The Abdominal Machine

Perhaps they could never get back to that island of togetherness they had known in each other's arms.
-Nial Kent
"The Divided Path"

Twenty-five years ago today

March 19, 1986
Wednesday

Steph Redding said, "Eileen Ford will be choosing the winner of the GQ Contest soon!"
I forgot she had entered me in the contest. I'll never win.

I telephoned Amy Platt today. She tells me she is going to do a modeling assignment for Emporium. It will be a newspaper ad for the Sacramento area.
I said, "That's great!"
"I get about one-hundred and twenty five dollars an hour."
"Hopefully it will go overtime," I said.
She laughed.
Honestly, you can't beat that hourly rate figure. I wish I could make some extra bucks that way.
Amy continued, "I've been in the newspaper several times before but it was always with regard to my dancing."
I like Amy a lot. She's intelligent, pretty and fun-to-be-with.

I had a relatively good work day (with regard to my sales results). At lunchtime I went to my bank and the health food store for a chicken-avocado sandwich. I ate near my office building on Folsom Street and sat next to Michelle Olsen for a while. I explained my current aspirations of becoming a Copy Service Artist. I recently thought of applying as a Supervisory Assistant in Directory Yellow Pages. It's a cut in pay by twenty-three dollars a week, so I decided against it. Besides that the Supervisor would give me all of the shit work that he/she didn't want to do.

After work I ate the rest of that leftover pizza from last night. Then I hopped in my car and drove to the gym in San Leandro.

Mark Landreth showed up and we worked out together, taking turns on the abdominal machine. We kept increasing the weights. It was a good work out. Mark gave me some good tips. I'm thankful.
Mark said, "Meet here tomorrow night and we'll do the same workout."
I was thrilled that he suggested our meeting up tomorrow 'at the same bat station/same bat time'. I learned that Mark went to Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo. He seems respectable enough.


I'm at my last straw where Chad's concerned. Not only have I been trying to speak to him over the last few days but he doesn't return my messages.


Tonight at ten o'clock I telephoned again and Larry answered the phone.
"Is Chad there?"
Larry answered, "Well, he's studying for a final."
I couldn't believe he couldn't talk to me for a minute. I definitely don't need to pity myself for him.
I replied to Larry, "Just tell him when he feels like talking to me to give me a call."
And so, the day he does call I have it all planned out: "Oh…I'm so glad you called but can I call you right back?"
And then, I will NOT return his call. And we'll see how he likes a bit of his own medicine. I really don't need this student freeloading delinquent. In fact, I'm considering a question for Mark Landreth.
It might go something like this: "Hey Mark, do you think you might be interested in becoming my roommate?"
We'll see.


I watched the end of DYNASTY. It was okay.


This weekend I have no real plans. I plan to hit the gym on Friday and probably just 'stay home'. On Saturday I have to do my IRA dealings with GREAT WESTERN SAVINGS. Then I may go bicycling and lie under the sun for a while. I doubt I will go out on Saturday night. I know Karen has a date with Ed. Amy and I have made no plans as of yet. I kind of want to ask Mark Landreth to share a beer with me this Friday night (maybe). He's a nice chap. Or perhaps Amy and I can see a movie together. Who knows?


I am going to need to make a decision soon (within the next two weeks) about my vacation in May. (?)

Monsieur Dior was known for his exquisite manners, modesty and good taste. He was a lover of women, if not carnally then at least in the ideal. In the Dior studio at the time, Yves St. Laurent was like a little girl. He was very odd. He was someone who never spoke, always silent. It is strange but when you are passive to that extent, you can dominate. And Yves, what atracted him to Pierre Berge? Was it the compelling sexual force of the man or the powerful mind?
-The Beautiful Fall:
Fashion, Genius, and Glorious Excess in 1970's Paris