California quest....

In January 1977 'Sally', the Bonneville and I and left for California with everything we owned, back seat and trunk piled high. Our stash was stocked for the trip as well; garden variety stimulants and the celebratory bottles of wine (and beer) when we crossed the California border. We had a plan. Miss Match meets Mr. Fuse--the template was forged. It took ten days; the car broke down in Texas. I think Philip went back to NYC. But we were on our way to a dream-come-true...we thought.

The California of Insanity Quest......(gratefully abridged).....

Arriving in California we headed to my mother's motel room in Glendale (two years after coming to California she was still in a motel room).

It was late night, Susanna opened the door in her classic 'men's shirt'-close-to nude attire ..she was overjoyed to see us, and to meet Sally. We were home.

Stayed on Susanna's floor for several weeks until we could save money for a place of our own.

The first order was to find jobs. Sally had been a nurse’s aide. She got a job at a local nursing home and suggested I apply. I did and became a nurse’s aide (orderly). Sally and I did the night shift together.

After that first night I met my mother at 7am in a local Mexican bar down the street. We shared several margaritas together, I wept in my drink. Shaken by the kind of work I was asked to do. Susanna also worked the night shift at a photo processing plant. Later, I think I worked there too. Maybe for a few days.

We found a Burbank one-bedroom apartment. Got a used bed, a couple of chairs, dishes, pots and pans at the local Salvation Army.

Sally was pretty, sweet, and wholly charming. Had a disarming way with people. There wasn’t much not to like on that first impression.

At the nursing home Sally befriended a couple. The man’s mother was a resident. The couple was looking to bring the mother home to live with them and approached Sally about private duty.

We struck –up an agreement that Sally and I would share the private duty and keep our ‘day’ jobs.

It seemed like an ideal situation, the couple was pleased that they found such ‘first-class’ people for their mom and Sally and I were going to make some needed extra money.

Our new private duty employers were kind and generous; they liked this young couple that was just starting out on their own. They gave us things for our new apartment; vacuum cleaner, blender, toaster, furniture etc.

One morning Sally asked me to try on this ruby stud earring (for my pierced ear), asked where she got it… “oh I had it.” Looked good, I wore it to my private duty job that day.

A few days later the man of the house informed me that some of his wife’s jewelry was missing, that he believed my ruby stud was hers. He also believed that Sally was wearing his mother’s gold cross and chain, noticed it when she came on duty.

They were furious, threatened to call the police if the jewelry wasn’t returned.

It was all returned. We were fired, I confronted Sally, I don’t remember the “reason” given, she charmed and disarmed.

My old friend Denial was now sprouting new heads.

Sally and I married on June 18^th, 1977 in a rent-a-chapel in Inglewood (I think), near LAX.

Our wedding day....'Sally' and Mr. 'Fro-wig (put it on for the photo).

Our wedding party--remember Rickey and Skippy Jefferson our childhood friends from Eighty Duece? The West Side Kingmakers of Eighty Duece...

All of us would eventually take Susanna's lead and seek 'healing' in the land of milk

and honey. SF held sway over others beside Philip and I (SF in the middle between Rickey and Skippy). It would simply be another set-up for another tragic chapter.