If He Only Knew

"Whether or not we are happy depends on our awareness."
-Thich Nhat Hanh
"Being Peace"

Twenty-five years ago today:

June 7, 1986
Saturday

I received a phone call this morning from Johnny Schaefer. He was calling from Los Angeles.
"Mike, I have time off around June 28th. I was thinking of coming up there for a visit."
I replied, "Okay."
I hesitated a moment.
"That'd be fun," I added.
Johnny is a nice guy. He is. I had to thank him for the card he sent me.
"Thanks for sending me that card with the bunny rabbit on the bicycle. I really liked it."
He laughed. "It seemed so YOU."

I went downstairs and Mike Miller was still here! I guess he fell asleep after watching POLTERGEIST. He stayed the night and I didn't even know.
I said, "You know—you could have slept upstairs."
"Oh well…the couch was so comfortable."
Whatever--Mike left because he had to drive his mother to the Oakland Airport. Mrs. Miller was flying north to Seattle to visit Renee Miller who had recently moved there.

Mom and dad called me, inviting me over for breakfast. I went over in a flash and I ended up taking my niece, Ashley, to the South Shore beach and Lincoln Park.

After breakfast at mom's house and the excursion with Ashley I returned home to receive a happy answering machine message from Ron.
"Hey Mike, You are really something…I got your Birthday present. Thanks so much!" Ron exclaimed.
He seemed to really like it. He kept repeating four words in his message, "You are really something."
It made me feel good to know I made him feel good.


Ron is actually going to fly up here next weekend!  I'll show him a good time.  I already have tentative plans for us: Valentine's Day in Novato, Café San Marcos for drinks in The City, Gallagher's at Jack London Square, Wine Country, Lake Chabot, Spenger's Fish Grotto in Berkeley, a movie, a San Francisco tour of the City, Alameda and some spontaneity thrown in for good measure, too.  I have to see about getting next Monday and Tuesday off.


I napped for a while. I received a phone call from Tim O'Brien again. I made arrangements to meet him tonight at Houlihan's in San Francisco.


Mark Landreth finally called and left a message. I returned his call and I persuaded him to come over to my place.  We ended up going to Houlihan's together.  Our bartender at Houlihan's was named Suzanne and it was her birthday.  Tim O'Brien appeared and he looked like a goon with his shorts and baseball cap.  He was a bit obnoxious.
Mark whispered a funny question, "Where did you find him?"
I laughed, thinking 'If he only knew'. Imagine if I had said a gay hotel swimming pool area in Palm Springs.
Then we went to The Oasis in hopes of meeting another Annabelle Montero (the one that got away and neither of us ever heard from again). I met a gal named Katie Bean. She's an Arizona State College gal who is originally from Alameda. I also met Teena from Finland. We left by 1:30AM or so. Mark and I bid our farewells to Tim.


Mark liked the Palm Springs T-Shirt and postcard I bought for him (I think). He didn't stay the night over my house. We had an 'okay' time tonight. It was funny to see Cindy (was that her name?), the gal with the six year old that we'd met at Fat Fanny's at The Oasis tonight.  She's still searching.  Aren't we all?

He was destined to continue in his position of chief playmate, companion, and confidant for several years to come.
-Nial Kent
"The Divided Path"