A Friend Named SNAKE

“The snake will always bite back.” --Jake “The Snake” Roberts, American professional wrestler and actor 

Mom remained here in LA for the week. Alan was having his Birthday party on March 29th, so it will be a festive time. Alan has been so busy after putting together a deal to add the Sonoma Valley Bagel chain with his own East Coast Bagel chain. His Birthday cake will be shaped like a bagel.

Dorothy Rua sent a cool card of the 1914 painting by Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell called INTERIOR WITH A LADY SEATED. I love it. Perhaps it is supposed to be Dorothy as the elegant lady seated. I also had to laugh about ‘a friend named SNAKE’. That must be a story all unto itself. Why would someone be named Snake or nicknamed Snake. It sounds so mafia—but he’s not even from Italy.  

3-27-97 

Dear Michael, 

While strolling through a card/bookstore in (where else) Berkeley, this card caught my eye. I love the painting; it is so classy! What do you think? Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. She sits there oh so elegantly with a hint of coolness, just enough to make most men hesitate before approaching. But a man like ------- views the whole persona as a challenge and senses the passion, the sensuality within her. With each approaching step he takes, his erotic fantasies become clearer. She’s lying nude and beautiful on the satin sheets with both hands reaching behind and gripping the headboard as he pleases her. He’s made his final step and doesn’t need to speak when he reaches her, he merely reaches out and takes her hand. The communication is strong as he leads her to the terrace for a slow waltz and promising times ahead.  

It’s been a while since I’ve written this type of card. Guess I feel a need to reach in and find some of the FUN that’s still in me somewhere.  

The beat does go on, as the song says. Still plugging through all my personal stuff and really looking forward to clearer days ahead. 

What’s this about you having an eye infection that might have kept you from running the marathon? No excuses kiddo. I want to hear you ran it and I want to know your time.  

I read the S.F. article about Alan’s East Coast Bagel deal and even cut it out. Big time kid, huh? I'm happy for him. Guess it’s because I like Alan a lot. I really would like to see you guys if you do spend time up here looking at bagel sites. Just let me know when and where.  

Guess what? I’m going to be in Green Bay, Wisconsin on the weekend of April 18th. Why Green Bay of all places you ask? Well, a friend at VALENT insists I attend his wedding there. He must have figured I wouldn’t pay the $500 for the trip, so he went and bought me a round-trip ticket and paid for a hotel room for me. I was dumbfounded! His explanation is that he really wants me at his wedding, and it would mean the world to him if I was there because I’ve been such a good friend to him. What does one say? “I have other plans” (which I don’t) or just accept it as an honor and go? Well, at this point, I’m telling myself maybe I’ll appreciate a break from the usual at about that time. Do they sell postcards in Green Bay? Keep an eye on your mailbox.  

Also, the following weekend I’ll have guests from Canada. I received a call a couple of weeks ago from a friend named SNAKE. Peter and I knew him in Germany. As a matter of fact, he was one of the four people at our wedding twenty-five years ago! We'll have a lot to catch up on. Seems kind of weird of him coming here while we’re going through the Big ‘D’. 

Let me hear all about Alan’s surprise Birthday Party. I wish I could have been there. I bet Gloria and Jack had fun, too. Were Lauren and Carrie there? Say HI to all when you see them.  

I haven’t been to the movies lately, though there were a few I wanted to see. What have you seen lately? 

My sister, Catherine, will be passing through on her way to Nebraska this summer. She’s taking classes for her PhD. She teaches at the University of Guam. Hope I get to see her on her way to or from. She has a super sense of humor and is lots of fun. I wish I was like her. Ha! 

As always, thinking of you... 

With Love, 

Dorothy  

Now I’m considering a cool nickname but not ‘Snake’. Shall I go back to my old one: Jake Jaguar? Now that Alan is forty-five maybe I should nickname him 'Agent 45'.

Alan’s 45th Birthday was a surprise, but I think he kind of detected something. We can’t put one thing past him even with Gloria helping out. The pictures tell it all. It was a fun crowd and we had KARAOKE and all. Alan loved the bagel cake, too.  

“Harry S Truman was broke and out of work at the age of 38. At the age of 45 he was the most powerful leader in the world.” --Unknown