An Island In The Pacific

“What will become of TIME?”
“Will it reverse?”
“No one knows the answer.”
-as heard during the film MR. NOBODY, 
a 2009 film starring Jared Leto

I received a cute NIAGARA FALLS postcard from the elderly staff clerk I work with in San Francisco.  Her name is Gloria Romero and she’s a trip.   She’s worked for the company for over 30 years and doesn’t want to retire yet.  Jeez…  Well, she has made me want to visit Niagara Falls one day.  She wrote:
October 18, 1989Hi Michael!
The view of the Falls is just great!   Enjoying vacation from Niagara Falls into Washington DC on a bus tour and it is ever so interesting.   The Capitol is beautiful.   Friday…back to Manhattan, New York for a shopping spree.   See you Tuesday.   
Love, Gloria, XO

Paloma found another BIKE postcard for me.   She wrote:

le 20/10/89Dear Michael,

Thanks for calling.   That was funny to hear you.  It didn’t seem like we hadn’t talked to each other for so long.  You’ve got the exact same voice and I remember it very well!   I got another card the day after you called…the CATHERINE DENEUVE one (I was talking about a bigger one).   

I watched Dan Rather’s NEWS on TV this morning.   He was in SF.  The earth is still shaking there.   Do you know that one of these days you’re going to be living on an island in the Pacific?   Are you scared?   I love to watch SF.   That reminds me of so many things…3 years of your life…that’s pretty long!  Especially 3 GOOD years!
…and a couple of other non-dated postcards from Paloma.  This one particular card depicted a beautiful woman with blue eyes who had an uncanny resemblance to one of my old girlfriends (Amy Platt) with the same blue eyes; although she wasn't blond. I guess I shall refrain from sharing that tidbit with Paloma.  Paloma wrote: 
I hope to go to SF.  I hope to visit my brother but I will definitely stay at your place (if I’m still invited, of course).  

You’re not telling me what you’re planning to do with your job at PACIFIC BELL though (?).   Are you going to keep working for them or not?   I’m glad you got so many call backs from the modeling agencies.   I really hope it works for you.  I’m sure you’d be a great actor.
The last time I heard from Carmela was when she got married.  I think that was last year (1988) but I don’t remember very well.   Oh, I remember now that she called me at the beginning of this year.
I laughed at the CLUB MED card Paloma sent, implying that it was a picture of 'her'.   The ironic thing is that it could easily 'be her'.  She looks that GOOD.  Yes!  It's true.   Paloma wrote: 

Here is a picture of me at CLUB MED but no need to tell, right?   Talking about the lottery…I have a ticket from Saturday, you can win up to 100 Million French Francs.   If I win I promise I’ll buy you a Corvette (or another one, if you don’t like the Corvette).   I’ll buy myself a house in the middle of nowhere but with a view of the ocean and maybe…
I am still so very excited about my move to Los Angeles.  It’s time.  I’ve lived in Northern California all of my life.  I need a slight change—not so far away…but just far enough.   This makes me think of one of my favorite songs by A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS called “I RAN (So Far Away)”:  https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=i+ran+so+far+away+song+wiki&FORM=HDRSC3#view=detail&mid=941EFF6EDC147C1E062F941EFF6EDC147C1E062F
While I will run ‘only to Southern California’ I yearn for my solitary bike ride along the coastline as I view the palm trees and move forward with my next plan…whatever that may be.   I wouldn’t mind living on an island in the Pacific…maybe Catalina Island?  Ha-ha…I dare not love you as you deserve,
It is not that I don’t know how,
I do understand the language of love,
And were it a different world
I would write you poems etching you
Into the tender cliché of Negril’s palmy coast…
-Colin Channer, 
WAITING IN VAIN, a novel