I'm Available

Travelers appreciated the comfort of a daily cup of tea during a long journey; and, particularly in its early history, with scholars and monks. Because drinking tea soothes the mind but kept one alert and awake.
-Laura C Martin
TEA, THE DRINK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

Twenty-five years ago today

February 23, 1987
Monday

I woke up during the night and then forced myself out of bed at 6:15AM. I walked in a dream daze to the corner bus stop. I was thinking about what Eileen said over the phone last night.
Eileen was speaking of my trip to Hawaii and said, "Be sure you look for a nice scenic print with something on the sand. And don't forget your camera!"
I assured her, "I won't forget my camera."
"I want a HOT picture of you on the beach."
I laughed.

The AC Transit bus arrived and once I arrived in The City I had a large cup of coffee in the company café. It kept me buzzed all day.

I couldn't wait for the day to end. I had planned on calling Mary McTiernan to take me to SFO (San Francisco Airport) because she lives in that vicinity. Then I recalled that Dale Orlando now lives in San Bruno.
"Dale, do you think you could take me to the airport?"
"Are you kidding me? Of course I will!"

Margaret Lai and I ate at B and M Chinese like our good old days.
Margaret said, "My neighbor that I told you about is old news."
"Oh…did he stop pressuring you?"
"We made it together and had a shitty date on Valentine's Day in San Jose. So…now I'm available," Margaret chuckled.
I laughed, realizing that it may be a signal for me. Of course, I am not interested in her 'in that way'. I love her as a friend.

Carla wished me well on my Hawaii escape.

Dale finally showed up at my building and we ate at CARL'S JR. We talked of people like Rick Clark, Cedric Green, Dee (his wife), Ryan Hargrave, me and him. It was nice. He's okay.

I arrived at SFO and went to the bathroom. As I washed my hands I looked in the mirror and saw a couple of zits on my face that depressed me. I didn't know I had them.

On the airplane I sat next to Heather Tellesen, a cute blond. She's really nice.
"Where are you from?" I asked.
"Sacramento."
"Are you going on vacation?"
"No, I'm moving to Hawaii."

After a couple of hours I learned that she was apparently running away from her husband. I didn't get all of the details. I assumed she may not have wanted to share it with me. I didn't want to pry. We both said 'no' to viewing PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED in-flight.
"Do you already have a place to stay?" I asked.
Heather said, "No, I'll be visiting friends and then I'm all by my lonesome."
I thought, "How brave."

I was feeling 'fat' on the flight. Was it the food? I requested some tea to soothe my mind.

There was an Australian fellow on the other side of me. He was a nice chap, too.
The Aussie guy said, "I'm from Sydney."

Heather felt a need to spill more revelations and said, "My mom is forty-seven and has cancer. She's disowned all of her family except her husband."
It didn't make sense to me.   Friends and family are what make us 'who we are' and they help to make us 'live'. I sincerely believe that. I was wondering if that could be why she contracted cancer.

I was beginning to like this gal, Heather. It was kind of strange though. The part about her leaving her 'hubbie' and all was rather shocking (whatever). She gave me the telephone number in Honolulu where she would be staying: 808-621-5082. I doubt I will be calling. After all…I'm only on a visit to Hawaii.

I took a shuttle from the Oahu Airport that took me directly to my hotel. The cockroaches were ready to greet me as soon as I turned the light on in the bathroom. It was disgustingly 'yucky'. All I kept thinking of was the shower I wanted to take. I turned all of the lights on and I took it anyway (despite the uninvited guests).

I went out to a club called HAMBURGER MARY's and hung out there for a while. I walked to HULA's and then followed Jeff into the afterhours SKIN DEEP place (I think that is what it was called). I rapped with a few people there and had a pineapple vodka cocktail. Jeff was from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and had a striking resemblance to Chad Mark Glen.
Jeff said, "I'm going to school and studying to be an architect."
He seemed like a bit of an imbecile though. I was skeptical.
I don't think he was interested in me because he said, "I'm looking for a thirty-seven year old biker type."
I caught his drift and ditched him.   I was clearly not his type.

I ended up meeting some attorney guy from New York. He was rather hyperactive and much too rambunctious for words. He was staying at The Reef Hotel. We had a fairly good time. It is the tropics…after all.

By 7:30AM I was on my way to my hotel and 'geez'…I paid for my first night and I didn't even really use the place.

He would wake up tense, with his penis like an iron rod between his legs.
-Isabel Allende
THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS,
The Three Marias