As Long As I'm Happy With My Life

“Don’t forget:  the best part of breaking-up with a girl and finding a new girl is that all your stories are fresh again.”--Charles Baxter,THERE’S SOMETHING I WANT YOU TO DO, Chapter: LUST
Just when you think you may never hear from someone again a surprise contact arrives.   This time it was a letter from Steven Antol, the United Airlines Flight Attendant.  The one I had met in Hawaii.  He included a Black and White photo of him that looked ‘okay’.    On the back side of the photo he wrote: TO:  MICHAEL, STEVEN ANTOL, P.O. BOX 30927, HONOLULU, HAWAII 96821.  
Sept. 16, 1990 HOTEL CENTRAZA, Narita, Japan
Dear Michael,Hi there buddy!   How are you doing these days?  Just a quick note to say hello and see what you’re up to.
I’m on the Flight from Japan back to Honolulu.   I’m “deadheading”.   I’m glad I didn’t have to work this trip.  I felt kind of tired.  I’ve been flying quite a lot these past couple of months.  Mostly to Japan and then on to Bangkok.  I enjoyed Thailand.   What an interesting place!I still haven’t made it to LAX for the longest time.  I’m due for a trip to the West Coast shortly.  I’ll definitely give you a call when I’m coming so we can get together for dinner.  I haven’t seen you in ages. 
I want to hear about your trip to Europe.  I know that you had a blast.
I’m planning my vacation this year to South America.   Buenos Aires will be my destination.  I’m going with one of my other airline friends.  I’m looking forward to a good time.  Have you been to South America?  I can’t remember if you went or not.
Anyway, I’m doing fine.  Nothing out of the ordinary…just flying to these different countries as usual.  I may take a temporary 6-week training position at the In-Flight Training Center in Chicago shortly.  Nothing definite…yet.
Well, that’s all for now my friend.  I hope everything is well with you.Take care.  Hope to see you soon.Aloha, Steven
A couple of days later I was in the mood to vent my feelings to Paloma about the latest happenings. She had just written me, so it was good timing to reply.   I used my “ANYTIME CARD” of the photo of me in Amboise, France.   I also used a YOGURT card I created and a couple of postcards (from a dress boutique in West Hollywood and from the Le Telegraph Restaurant in Paris).   I wrote the following: September 18, 1990, 4:30PMDear Paloma,I received your letter today.  You must have read my mind about seeking out fame and fortune as an actor.   As a matter of fact ‘just today’ I sent out this very card to many casting agents and studios around town, letting them know that I am looking for representation and/or acting parts.  If something happens, then great.  If not, I’ll move on.   In fact I’ve already moved on.  I quit the Account Sales Rep. job at Beverly Hills Magazine because they were paying me $1000/month in commission but it’s such a new magazine and the money just wasn’t there.  So…I quit; however, just today I got hired as an ACCOUNT MANAGER with InterMedia Advertising in Encino, CA.    I start Monday, September 24th so that’s good news.  I will have some money rolling in.
I also enrolled in a GRAPHIC ART DESIGN SCHOOL for a 6-Month Program Monday thru Friday from 5:45pm until 10:45pm at PLATT COLLEGE (near Eagle Rock) at 7470 N Figueroa St.).   It’s near the Pasadena/Downtown L.A. vicinity.   I would be driving there after I get out of work at 4PM in Encino.  I’m looking forward to that.   It will be fun.  And since I just got this job offer I am sure I will have a bunch of calls next week from all of those casting agents.  Ha-ha.  What timing?  We’ll see…I suppose.
Oh yes, this card?  Well, this photo was taken on July 9, 1990 in Amboise, France (near Tours) in front of the LE CHOISEL HOTEL.  I had just finished dinner and had a half a bottle of wine.  I went to a printing company and had these cards made.  I was going to use them as Christmas cards but decided not to because it would have been better in color (and it would cost more to do that).Thanks for telling me the name of that restaurant again (LE TABLE D’EMILIE).  It was SO good!
I found this card at the corner car wash. 
Sounds like you’re still busy with guests…but jeez…you sure sound stressed out with having to party and party so much.  Ha-ha.  Just don’t overdo it.My mom came to visit for Labor Day weekend.  I showed her your pictures.   There’s one of you and me that I had developed and mom said, “She looks pretty.”Ok…ok, so I screwed-up with the Alison and Lise names…The latest Hollywood scoop this morning on the radio is that Demi Moore and Madonna will star together in LIDA AND SWAN.   The director from LETHAL WEAPON will be involved.  Who knows if it will ever get made?I think you did mention that surprise limousine outing with Lise and the champagne once.  It sounds like a special, fun memory.I may have been talking in the last letter about the possibility of moving back to the Bay Area but I probably will not—for a while (with the 6-month Graphic Art School commitment and the new Job at that Advertising Agency).  I am still not tired of it here.  I guess I was just a little “down and out” and homesick.I’m going to visit mom and my brothers and nieces from September 29th to October 2nd which is very soon.  So that will be nice.
This card I picked up at a restaurant in Paris called LE TELEGRAPH.  Did I send you one already?  Apparently the restaurant was once a postal and telegraph company many years ago.You’re so right about becoming a famous star.  You won’t know who to trust.  And not only that the winning of a lottery would make one question about 'who to trust' quite likely.   It would feel strange being a star.  It seems like a lot of people want to be one.  I’m neither here nor there.  It’s like AS LONG AS I’M HAPPY WITH MY LIFE. I met a girl named Kristen here in L.A.    She was working as a nanny for Bette Midler’s 3-year old daughter, Sophie.   Do you know who Bette Midler is?  Well, Kristen is an attractive, blue-eyed blond.  We may be going out together soon if we can match our schedules accordingly.  She’s not working for Bette Midler anymore.  I don’t know the inside scoop yet but she did say that Bette is very nice.   It’s just that the job required her being in her house too much of the time.   She had too many demands (I think).Oh well, until next time. Love, Uncle Michael

