Let Me Know When It Really Pays Off

She taught me that a man should always watch birds carefully and draw conclusions from their behavior.--Jerzy Kosinski, THE PAINTED BIRD
The schoolteacher in San Francisco, Pat Crowley, that I would visit and tutor her class in order to inspire writing sent me a postcard after I wrote her from Indianapolis:
May 14, 1992Dear Michael,
Thank you for your postcard from Indianapolis.  It’s great to hear that you’ are a stockbroker for CHARLES SCHWAB & CO.  His company is definitely a success story.  I am glad you like your work.  That’s most important.I can always tell things are winding down at work because everything begins to pile up.  The class just planned and carried out a luncheon for TEACHER’S DAY.  I’m involved in many projects, as usual.Will write again…Fondly, Pat
And Lottie wrote again also: 5-14-92Dear Michael,We must be on the same beam.  I think about you.  You think about me.  Our plans are still ON for JOSHUA TREE.  We plan to look for property this Winter.  We will come visit…I promise.Stockbroker!!!  How do you do it?   Any good tips?I know absolutely nothing about stocks.  I hope you enjoy your new job.  I think of you often.Love, LottieP.S.  I love the Palm Tree stickers you sent me!
I have a cool new friend named April Stosur.  She’s a fellow broker at Charles Schwab & Co.  that I met during Indianapolis training.  She will be working in a Chicago branch.  She is married to a man involved with Barnes & Noble and they have a baby girl.  She sent two postcards to me from Chicago after I wrote to her:

5/14/92Thanks for the postcards!  I actually bought this one before I went to my P.O. Box only to see one from you.  Can you believe it…work is actually fun!  Louise is quite a saleswoman, so she doesn’t get too upset when I mess up on Operations stuff.  My current job is to be in charge of all outgoing money wires, checks, S1 checks, and Transfer of Accounts.  I get to call the customer and ask why they are leaving us.  I like it.  It’s fun.  Michael, I thought that CHICAGO AT NIGHT card was kind of cute but I also thought you should get a picture.  I haven’t been to any museums yet, so you’re getting tourist postcards.  Ha. I miss our dinners in Indianapolis!
I met Chuck Schwab yesterday.  He’s a nice man.  He explained why we’ll be open every Saturday.  It was my Regional Manager’s idea, Al Leitz.
Also, there’s no more overtime for us.  I could obviously go on.  I better buy a card next time versus a postcard.  I’m looking forward to your next card.April.
Barbara sent a cool postcard of the EAST RIVER in New York City.  She wrote:
5-15-92Dear Mike,Thanks for the L.A. card LOVE THOSE PALMS.  Yes, I knew Mitch Schwartz.  Sorry to hear he died.  I didn’t know. 
When are you going to Yosemite?  It is great there any time of the year.  It can get crowded at times.  I have kind of stopped going because I don’t want to kill it.  I’ve been using my car a lot this week (and helping my mom).  Yes, I have been to HEARST CASTLE.  Have you?  My ex-neighbor, Mary (she’s been living in Salem, Massachusetts) stopped by this morning.  She will be here on Monday to receive her diploma at CAL Berkeley, a PhD in Croatian Languages.  We will have breakfast together on Monday A.M.I saw THE PLAYERS last Saturday with Alice.  I know you would like it.  It’s very humorous.It’s time for my walk now.  I think I’ll be able to resume YWCA workouts soon…but then it will be back to commuting.  I’m thinking about working back in Oakland.  Changes.  I’ll tell Ching “HI” from you next time we talk.Love, Barbara
Another dear friend, Cheri Potter, that started working around the same time as me with Pacific Telephone in Operator Services (April 1977) wrote me a sweet card also.  She knew Mitch Schwartz as we’d both worked at PBD-Pac Bell Directory with him in San Francisco.
