The Atmosphere is so Different

Dreams are dangerous lovers that must be hidden away in secret rooms.
-Jose Luis DE Vilallonga,
THE PLEASURE SEEKER

April 15, 1989

I wrote Paloma a postcard today, depicting a beautiful skyline view of San Francisco.   I was still high on the dream to return to France. I wrote:Hi Paloma,
I thought you’d like this picturesque memory. 

I laughed the other day when I was in my car and turned on my car light for ‘Jim from the Gym’ and his girlfriend, Chris, in order to read something.    They laughed aloud…and it made me think of YOU because the car light is not on top of the convertible and only lights-up the feet area…remember that?
Funds are tight but I may squeeze together some $$$ to go to FRANCE yet.  I will have the 4th of JULY week off from work (I hope).  It was a great 4-hour bike ride day TODAY!   Well, I am thinking of you OFTEN.  Hello to Jonathan and Alexandre.
Always, Michael J Armijo

April 16, 1989I hustled out for another bike ride on the Sunday.   I needed to release anxieties. 

I drive out to Walnut Creek now (Monday thru Friday) and the commute is better because most are driving in to The City while I’m going the opposite direction.  The SMART RESOURCE CENTER is keen on sales and we sell published Yellow Page Directories statewide and throughout the continental USA.  The big prize is in selling the Business to Business Directory.    

My sales results are pretty good but the atmosphere is so different from my other department at PBD-Pacific Bell Directory.  I'm not appreciated as much.   I am not seen as the stellar likely candidate for the next management job because this is a brand new department with newbies (including employees that were just hired off of the street from other forms of employment because of their sales experience).  The main 2nd Line boss is a real bitch from New York who used to work for SPRINT.   She hates me.   What did I ever do to her?  I don't understand it.  I’ve met one cool black gal named Tonee and another great gal named Dorothy Rua.   Dorothy Rua is very cool and easy to get along with.   She has a birthmark or ‘condition’ on her face that is visible but I don’t see it.  Her personality and friendliness outshines this.   Dorothy is a sweetheart and she’s my newest friend.   She is recently divorced and has two children. After my bike ride I stopped over at mom’s house.   Mom was babysitting Holly.   I captured a cute pic of Holly upon her arrival.   She had just come from a Birthday Party and was still wearing the party hat. 

I returned to mom’s pad later to watch TV and decided to spend the night there and drive from mom’s house to work.   I lounged in my robe, watching DYNASTY.   The series finale is next month and it looks like this will be the last season (Season 9). 


April 20, 1989
Paloma wrote back from AGDE, France.   She may be moving away from her 10 Rue Jean Roger address in AGDE.   Here is the latest scoop with her: Dear Michael,

I’ve got lots of things to tell you but I don’t have much time.   I’m working a lot.  I’ve had exams for all of this week.   I still have one tomorrow morning and maybe again in June.  I say maybe because I’m right in the middle of big changes.   Do you understand that?   I wonder now that I really realize how shitty my English is…I’ll tell you the grade I get.   I just can’t believe the mistakes I made (in English).   I’m really ashamed to say I lived in the States for three years!   I can’t believe myself.   Did I tell you I have problems to understand the NEWS in English TV?   I can’t believe I watched TV all the time in Berkeley with no problem at all.   Oh well!   That’s pretty sad.
Back to the changes…we’ve been offered a job (Alexandre and I), a job I find really interesting.   We would be in-charge of a CLUB RESIDENCE (it’s kind of like a hotel) except we wouldn’t rent rooms--but apartments--for at least one week.   There are 106 apartments right now but they’re building 50 more.   I would be the hostess (receiving people), taking care of them and of the planning of the rooms (and making them pay the bills).   Alexandre would be some kind of public relations person doing things to entertain them and stuff.   There is a swimming pool, a tennis court and a barbecue.   So I guess sometimes we would have parties.   I don’t exactly know yet what we’re going to do but we would be by ourselves with no boss behind us.   What do you think about that?  That was the good part.   Now here is the bad one.   This is a brand-new place.   The company that owns it doesn’t expect to rent more than thirty-percent of the apartments a year (which in fact is good for me).   That means less work but that means also that nobody else (except, of course, some cleaning ladies and someone to fix broken things and stuff) is going to be hired this year.   So we’re going to have to stay there all of the time (either me or Alexandre—some days one of us might be enough.   They promised us next year we would hire someone.  

And here is the worst part…we have to move.   We have an apartment there that we wouldn’t pay for…we have no choice.   We have to live there if we want the job.   This place is free but small.   I got used to the place we live in right now.   I think I told you I really like it.   Too bad I think you won’t get to see it.   We have to go to a new town which—in fact---is not very far from here.   Still…I really like it here, so that’s why I’m not that happy.    Alexandre can’t understand that.  He really wants this job.   We would make pretty good money, and then maybe we could go to the states.   Right now we can only have vacations in January and February.   Well, I’ll let you know my new address pretty soon. 

Now when you come you can have your own apartment.  Unfortunately this year I don’t think I’ll be really able to take care of you.   I wanted to show you so many things around here.   Pezenas, France is where MOLIERE lived.PHOTO:  Tour de France in Pezenas

I want you to see SETE which is sometimes called the ‘French’ Venice.   I think this summer I’m going to be really busy.   That’s why I don’t know if I’ll be able to pass my exams (that’s not exactly the worst part). I have to go now.   I’ll write again soon.  Write me to tell me what you think about all of this.  Miss You.   Love You, Paloma

“Two years abroad can so sharpen one’s vision.”
-THE GLASS BEAD GAME,
a novel by Hermann Hesse