Work Hard

  “Everybody works at something.   Getting out of bed’s work!   Getting food off your plate and into your mouth is work.   But there are two kinds of work, kid:
WORK and HARD WORK
If you want to stand out…you’ve got to do HARD WORK.   Pick out something impossible and do it, or be a bum the rest of your life.  Sure, everybody worked in George Washington’s time, but George Washington worked hard.   Everybody worked in Shakespeare’s time, but Shakespeare worked hard.   I’m who I am because I work hard.”
-Kurt Vonnegut Jr., PLAYER PIANO

Dorothy found a classic postcard of the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 and sent it to me.   Was this a warning about my return to work in San Francisco?   Never mind I am not superstitious.   She made me laugh about the fact that the SMART RESOURCE CENTER is now trying to sell binders to go with the Yellow Page Directories.  Dorothy wrote: June 21, 1989
Dear Michael,

…thought you would enjoy this typical PBD SMART RESOURCE CENTER dialogue now:  Michael:  "Hello, may I help you?" (notice no name given)!
Customer:  "Yes, I need some new phone books for the entire Bay Area."
Michael:  "Okay, which ones in particular do you need to order today?"  (hoping the entire LATA won’t be ordered)
Customer:  "Well, all the ones I can get right away.   The fire after the earthquake destroyed all of my directories."
Michael:  "I’m sorry to hear that, however, I can help you avoid the same loss occurring again…the answer to any future problems is BINDERS!  They’re durable, etc. etc.  The product of the century!"

Michael, is anyone in that place (besides Ron Q) really serious about the entire concept working out?   There were so many days I thought I was going crazy, wondering why I was the only one that wouldn’t accept the absurdity.   Then I’d glance at you or talk to you and realize it wasn’t really me…IT WAS THEM!    I’ll always appreciate your support and friendship.   Just keep your sense of humor and vision of what’s beyond the SMART RESOURCE CENTER.   You have what it takes to get past all of this.   Love, Dorothy Dorothy’s card simply confirmed that I’d made the right decision to leave the SMART RESOURCE CENTER.   I do work hard.   I simply want to have a passion for the work that I do.  The SMART RESOURCE CENTER is not the place for me.   I am in search of work that makes me feel passionate.

A day later I was surprised to receive another card from Lola Bindel of a beach scene and a lighthouse.   She’s just another long-distance romance even if she does live in San Francisco that I met at a dance club; however, she surprised me by writing about simply being friends.   She’s a bit on the strange side.  She must’ve hoped I had been trying to call her (when I was not).  One can tell a lot about the insecurities of another just by the words that are written.  Lola wrote: June 22, 1989
Dear Michael,

I don’t know if you have tried to call me or not, but if so, I’m sorry I haven’t talked to you.   I wish I could have.  I enjoyed being with you that one evening.   I probably won’t forget it.   I have never done that.   It was fun.   I would like to go out with you, maybe to a movie or something.  I am not looking for anything serious, just a good friendship.   You can call anytime.   I’m usually home after 11PM (and before 8:30AM).   You can call me at work anytime, also.  My numbers are (in case you lost them):  Home 928-5363, Work:  885-5757.   I know you have been busy.   I hope your work isn’t bringing you down.  

Did you have fun at GREAT AMERICA?   Wish I could have gone with you.   Maybe you’ll want to go again later this summer.   I would like that…or let’s go for a bike ride.   If you don’t want to have anything to do with me, please write me and tell me so I won’t bother you, OK?  Take Care, Lola

I’m anxious to see this new comedy called HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS.   A part of me wishes I could turn invisible at times.   I certainly don’t think I’d enjoy being shrunk down to the size of a toy soldier; however, the concept of this film is amusing for me. Dorothy found another beautiful card for me.   It depicted a solitary beach chair on a beautiful shoreline.   When I opened the card I simply wanted to be there with a good book.   Just me…what a wonderful escape.


Dorothy wrote: June 24, 1989
Dear Michael,
This card says it all, doesn’t it?   Won’t be long now—you’ll be sitting on the beach with your legs stretched out, face to the sun, cold drink in hand and a ‘beach bunny’ working tanning lotion into your skin!

All memories of the phone directories will face and you’ll be enjoying life as it should be enjoyed. Have an absolutely wonderful time in Fort Lauderdale!  Share your pictures and fun with me when you return.
Love ya, Dorothy
I was quite ecstatic about the forthcoming Florida escape.   I still felt a tinge of loneliness though.   I thought I’d go out to Berkeley to see if that gay bar was still open called THE WHITE HORSE.   I sat at the bar and ordered a White Russian.   A seat away from me was a man who looked older than me but he was actually my age.  
"My name is MARIO."  
"Oh...I have a cousin named MARIO.  Are you from around here?"
"I'm visiting for business.  I’m originally from Florida."
He kind of looked Hispanic or Middle Eastern or Cuban.   I wasn’t quite sure.   
"I’m from Connecticut now.”
“Oh, I’ve been there before.   Ever heard of Harwinton?”
“No.”
“Well, it’s a small town.  I had a friend who was from there.   It’s in the Litchfield area.   I know that.”
“Oh, I know Litchfield.”
“Maybe you’ve heard of my friend, Ron Leoni?
“No.”
“Well, his dad owns the pharmacy in Harwinton.   It’s a nice area.”
"I'm originally from Florida." "No kidding?  I'm going to Fort Lauderdale in about a week to visit a good friend of mine.   That's a coincidence.""You'll enjoy it.  It's nice there." We laughed and talked to one another a bit more.   He wanted to go for a drive but I wasn’t ‘into’ him in that way.  I could tell he was hitting on me.  
I said, "Maybe another time because I have to go to work tomorrow."
He was so persistent, so I decided to walk with him to his car.    I simply liked the conversation.   The way it was going between us seemed relaxed and I felt like welcoming a new friendship.   We eventually exchanged addresses.  
I said, “Write to me.  Maybe I’ll see you in Connecticut someday. And I will write back to you.”
“Okay,” Mario said with a smile. 
He tried to kiss me while in his car and I went ahead and kissed him back.  I noticed him unzip his pants and while kissing him I felt him.   I was a little surprised because his 'personal tool' was hard but it was so small in size.   I didn't want to make him feel bad so I just continued to kiss and decided that I needed to 'think fast'.  
"Well, I really like you and would like this to continue but--but like I said, I have to go to work tomorrow." 
Mario was kind and said, "Okay, I will write to you."

I left and went straight home and chalked up another random outing that may or may not go anywhere.   It’s nice to meet new people and learn what they do with their life.  Some people are weird or strange; however, the strange and weird ones can easily be the most interesting of all.  Let’s see if I ever hear from Mario again.   His business prowess and brains impressed me at least.

“Everywhere there are strange people.” - Maria Dermout, THE TEN THOUSAND THINGS