One Step Beyond

I saw myself utterly alone in the world, a gleaming wasp inside a bright orange hive, alone with my anguish and raging hot need, and who'd be there to still me?
-Paul Lisicky
"The Lawnboy"
Twenty-five years ago today:

October 3, 1986
Friday

Mike Thoennes telephoned me while I was at work today. He came by my house at approximately six o'clock. We had dinner together at the Catalina Restaurant at Harbor Bay Landing. He filled me in on the latest with him. He's still focused to finish school and get his computer programming skills up to par.
Mike asked, "Hey, do you want to go down to Milpitas and San Jose?"
I hesitated, "I don't know."
"Oh come on, it'll be fun."

And so, we drove down to Milpitas and San Jose. I met a good friend of his named Valerie. I only later learned (from Mike) that she had a slight drug problem (coke).

The three of us went to a place called ONE STEP BEYOND. The music was great at this place. I actually had a pretty good time.  The club was located at an industrial warehouse area of Santa Clara. Some of the people looked rather insane.  Nevertheless, it was fun observing and dancing.

Anne Alberti left me a "goodbye" message on my recorder. I'm sure she'll have fun in Cancun.

Mark Landreth phoned me as well. I didn't get a chance to call him back until Saturday morning.

As someone had said, all you had to do was to keep your insanity under control.  You could cry, get worried or angry like any other normal human being as long as you remembered that, up above, your spirit was laughing out loud at all those thorny situations.
-Paulo Coelho
"Veronika Decides To Die"