5/18/92Hi!I was so happy to hear from you. When Mitchell passed away I called 411 to get your telephone number and I called.  The TAM (Telephone Answering Machine) was on, so I wasn’t sure if it was you or not.How are you?  How did you get into stockbroking?  I’ve always been interested in that.  I just completed a six-week class in investing.  Marcus has always wanted to be a stockbroker.  He will attend the University of Oregon in September.   I’m not too happy about it.  He’ll have to take out a lot of school loans.How is your family?  Now that Hele is in Yellow Page Sales I never see her.  I’m still in Litigation.  I’m really bored with it (and the people).  A lot of the managers took early retirement.  Unfortunately, not my boss.I won the QUEST IV YOUR BEST trip this year.  I went to Arizona last weekend.  It was real nice.I’m having my 15 year luncheon on June 5th.  Can you believe it?  I wish you were here to celebrate with me.You take care of yourself and keep those postcards coming.Love, Cheri Potter
And another couple of Black and White cards arrived from Dorothy Rua:
5-18-92Hi Michael!
I received your Downtown Indianapolis card which was a pleasant surprise.  I’d already received your previous card/letter from Indiana, so it made me feel good to know I was in your thoughts!   Then I got your ‘WMWF A DAY IN CLAY” card—looks like the couple was deep into their feelings before they dipped into the clay!  You’re right though…spending a Sunday messing around in clay would be wild!   As long as the experience was shared with someone you enjoy.  Ha-ha!So…you’re officially a Marina Del Rey resident and near the ocean, too?  Do you have any idea how jealous I am?  If only I could split Dorothy Rua in tow:  leave one here to tend to all of the responsibilities require of this life and send the other to visit with you for long walks on the beach, visits to art galleries and people watching from the sidewalk cafes, etc.  Your sharing does bring me a degree of pleasure, so do stay-in-touch.  You never know, one of life’s paths may lead me down there, yet!I do wish we had the opportunity to get together every now and then.  I have lots of questions to ask you about your job/work.  There is too much to get into through cards and letters.   The same goes for my Michael Rachwalksi Story. Did you and Alan find anything interesting at those Beverly Hills Estate sales?  I imagine it was a lot of fun looking.Rosemarie and I had a rare opportunity to get together this past Friday night.  We went to see BASIC INSTINCT and we both thought it was ‘okay’.  I felt it was well done for what they wanted to do.  I couldn’t really get into the intimate scenes because we kept waiting for the ice pick to come out!  Later, we had dinner, and then went to MR. LUCKY’s on Locust Street in Walnut Creek for an Irish Coffee.  When Rose first suggested MR. LUCKY’s, I said, “Right, only time I’d ever noticed that place was when twenty-two bikers with tattoos pulled up to the place a few months ago!”All I needed was to crawl out of there with a knife wound!  Ha-ha.  Well, I let her talk me into it and it turned out fine.  Not your top notch crowd but I left with all of my body parts!  Ha-ha.This card?  Well, figure I’ve been way too good this entire year…a saint?  Time to walk on the WILDSIDE a bit!  Makes me wonder…should I send you a conservative Birthday Card or???  I’ll give it some thought.Until Then,Love, Dorothy
Oh, and Dorothy’s KISS ME ‘Gorilla postcard’ was fun to see, too.  She always lifts my spirits in some indirect way: What exciting events are taking place now, Michael?Maybe because I had stars in my eyes because I was visiting Michael Rachwalski (my true love) at the time and I was thrilled just to be with him.  Ha!  Gag!  Who knows?  He asked me to come along to “meet the family” and although they seemed okay, I knew within a short period of time I did not want to spend a lot of time in Indiana.Maybe you’ll find some excitement at the INDY 500 if nothing else.  The ‘people watching’ should be fun!  By the way, how do those early work hours agree with you?  Does it allow for late afternoon trips to the beach and other fun things?   Imagine it’s fairly early to bed most nights, considering those early mornings!   I don’t believe you allow too many restrictions on your social life! Ha-ha.It sounds like you’re having fun with your financial investments.   Let me know when it really pays off.Love, Dorothy
People can’t survive terrible times without the help from others.--Charles Belfoure, THE PARIS ARCHITECT