Did 1980 ever happen? Was I so drunk all year that I don't remember it? Yes I kept a diary that year , every month, and yet I read entries that are completely foreign to me.

May
6--Bad accident--I totaled car!  June 6--went to court about
accident--got a $20 fine plus $10 costs!!! (That doesn't make sense to
me!)  May 19--Bought '73 Plymouth Seebring

I have zero remembrance about any of this--the accident, going to court or even having such a car!!!

There
are so many "Got drunk", "Was smashed",  "was bombed" "came home
drunk"  and all variations on that theme. Along with drinking I was
bringing home all sorts of trash, street hustlers and I won't get into
all the sex I was having! In a way I am glad I don't remember a lot of
what I wrote in my diary but there were quite a few good things along
with the bad and some I don't know how to categorize! Along the way I
had a TV and clock radio stolen while another time a friend from
Memphis, Jim Gilbert, said he was coming through town on his motorcycle
with his friend Tom and asked if they could stay at my place one night
and I said, "Sure!"  Long story short--Jim left my bedroom window
unlocked and when I went to work they sneaked into my apartment and
stole 3 credit cards, my change jar which had about $300 in it and a few
dollars I had 'hidden' in a closet. What teed me off was that when I
called the credit card companies the next day they already had gas and
food charges on the cards and though they shut the accounts they
wouldn't follow through on arresting Jim and Tom--it wasn't worth the
time and money it would cost!

On
February 29, 1980 I celebrated my 11th Leap Year Birthday at the
Sandpiper and all I remember are from the above collage who was there.
Two weeks later Joe died. He and Albyn had been together almost 55 years
by that time. I have written about them in posts before as when I was
20 years old they became mentors, and parents, of mine. Two weeks later I
was out of work--see last blog about "Incredible Edibles" and the
Sandpiper closed.

On
March 21st I met Steven Carter who would become an important part of my
life  as the year progressed and part of a decision I was to make in
1981. Mafia Mike, teacher Mike , Dennis (whoever he was) and I would
constantly visit Albyn who was now living at a friend of ours in Coconut
Grove. I do remember the 4 of us going to see "Bob Fosse's Dancing" at
the Jackie Gleason theatre on Miami Beach. Easter Sunday we went to King
Arthur's Court Restaurant in Miami Springs, which was one of the most
luxurious restaurants I had ever been to and would go there often. It
had sink in the red rug flooring, strolling violinists and a wide window
looking out the back where they kept flamingos. Oh yes, the had some of
the best, thickest prime ribs in South Florida--that I remember!!

I
do not know when, why, how or where my mother died though it seems to
have been in the summer of that 1980. Yes, it seems heartless, but I
didn't care. It had been over 25 years since I had any contact with her
and 28 years since I 'divorced' my family. It was through TA that I came
to understand she did the best she could and through working it out I
came to forgive her but that didn't mean I wanted a relationship with her. I was sitting down on October 8  when my brother called to tell me
she had a $10,000 bank account, 3 $1,000 CDs and $9,000 in 'war' bonds
all in my name. Don't ask me how I did it but I lost/forgot about the
bonds only to discover them years later and with the interest it came to
a mighty big sum when I needed it. According to my diary I celebrated
by taking a group of friends to see Earth Kitt at Bubba's jazz club!

There
are other notes, besides my getting drunk, like on May 30th Steven said
he loved me and the weekend of Christmas Bob Barry came in from Dallas
and stayed with me. We had been friends since the Memphis days and had
'lusted' after each other but the rigth time never presented itself and
now that time had passed though we would remain close friends until the
day he died.

Not
that I had a drinking problem but on December 13 I have a note
"Jewelry, keys, credit cards stolen by John the cook from Jimmy
January's--false alarm--I had hidden them in a cigarette draw!" Sure I
didn't have a problem with drinking. By the way, back in August, on the
26th, the Sandpiper became Jimmy January's and I was to become one of
their best customers, especially after October.

To
end on a positive note--because it gets ugly at the beginning of
1981--I met Bob, the Fuller Brush man, who was to become a very close,
good friend!

THE BEST AND WORST WAS YET TO COME--ALL IN ONE YEAR.