He Who Listens, Understands
“He had an enchanting laugh; when he laughed a whole world opened-up.” --German Russian, Olga Parem aka “OLA” who spent time with William Benjamin in Ibiza (from the book WALTER BENJAMIN, The Story of a Friendship by Gershom Scholem We arrived at Villa Mawr in Montego Bay, JAMAICA, on Sunday, May 23, and the butler was Lloyd, the cook was Estelle and the housekeeper was Grace. We were only staying there a few days and then moving on to another area of Montego Bay in Jamaica at a place called Fairway Manor.
The week was fun. The excursion on the boat with Jaan Torv was a very choppy ride and quite scary. Gloria and Alan vomited. Only Lauren and I maintained composure. Lauren went up on top of the small boat and looked out at the horizon. It was like a Gilligan’s Island boat, and I hoped we would not be marooned on a desert island. Jack Cohen was the smart one to remain at the villa. I couldn’t go above the cabin to see the horizon because it was much too choppy, and I was quite scared. It really was too scary for words, so I stayed below and tried to maintain a balance with my body and mind. I kept saying to myself, “Please let me get through this alive.”
On my Birthday we moved to a new Villa called THE FAIRWAY MANOR. Alan hired a steel band for entertainment by the pool before dinner. It was utterly delightful.
My Birthday Cards:
5-26-1999 Michael,
Happy Birthday! As you see from the card, there is a long road ahead. It has several visible cars on that road. Please be happy, satisfied and healthy in the car. It must stay on the road and go where you want. Do what you want but please let me drive the car if you want to get there. If not, and if we have time you may drive. Exercise more, eat less.
I Love You. Alan
Another postcard from ALAN (of The Forum in Rome):
Michael, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Well, WHEN IN ROME in October--take a picture for your new frame.
Another postcard from ALAN (of DAVID de Michelangelo, in Firenze):
Michael,
Happy B-Day, This is what I will look like when we visit Florence in Oct.
Love,
Alan
And my thoughtful Birthday card from Alan's mom, Gloria and his stepfather, Jack:
5/26/99
Dearest Michael,
Love is the passion of the soul and the strength of the spirit. Love is all that matters—be it from a lover, friend or parent and we love you dearly. We are so very happy that we can celebrate your birthday with you. You are in our inner circle of loved ones, and we don’t allow too many in. Looking forward to celebrating all your birthdays with you.
Love Always,
Gloria & Jack
Here is an Irish Blessing:
May your thoughts be as glad as shamrocks,
May your heart be as light as a song,
May each day bring you bright, happy hours,
That stay with you all the yearlong.
Proverb of the month : “ He who listens, understands.”
Other Birthday Cards:
From my grandmother, Mary Genevieve Lucero:
Dear Grandson,
This brings a special birthday wish, Because, as you must know, your happiness means everything to those who love you so, and with these warm and loving thoughts are still more wishes, too. That all the days ahead will bring Life’s finest things to you. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I love you. Grandma
And from my cousin in Colorado Springs, MaryAnn Montoya-Gehling:
Michael,
Happy Birthday. I looked for just the right card but couldn’t find it. Then I started to take down my grandson, Tanner Gehling, art works to put up a new painting and couldn’t throw it away, so I made it into a card. I love his choice of colors. I made up my own motto when I reached ‘40’.
“I can say and do what I want because I’m forty.”
I thought I was so grown-up and so hot. I loved saying it!
Have a good one.
M.A.
...and to continue with the October 1998 European journal:
October 3, 1998,
Sometime after 5AM at the Amstel Intercontinental Hotel in Amsterdam, in Room 116...
Since I last wrote as we were on our flight from L.A. to Atlanta, a lot has happened, so I am playing ketchup (catch-up).
When we arrived in Atlanta, we were at Gate A and had to get to Gate E-17 for the connecting flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam. We took a tram (like the one at the Denver Airport) to get across the Concourse E. We could sense an aura of a foreign universe just by the looks of the remaining people on the tram who were getting off at the last exit of Concourse E, including a munchkin, midget or short person. He was a little bald and chubby man. We guessed he’d be on our flight, and he was. After we disembarked from the tram we had to walk and walk through these immaculate white and gray endless corridors that already seemed foreign; however, we were still in Atlanta, Georgia.
At Gate E-17, Shelley Henson, the Delta Gate Agent brought us back to the USA with her Southern Peachy Atlanta accent. She was utterly sweet and even located two seats for Alan and I to sit together, blocking the seat between us for additional comfort and space.
The awaiting passengers gave us a glimpse of what Amsterdam people look like. The Dutch are, of course, Caucasian, usually blond with light eyes. There were two pretty blond girls. They caught me eyeing them and matched my eye contact. Did they find me attractive? They were such young girls. There were a few cute young men in their early twenties. Alan surely noticed them. He especially liked the one in the green sweater who sat behind me on the plane. I didn’t tell Alan, but my feet touched his during the flight—not that it meant anything or that anything was wrong with that.
It was probably an 8-hour flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam. We had some nice tailwind along the way which positioned us into Amsterdam at around 10:30AM (Amsterdam time). I managed to finish writing most of the cards that I plan to mail upon our arrival to Italy. Writing letters and postcards in-flight is such a time save. Once I reach my destination all of that writing and addressing is done. I wrote something like this on the Amsterdam postcards:
“I’ve made it to AMSTERDAM! Wow! The canals...the beauty. Planning to walk to the MUZIEK THEATER to see if we can get tickets to whatever is playing. Then on to the RIJKSMUSEUM, the Van Gogh Museum, The Erotic Museum (curios) and Rembrandt Park. Also, can’t wait to taste the Gouda Cheese here in Holland.”
