ONE MAN ONE LIFE

PROLOGUE

I decided to look back and try to remember all that has happened in my life. I’ve had an exciting, varied, sometimes normal life…much of the time. I want to get it down on paper—or digital screen, as the case may be—while I still hold the memories in my head. I’ll admit, some memories may…
JACK OF ALL TRADES

I didn’t follow a traditional career path. My dad worked at The Marion Star—the local newspaper—for 28 years before becoming a real estate agent then broker. My brother, Floyd, right out of college, made his career in the Army as an officer and Blackhawk helicopter pilot. Dwayne was an educator for many years before becoming…
I HAVE VOICES IN MY HEAD

I was fortunate to begin singing at a young age. Over these many years, I’ve been fortunate to be a part of some memorable singing groups. I was six years old the first time I sang a solo in church. I sang in the teen choir when I was older. I sang in the choir…
ROUND ROUND, I GET AROUND – BEACH BOYS

I’d met John David before moving to Laguna. He used to come into Tony’s. He was cute. And he knew it. But that was part of his charm, not acting like he knew it. He was dating a boy named Brett at the time. Brett was a classical pianist. He was one of the pianists…
SCOTT & SKY SITTIN IN A TREE

So, dating. I don’t know. Did we really go out on dates or was it just sleeping together? I had my little one-bedroom apartment in town, he lived in a house his parents owned, on Bluebird Canyon, south of town. We spent time at both. I suppose we went to dinner, out to the bars,…
IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

I met Saif at Main Street. Saif was a tall, dark haired, attractive man—middle Eastern descent. He played the piano and sang there. While other pianobarists would sometimes allow others to sing, Saif had a lot of friends who were singers—he’d been a singer at Disneyland for a year or so. Many of them would…
I’LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS

I made my first trip to Paris as a 30th birthday present to myself. While working as a server at the Hotel Meridien in Irvine, CA, I met a number of Air France crew members. When they flew into Los Angeles, they stayed at the Meridien. One of the flight attendants, Jean-François, and I became…
FRENCH BOYS ME REND FOU

One of the other things about Paris that fascinated me was the men. I was never quite sure if it was the looks created by a mix of European blood or the accent. I suppose it was a bit of both. I made a number of trips to Paris before the year that I lived…