Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice)

I’ve worked with a lot of people in different jobs, and met some really nice folk that I never see or hear from anymore. I’ve been thinking about a few of them, Ann Boyles, the wonderful woman from Athens, GA. She was so cute and sexy and would sometimes flash me from her cube opposite me. She started flashing me when she found out that I had never been with a woman sexually. A few women wanted to be my first, but it never happened much to their dismay. Ann was a lot of fun though. We partied quite a bit before she packed up and moved back to Athens. I heard she got married.

Maurice Menares was another friend that I lost contact with. Last I saw him was when Julio and I went to see Beck at Radio City Music Hall back in the last century. Maurice used to work at McSwells back in the day, then he got a job as a nanny for the child of Thurston and Kim from Sonic Youth. Really great guy, he had a crush on Ann Boyles who liked him but not like liked him. Heartbreak soup. Last I heard he was managing the XL store for the Beastie Boys in Los Angeles. I hope he’s doing well.

Kevin Wagner was a good mate. I went to high school with him and didn’t really get along, but we worked together at the book warehouse. In school his nickname was piglet because he had pinkish skin. He liked metal and I liked punk so we were diametrically opposed in school. At work we were friends, we even had to drive to Austin, TX on a special errand for the head of the company. That was a bonding experience. Kevin was one of the last people then to find out that I was gay and was greatly upset at being the last to know. He came up to me and wanted to know why and I told him that I didn’t want to risk losing his friendship, though if I had to lie to remain his friend it wasn’t a real friendship anyway.

That actually made our friendship stronger, though not strong enough for time and distance since he moved to Orlando FL in the mid eighties. I did get in contact with him in 2000 to see if he was going to the high school reunion. He said he couldn’t make it, he was just up with his wife visiting their folks in Saddle Brook NJ. I did go to the reunion solo and left totally wired and whacked out of my head swearing that if another 20 years went by without seeing my former classmates it would be fine with me.

There are a few other people that left a mark on my life, people that I think of from time to time. I often think about some bad people from my past, people that have done me wrong, or betrayed me and I don’t miss them unless I’m thinking of revenge and I try not to think of that. I’d rather think of the nice people and hope all is well with them.

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