Ironically, everything I wrote actually came to pass.
I found “The Other Side Coffee Shop” which is far superior to our Starbucks.
We had the same menu on the Atlanta to Amsterdam flight that we had on the LAX to Atlanta flight. Instead of chicken, this time, I had the steak and creatively made a sandwich using the Gouda Cheese that was provided. Alan copied me.
It was great to stretch our legs once we landed in Amsterdam. I started reading my new book, NOW AND THEN by William Corlett. I highlighted sentences that I enjoyed throughout my reading time. Alan finished THE NOTEBOOK by Nicholas Sparks during our flight. After patiently waiting for our luggage, we followed behind a long line of people with EuroCarts waiting to get out as we arrived. Alan made me go into an airport supermarket to buy water to take my vitamins. It sure seemed like a European market. It was something I’d pictured a Denmark (Danish) Market would be like. I’ve never been to Denmark, but I’ve seen films.
Alas, we were in Holland. I bought flavored peach and vanilla water and a package of shredded Gouda cheese. The cashier spoke Dutch to me. I knew she asked if I had change and I said, “No.” It just seemed like that would be the question she would ask.
Alan did his usual RENT A HERTZ car deal in his usual efficient way. We walked outside and it was quite chilly. It’s funny about me. I never complain about weather conditions. I’m very adaptable to change in weather patterns. I think hard rain and hail are the worst of course. However, Alan is another story. In Palm Springs, when it’s 120 degrees he will “oooo” and “ahhh”. Now with a 45 degrees temperature in Amsterdam you can be rest-assured he would do his “oooo” and “ahhh” routine over the chill factor.
After loading the luggage onto our car, a Blue Opel, I noticed a fire extinguisher on the passenger floor side which I thought to be unusual.
The Hertz map printout form the airport to the Hotel surely helped us on the correct freeway and the right direction; however, once we took our EXIT the street names were not exactly evident. After about an hour of navigation by me we finally found our beautiful AMSTEL INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL. It is surely tope of the line. There’s even a Royal Suite, suitable for the likes of Princess Diana or Queen Elizabeth or Nancy Reagan (who we recently saw at a recent party we attended last Friday night in Brentwood, CA). The greeting hotel bellman in front of the Hotel was wearing his uniform which added to the grandeur and elegance. A pretty young, blond, green or blue-eyed girl escorted us to our room. She was quite pleasant.
I agreed with Alan to an hour nap vs immediately attempting my itinerary. So, we slept. It was 1:20PM and we awoke at 5pm. “Ooops to only sleeping for an hour.” The nap was well worth it though.
We started our walking excursion. It was getting close to 6pm, so we had to go to The Muziek Theater to see about tickets to a show. They were sold out. They had no show for Saturday and no availability for Sunday, so we shrugged off that idea. Alan wasn’t too keen on a cultural “sit back and watch a show” for tonight anyway.
Using my streetwise map we ventured via many canals, talking a few photos along the way. Alan said, “This is a great preview to what Venice Italy is like.”
We found a gay street called Reguilers-dwarsstraat. Forget trying to ask Alan to pronounce that street. We were looking for the street to see about eating at a place called RESTAURANT HET TUYNHYS on Reguliersdwarsstraat 28. Of course, they were booked for the evening, so we made a reservation for 8pm tomorrow night, Saturday. Alan insisted I be in-charge, so I made the reservation under Michael, telling him the name of our hotel. The restaurant host was clearly impressed and very nice.
We drifted along to a place called CAFE APRIL. It looked more like a gay bar. We both had delightful cappuccinos at the bar. I think we stick out like a sore thumb too because all eyes were obviously on both of us when we walked in. It’s as if it’s known we are foreign visitors or aliens. We also bought tickets to CLUB HEAT for tonight at the CAFE APRIL BAR.
I had the name of a Thai Restaurant, and we meandered along successfully with the laminated Streetwise Map to Kooning Van Siam on DE Oudezijds Voorburgwal. The restaurant was having a private party, but the gentleman detoured us (or referred us) to another Thai place on the leather bar street called Warmoesstraat. We need to go back there anyway to an Art Gallery called W139 that I want to see. This new THAI place was quite good. Alan had his glass noodles and vegetable soup, and we shared chicken satay and vegetable fried rice with a chicken and veggie dish along with ‘Water with Gas’. We agreed to go back to the Hotel to rest before our first big night out in Amsterdam. We walked back via a new direction using the main thoroughfare versus side streets.
At our hotel we watched the TMF9 channel which was the equivalent to the States Music Channel MTV. It’s great hearing the music and learning of new artists we like. So far, we liked “SOMEONE LOVES YOU HONEY” by Latricia McNeal; WE ROCK HARD by Ruffneck and CRUSH by Jennifer Paige. Look out...Alan did it this time with his “Black Outfit”. His black jeans and black Kenneth Cole ribbed crewneck that he recently bought in NYC. He was ready.
As I readied myself, we both concurred over the unique quality of our shower room. The shower is like a rainfall. Too cool! ...October 3rd in Amsterdam to be continued...
‘Man cannot scrape a living on writing alone.’--Carlos Ruiz Zafon, in his book THE CITY OF MIST
