Sunday Short-Story Riffs: Media Women and Yours Truly: It's a Wonderful Life (Before Civilization Ceased to Exist)

LIKE YOU, Vinny misses the good old days...Remember? When we were all flush full of cash and on our way on a Thursday night to meet the truly irresistible. Yeah, remember? When civilization was still there back at the beginning of the year, 2020 a time that shall live in infamy.

*Sam's was my go-to --way back when--when I worked at K-101 in the mid 1980's I was making pretty good money. Enough to buy drinks and good company. Vera was always sipping the house Cabernet back then; always laughing and metaphorically crying over her lost eternal boyfriend who was hit by a truck near the waterfront and finally succumbed. I heard the story and was immediately stung--I don't know how Vera survived something as traumatic as that but survive she did. Anyway, Vera made for enlightening conversation and kinship. She was in her mid-30's, she worked in advertising near one of those fancy places across the street from the Pyramid in Jackson Square, the alley way. It was a cushy job and she was a cushy woman no matter how traumatic her life had suddenly changed. I always gave her a smile and she smiled back. I knew she had a boyfriend (at the time) but I had no motives I just smiled and engaged. There was no agenda. She got it and so did I. Which was probably the reason why she had so much confidence in me and was one of the original cheerleaders to this project called the blog. Vera loved reading it and hated too. She would always get on my case because I was so negative. I told her that negative sells and that people like reading good news but that good news didn't draw numbers. She understood but I could tell in the back of my mind that she was put off. Oh well, she had a boyfriend, saved by the bell and even today, Vera is still a friend but we go separate ways. Duh!

*Marcia Brockenbach used to sell corporate logos for a start-up in Marin. She too was a regular at Sam's. She was divorced (naturally) and we always talked sports (she loved the 49ers and Giants) and food and politics. I asked her out on a date one night and things went so smooth I was hysterically nervous. I should have shut my mouth and counted my blessing: she insisted on paying for the bill and after numerous offers of me taking care of business, she won. What was I to do? Marcia was from Brooklyn, my late mom's neck of the woods, so I knew she had a lot of soul and appreciation of my sense of humor. Just when I thought she was done with the asshole boyfriend, she woke up one day and texted me that she was going back to the bum. How wonderful I felt. Yeah, like a tuna about to be consumed by a shark. Life sucks, no rhyme or reason. Marcia (last name fiction) is a good woman. I'm sure she has terrific intentions but the wrong choice of men. Apparently me too in the rear-view mirror.

*Penelope (I'll call her that) was a young, eager-beaver reporter, from Portland, she was just beginning to learn her ways as a cub at KGO. She followed me on Twitter and we soon decided to have some lunch and possible spirits (read, cocktails) at Grumpy's. It was innocent as all get go. She understood and appreciated my column and opinions. I told her early on that I was not keyed in on screwing her (yeah, right) only wanting to meet and exchange conversation. Shop talk. Fun talk. Business. Love. Social gatherings, the like. It was cool until it wasn't cool. She was probably about 30. But acted much older. We agreed that I would not write about her gig. She was very, very NY. I could always ask, "what the hell are you doing here?"  "I love the Bay Area." Much enthusiasm, Her dad was a constant critic. She told me he was a pain in the ass but that he was only looking out for her. She hated dating. And I guess she found me a safe haven away from boyfriend bullshit only she had no boyfriend. She really didn't like men. I was her amusement park. So finally the truth emerged: she was a late-term lesbian. My luck. I know I'm a red flag for women but this one took the cake. Why do I set myself up for so much misery? Penelope sort of laughed when I told her that I thought she would be ripe for me. Until the lesbian thing came up. Maybe now she could do a feature on KGO about the hazards of meeting a straight man. Or not. I moved on and she too. It's a wonderful life, ain't it?