The Life of a Vampire

"Someone just told me you were fascinating.  I hope you won't disappoint me."
-Candace Bushnell
"Sex and the City"

Twenty-five years ago today:

August 16, 1986
Saturday

It is four o'clock in the morning. Ron and I woke up early. Luckily, I did not hear his snoring (as I slept on the couch) because I fell asleep there while watching the TESS movie. We both got up and got ready for the trip to New York. We drove to El Sobrante and saw that Margaret Lai and her son, Lance, were there and 'ready to go'. We all got into Margaret's car and talked about the fast-paced cities of New York and Hong Kong. Margaret is from Hong Kong, so she knows it first-hand. Margaret's a sweetheart to drive us to San Francisco International Airport.

I couldn't believe it when Ron said, "I had some of the tequila in your cabinet this morning…'over ice'."
"Yuck!" I exclaimed, as I couldn't imagine how any one could drink in the morning.
I knew then that he's got problems. He's a habitual smoker. Now I believe he is possibly an alcoholic. How can someone drink in the morning?
Ron defended himself by saying, "It's because I'm so nervous about the flight."
If it's not one thing it's the other.

And so, Ron is my friend. I should be nicer to him from now on. He will be showing me a fun time in New York. We are on the UNITED AIRLINES flight now—as I write. We are leaving from San Francisco and stopping in Denver before we land in New York. It's direct versus non-stop. I always forget that direct has a stop. I hate that.

My stomach is empty. I could take on some pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs so easily right now. I am glad I am taking this trip. I will make the best of it. Ron's all excited. I hear it in his voice.
Ron says, "Michael, you're going to have a great time!"
I can't wait to see all of the sights and the people. Ron's friends (Arthur and Lenny) work out at the gym, so maybe I'll be able to get in a work out or two while in New York. I am hungry. I was just served French toast (yummy).

We landed in Denver, Colorado. The only problem was that our flight was delayed for an hour. Now we will be getting in to New York later than expected (5:30PM New York time). We enjoyed a snack (almonds, juice and a lunch that I didn't expect).

Ron said, "We're going to The Pavillion. We might go to STUDIO 54 even."
"What's STUDIO 54?" I asked.
"Oh man, it's The Palladium. Celebrity-filled 'who' bodies will be there."
"That should be fun," I grinned.
I'm going to have fun. I'll make the best of it. There will be limitations as far as Ron goes. I don't want to lead him on. His loudness and constant cigarettes are "ugh". I'll keep his friendship without hurting his feelings (I hope).

The arrival to New York seemed to take forever. The lunch, snack and my reading time of 'CHANGING TIMES' and 'PEOPLE' articles helped to pass the time. I find myself thinking of Anne Alberti, Jeannette and Mark often.

Once we landed at JFK Airport Ronald and I took a taxicab to Western Union. Ron was to pick up some cash that his mom had wired for him. We continued on to West 53rd Street (off of 8th Avenue) in New York City to The Encore Building. Ronald's longtime friend, Leonard Greco, lives in Room 21B.

Ron and I went up on the elevator of this high skyscraper apartment building. There was no answer at Leonard Greco's door.
Ron said, "Maybe we should go down and check out the laundry room."
I began to feel like things were looking bad when the front door suddenly opened. It was Lenny. He was a very good-looking, dark-haired, Italian chap. His friend, Arthur, was there also. Arthur was kind of 'buffed' Both Lenny and Arthur had ugly looking teeth (as does Ron…come to think of it). They don't seem to take that extra care for their teeth. It could just be the cause of too much coffee and cigarettes (yucky).

Ron and Lenny acted like two little kids as I observed them 'catching up on things' and reminiscing on old times. There were so many people and places that they mentioned (not to mention the latest goings-on). Later on, I found myself observing an X-Rated gay flick with Arthur in Lenny's bedroom! It was kind of gross…but hell. What the hell! Arthur and I also watched the end of Arnold Schwarzenegger's movie called COMMANDO.
We all left the apartment within an hour to go to dinner to an area that they called "The Village Area". The place we ate at was called ALFREDO de ICALDA (or something like that). I ordered tortellini pasta. It was delicious! We had wine. I also ordered a chicken entrée. We checked out some other sleaze bar and walked around "The Village Area". It was kind-of-gay. It was quite an eyeful for me as so much was going on and there were so many people.

We returned to Lenny's apartment building (which seems very much like a hotel to me). I don't think I'd enjoy living in that environment. Before long…after showering, shampooing, etc…we (Lenny, myself, Arthur and Ron) were off again into the night life of New York City. We went to some nightclub called THE SAINT. It looked like a gross, ugly, scummy joint from the outside. The inside was a completely other scene. I would later learn that there are a lot of "yucky" looking places on the outside (in New York City) with a surprise on the inside. THE SAINT was dark with many plants and three levels with cool staircases. There was an upper floor where the dancing took place over a domed ceiling. I was impressed by the effervescent pictorial lights that had design movements all over the place. I danced for a while and had a drink or two (I had PINE-VOKS aka Pineapple Vodkas). I snorted a little COKE, too. I met a guy named Bobby Janowe who was 'very much so' coming ON to me.
Bobby said, "I manage the Body Center."
I looked at him in a puzzled way.
Bobby continued, "It's a Fitness Club in New York."
"Oh," I said.
After seeing bits of that X-rated flick earlier tonight I didn't know what to think. Nevertheless, Bobby was nice. He gave me an ecstasy pill.
"Come on, try this," Bobby insisted.
"Yikes," I thought.
Ron saw that Bobby was making moves on me and Ron wanted to leave.
Bobby whispered to me, "Why don't YOU stay!"
I was a little tempted but said, "Maybe another time, another place."
"Well, call the Fitness Center and ask for me if you want."
"Okay."
I would later realize that I never had the chance to call him during my brief stay in New York. Alas, we ended up staying at this nightclub for too long. I was feeling tired—to say the least. How can anyone feel like a SAINT at 'THE SAINT'?

Ron and I finally left the nightclub and walked a ways to a magazine stand. I was amazed to see stacks and stacks of New York Times newspapers. We got home via taxicab. The swiftness of the taxi up the one way streets was so surreal and I wondered if I felt this only because of the ecstasy pill I had taken. Ironically, I found myself going to bed at daylight. It was actually the next day (Sunday). I was living the life of a vampire so-to-speak. I woke up at two or three o'clock in the afternoon. That's all I remember.

"For passion, like crime, does not sit well with the sure order and even course of everyday life;  it welcomes every loosening of the social fabric, every confusion and affliction visited upon the world, for passion sees in such disorder a vague hope of finding advantage for itself."
-Thomas Mann
"Death In Venice"