I used an illustration of a tennis player and the sky--as if he is reaching for the skies--as my next card to my mother.   I wrote these words:
September 20, 1990
Dear Mom,
Thanks again for being the thoughtful person that you are.  You listen to my problems while I am careless and jobless.  By the time you get this I should have a new place of employment and a newly serviced car.  I start my new job on Sept. 24th as an Account Manager for InterMedia Advertising Agency.

My first day of class in GRAPHIC ARTS was fun at Platt College in Eagle Rock, CA.  My classes are from Monday thru Friday.  Will I last?  I can't believe it is already Sept. 20th.  In just nine days I will be "home sweet home" Alameda again after a five month absence.

Do you like this tennis postcard?  I have played tennis a couple of times since living in Southern California but I am not as good as this guy appears to be in this magazine clipping.  It's practice that builds confidence and makes perfect.  That is really what I learned on my first day of Graphic Arts class because we were practicing with new mechanical pens.   The college gave me all kinds of materials last night.

I will close for now.  I have to get my art stuff from the mustang which is in the auto repair place. Should I get a new car?  I just might.  Car maintenance is such a pain (and always costs me extra money)!
Love You, Michael
The schoolteacher that I used to work under in San Francisco via the THINK/WRITE volunteer program wrote to me.   She replied to my postcard.   That was nice.   Her letter made me want to visit Maine.  I will mention the idea to Alan as a future weekend getaway escape.
September 23, 1990Dear Michael,I received your postcard upon my return to S.F. after my trip east.  Maine is a beautiful state.  I guess I like it because much of it reminds me of what our country was like before it became overpopulated and progress took over.  I enjoy the forests, small towns, lakes and farmland.
I took AMTRAK from Boston to D.C. while my brother and his family drove the route.  It took eight hours but I like trains.  It was very relaxing.  It gave me an opportunity to read, people watch and talk to the woman who was sitting next to me.  I spent another week in McLean, Virginia with my brother and his family.  I had an opportunity to spend time in the Smithsonian Museums.  It was a great experience.  It was also nice being around my niece and nephew whom I hadn’t seen for a year.   They are ’16’ and ‘13’ and have grown-up so much that it is hard to believe they aren’t little children any longer.It was a big decision for you to leave PAC BELL after so many years.  It is good, however, to take advantage of opportunities that will give you more experience and perhaps lead to bigger and better things for you.My class is great this year.  I have ‘27’ students and am looking forward to working with them.  I will write more about our activities in the next letter.   Best of luck!Fondly,Pat Ann Crowley
And yet I also received another postcard from Mario who only seems to write when he moves to another place.   Such is life…they come and they go.  I guess it's good as long as he is happy with his life.
Sept. 24, 1990I guess you will soon have to make a collage of Mario’s postcards if I keep on moving the way I am.  Three cities in a little over a year.  Hell…everybody needs a change every now and then. Love Always, MarioMiami Springs, Florida
The chess game, frankly, was more peaceful without language.  Cunning moves need not be congratulated; a danger overlooked was not bemoaned.Even the ending of games came as quiet affairs, a brief nod of acknowledgment, and then the business of setting it all up again so that when the next day came they would be ready to start over.-Ann Patchett,
BEL CANTO, a novel