Fascinating Interest Stories

"He just storms if he doesn't get what he wants right away."
-Nial Kent
"The Divided Path"

Twenty-five years ago today:

March 22, 1985
Friday

I drove into The City and Dale was there at the parking lot not long after I had arrived. He had a meeting with Terry Mulready (our fourth line manager).
Dale advised, "I want you to know that I gave some complimentary comments about you."
"You're so kind, Thank you! Maybe I'll be making Fourth line management bucks one day."

Dale and I went to Wendy's and talked. I tried to get some information from him about Ryan Hargrave's fascinating interest stories. He wouldn't budge.

Karyn Kossoff wrote me a note later and asked if I was going to The Oasis tonight.
Later on, Dale whispered, "Karyn met some guy named Andy from Campbell and she is planning on having him join her at The Oasis."

I gave Bob a ride home, then Ryan, Dale and I went to Don Juan's Mexican Restaurant. We had margaritas and chips n' dip after we 'moussed up' our hair in the bathroom. Emmy, Al, Tom, Jennifer, Richard and Chris (all co-workers) were at the restaurant, too. We joined them and cracked jokes.
Emmy said, "Michael, I'd love to go for a ride in your car one day."

Steff called me at work and we are supposedly going to the BAMMIE Awards tomorrow night at 7:30PM. I don't know.

I telephoned Paloma and verified our plans to leave for Santa Cruz tomorrow morning at nine o'clock in the morning (after I wash my car).

After Don Juan's Restaurant we went to The Oasis and it was a lot of fun.
I thought it was rather brave of me to say to Eileen, "See any Englishmen around?"
Karyn confessed, "I was hesitant about bringing Andy here to the club because of you. I still want us to be close friends no matter what happens."
"I feel the same way."
"And I want you to call me," she added.

I thought her boyfriend from Campbell (Andy) was a "geek". I guess I wasn't really jealous. I know I didn't want to see her with that "geek" though. Does that mean I was jealous?

Denise was so sweet.
Surprisingly, Denise said, "Michael, I like your effervescent personality,"
I also liked Michelle Falls. She's too cool. I like that she listens to KQAK radio, too.

I met a gal named Carolyn who was with her sister, Leah. I met another gal named Michelle.
Dale loves controversy as he said to Michelle, "Ron and Ryan are lovers."
A bit later...
Carolyn said to me, "I thought you were gay, too when I saw you give your telephone number to that German fella, Buzz."
I laughed it off. "Oh, Buzz is in the Navy. I was just being friendly."
"Are you gay?"
I felt mad 'inside' when Carolyn asked me that question because I thought it was Dale that was responsible somehow. I became a bit defensive and got a little pissed.
I told Carolyn and Leah, "You know, Dale's true age is twenty-one."
Dale got pissed.

We had all been dancing earlier on the glass top dance floor over the swimming pool. Ron Shelly came by to chat. He's too nice.

Ron, Dale and I decided to go and see the TV show DALLAS. We left for Ron's apartment. While Dale was in the bathroom Ron and I exchanged glances and the margarita-filled influence took effect. We kissed a bit. I've always considered Ron a good friend. I have always wondered about him but never made any moves. At this point, I think it was a mutual move.

When Dale came out of the bathroom we pulled apart and played out like good boys. Since DALLAS was not on we all decided to return to The Oasis. Ron wanted to ditch Dale and go to my place but we didn't end up going there. I stayed at The Oasis and Ron and I went outside to talk. Dale came outside, looking kind of steamed and upset.
Dale interrupted with anger. "I thought you had ditched me."
"You know, Dale...Ron and I are talking."
Dale tightened his lip and walked back into the club.
Ron said, "I think I should leave."
It was clearly a question of will I leave, too, but I was leery about it. Just then I heard Carolyn's pretty voice.
"Mike," Carolyn screeched, "Dale is upset."
Suddenly, Ron and I were giving Carolyn compliments about how good she looked.
"We should keep in touch," I said as she went ahead and took my telephone number and gave me hers. I thought Carolyn was being very nice and she is pretty cute, too. Her telephone number is 415-755-9793. She went back inside the club and told Dale that we were outside waiting for him.

Meanwhile, Ron and I went to my car and we kissed a bit, then we played good because I felt I saw Dale from the corner of my eye. I did. Dale got inside the car and I dropped him off at the Civic Center BART station. I gave Dale the impression that I was dropping Ron off at his apartment, then going to the SF gym. In reality, Ron and I went to a private viewpoint that he knew about. We got out and looked at the view.
Ron said, "Yeah, so Ryan is moving out tomorrow."
"Oh, it must be hard to deal with that."
"Oh no, I'm glad of the idea. We haven't been intimate since September. There are things about Ryan that I could tell you...but perhaps another time."
"For instance...like what?"
"Well, he was a prostitute in San Francisco at one time and he did things like that while he was raised in an upper middle class town in Oregon."
"Oh, I see," I remarked with an air of surprise.

It was feeling chilly and we went back inside my car. One thing led to another and the windows got steamed and frosty. It was embarrassing when some people passed by...they obviously knew something steamy was going on.

Ron said, "I have wanted to call you so bad last weekend. I've thought about you a lot and never made a move."
"You have?"
"Yeah, I'm glad you're not with Karyn anymore."
I had to defrost the windows. I started up the car and I didn't really say too much more, but I did drive Ron home.

I was home in Alameda by 1AM. I went to bed, remembering I was going to Santa Cruz tomorrow with Paloma.

"...you have done your best to destroy everything I've accomplished.
I'm bewildered.
I simply can't understand it."
-Nial Kent
"The Divided Path"