A Really Good Cup

Human beings are universally wired for one thing—vital connection with one another. --Steven Cope, SOUL FRIENDS 

August 8, 1995 It’s my father’s Birthday.  He would have been 60 years old this year.  I always remember him on this day.  I still remember that day he left us in late August 1987.  I miss him and always will.  He is one of my ‘container’ people.  I am who I am partly because of him. 

Alan and I fled to New York again on August 9.   This time we’ll only land in NY and drive to Massachusetts to get a taste of The Berkshires and Boston.  I can’t wait to walk through Harvard University and pretend I’m a student—or maybe a visiting Professor.  Ha-ha I used an IL FORNAIO postcard to write mom while on the airplane.  I always like to keep her posted with my goings on:  

8-9-95 

Hi Mom, 

I’m almost in New York—only about 45 minutes more in-flight.  It’s 5am, so it’s 3am for you—so Ib et you are sleeping.  I remember when it was 2:30 or 3AM and you would just be getting home from work. Ha-ha.   

I miss you already.  We will have to go to New York again.  We had so much fun the last time. 

Alan finally bought some Microsoft stock yesterday. 

Have you seen the LITTLE PRINCESS movie, yet?   

There’s a baby on this plane that keeps crying.  So annoying!   

I will mail this at the JFK NY Airport and find a good card for you in Massachusetts.  Regards to all. 

See you on September 12th.  

Love, Michael 

After Alan and I rented the car in NY we drove to his hometown of Whitestone, NY to visit STORK’s BAKERY.  The cheese Danish pastry there is like having it freshly made from Germany.  It’s so delicious. 

I loved the resort we stayed at in Lenox, MA called CRANWELL.  It has a history.  I sent mom a large postcard from there: 

August 11, 1995, Friday 

Dear Virg, 

Greetings from Massachusetts.  We are staying here at this place called CRANWELL.  Yes, it’s as nice as it looks.  It's very plush and green here with beautiful hills.  There are a few small towns:  Lenos, Stockbridge, Great Barrington and Ashley Falls!  Yes, I thought f Ashley when I saw that.   

Last night we had dinner at an old Mansion with a beautiful view and garden estate.  There were about ‘45’ people.  we sat with about ‘6’ others after cocktails as we were getting a tour of the house and the gardens.  The dinner was nice.  The people were nice.  Of course, most of the people have Platinum American Express cards and were over 60 years old—but you know us—we have a good time anyway.  

We are having a continental breakfast now in the main CRANWELL Mansion’s music room.  I just had coffee and honey nut cheerios and a pastry because I’m still reasonably full from last night’s dinner.  

We are talking about going to Boston today.  It’s a 2-hour drive but we don’t gold or really do tennis—and we can lay out at a pool anytime.  Therefore, we’re in the mood for a big city.  Besides, Alans says, “There’s a Seattle’s Best Coffee in Boston!”   He’s in the mood for a really good cup. 

By the way, did you know the big PGA GOLD Tournament is in Pacific Palisades right now as we are here?  I’m sure John knows about it.  Alan says: “Hi”, he told me to tell you that this is a lot different from Las Vegas.  For example, the view from the breakfast music room shows many trees of different varieties. 

I know today is your doctor follow-up visit.  I hope all went well.  I’m sure it did.  I’ll probably talk to you about it before you receive this card.  Just think—in a couple of weeks you’ll be in L.A. again.  Hoorah!  I love you and I miss you. 

Aloha! Mahalo!  

Michael J Armijo 

Alan and I did drive to Boston and I loved the city.  You can really get a sense of U.S. History there.  I loved walking through the Harvard University campus.  I’d love to do that again, just sit there and read for a few hours.  I took a photo of the newspaper cover (The Boston Globe) but it was:  GRAND JURY INDICTS # IN OKLAHOMA BOMBING.  It wasn’t the greatest memory of the day.  And The Boston Herald headline:  Gov Wants Limits on Foster Children.  That’s the scoop in Massachusetts.  Alan did have ‘a really good cup’ of coffee.  He loved the look of the fresh tomatoes at the local produce market, too.  Boston was promoting an AIDS Fundraising bike ride from Boston to New York.  That sounded like an exciting journey—if I were in top form. 

The following day Alan and I toured the Norman Rockwell Museum in STOCKBRIDGE, MA.  It was smaller than I expected.  I bought a few mini-Rockwell sculptures, including one of Norman painting in front of an easel.  I found a bakery that had M&M cookies.  They were good but not as good as Mom’s homemade M&M cookies.   

We saw a wonderful dance production by the local Jacobs Pillow Dance Company.  Tomorrow night we will be outdoors for a Tanglewood concert. 

Scratch the idea of a Tanglewood concert EVER AGAIN.  The Berkshires mosquitoes found me and had a feast.  Grrr...I’m too sweet and the mosquitoes like me here.   The homes do have a pleasant country charm though.  I love a house with a porch.  I want to be on a porch but without mosquitoes!  I think I’m meant to be a city boy.  Boston is for me.  I want to read on the Harvard University campus again.   I think I attended that school in another life.  

The blessing an artist/writer gives the final product (which he gives by sending it out into the world) is his way of saying that he approves of everything within it, even parts of it that may, in that moment, be hidden from him. --George Saunders, A SWIM IN A POND IN THE RAIN