her act. Let’s see what her ‘latest gossip’ is all about. She reminds me of Dale Orlando in some regard. Dale always has stories to tell. It’s the kind of stories I like: “good gossip”.

In the private office of story,
a writer and reader try to loosen the clench of the times they live in.
-Christopher Bram
"Mapping The Territory"