The 1980s was a whirlwind time for me with many ups
and downs. I left Memphis with my tail between my legs. I wanted to stay there
but being white and a male at that time you couldn't get a job as a waiter plus
how would I feel after being 'King Of The Hill' serving those who put me in that
position? Ah pride.
I was going to return to Miami Beach but Joe and Albyn told me MB wasn't like
it had been--this was before it became "South Beach"--and that I should stop in
Fort Lauderdale, which I did.
In the 80s I worked less than I worked. My mother had died and had 'left' me
U.S. savings bonds that had been bought for me many years before so with the
interest accrued not working was an option for awhile.
I met the second person who loved me unconditionally--the love of my
life--but I was to lose him.

As was my custom I moved
every 5 years to a new apartment and changed jobs more often. I did have one
lucrative job as a waiter at Wag's which was owned by Walgreen's and I worked on and off there for 4-5
years.

By the 1990s I was on my spiral downward to
homelessness. In spite of my 50s being one of the worse decades of my life my
attitude was mainly positive and would remain so.

The one regret that I had during the 80s was losing
the love of my life but if I (we) had to live it over I don't know that it would
have ended differently--we had too many differences.