IN THE SUMMER OF 1979 I WAS LIVING IN A FOUR STORY BRICK BUILDING AT 800 N. LAS PALMAS AVE & WARING STREET. MY RENT WAS $125. THIS WAS A CONSIDERABLE INCREASE FROM MY PREVIOUS APARTMENT ON POINSETTIA PLACE FOR $50.
I WAS A REGULAR AT A NIGHTCLUB CALLED~ THE VEIL.
THE VEIL WAS A NEO-ROMANTIC THEMED MONDAY NIGHT DELIGHT.
DEAR READERS DO YOU KNOW WHAT NEO-ROMANTIC WAS?
BACK IN THE DAY, ENGLISH FASHION DESIGNER VIVIANNE WESTWOOD DID AN ABOUT FACE ON PUNK FASHION, AND DECIDED TO DESIGN EVERYTHING FANTASY, FLOWY AND PIRATE. EVERYTHING WAS SWASHBUCKLER CHIC.
MUSIC FOLLOWED SUIT WITH ADAM ANT, BOW-WOW-WOW, VISAGE AND
ORCHESTRAL MANEUVERS IN THE DARK.
THIS ALL TOOK PLACE IN LONDON, BUT THE PLACE TO BE IN HOLLYWOOD WAS
THE VEIL- MONDAY NIGHTS IN A DINGY BASEMENT ON ARGLYE & SELMA AVE.
EVERYBODY INCLUDING ME DRESSED TO THE NINES.
(REMIND ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY CELEBRITY ENCOUNTER AT THE VEIL ANOTHER TIME.)
THE DOORMAN AT THE VEIL WORE HIGH LEATHER BOOTS, RUFFLED RENAISSANCE SHIRT, AND AN EYE PATCH. HE WAS DREAMY.
HIS NAME WAS JOHN HARP. I HAD A MEAN CRUSH ON HIM.
JOHN HARP WAS THERE EVERY MONDAY WITHOUT FAIL. DURING HIS BREAK AS DOORMAN, HE WOULD DANCE BY HIMSELF OR SOMETIMES WITH FRIENDS. JOHN WAS A TINGE ANDROGYNOUS, LEANING MORE TO THE MASCULINE SIDE. I WANTED HIM TO NOTICE ME, BUT I WAS A SHY 20 YEAR OLD. I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO APPROACH PEOPLE. ESPECIALLY IF I HAD DESIGNS ON THEM.
ONE MONDAY I WAS HIGH ON POT OR LIQUOR OR BOTH. MAYBE EVEN A QUAALUDE THROWN IN FOR GOOD MEASURE. SOMEHOW I FOUND MYSELF DANCING WITH JOHN HARP. WE CHATTED A BIT AND HE GAVE ME HIS PHONE NUMBER.
I COULDN'T THINK OF A GOOD REASON TO CALL HIM, UNTIL MY FRIEND PONY MENTIONED JOHN HARP WAS SELLING SOME OF HIS FURNITURE.
I CALLED IMMEDIATELY.
" HI, THIS IS RICK CASTRO. I MET YOU AT THE VEIL. MY FRIEND PONY SAID YOU'RE SELLING SOME STUFF?"
"OH YAH. HI.. SURE COME RIGHT OVER. MY ADDRESS IS 234 VISTA ST.
I THINK I WAS IN MY CAR EVEN BEFORE I HUNG UP THE PHONE.
IT WAS A LANDLINE. THIS WAS THE 70'S
NERVOUSLY I WALKED UP TO JOHN'S 2ND FLOOR APARTMENT.
I KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND WAITED.
JOHN ANSWERED THE DOOR WEARING BLACK SUDE SHORTS AND SILVER JEWELRY ON HIS NECK. THAT'S IT!
I THINK I ALREADY HAD A HARD ON.
WE SAT ON HIS FUTON AND HE LIT UP A BLUNT. (THIS WAS THE NORM IN THE SEVENTIES). AFTER AWHILE I REALIZED THERE WASN'T MUCH IN HIS APARTMENT. WHAT COULD HE POSSIBLY BE SELLING?
"SO WHAT ARE YOU WANTING TO SELL?" I NAIVELY ASKED.
" THIS FUTON AND MIRROR. I'M GONNA BE MOVING SOON," SAID JOHN.
I CERTAINLY DIDN'T HAVE ROOM FOR A FUTON, BUT I GUESS I COULD USE A MIRROR. EVERYBODY NEEDS A FULL LENGTH MIRROR. I DIDN'T HAVE ONE, AND IT DID BELONG TO JOHN HARP.
"HERE LET ME SHOW YOU,"JOHN STOOD UP AND FACED THE FULL LENGTH MIRROR LEANING AGAINST THE WALL.
NO FRAME NO HOLDER. BASICALLY A LONG PIECE OF GLASS.
AS JOHN LOOKED AT HIS REFLECTION, HE UNBUTTONED HIS SUEDE SHORTS AND LET THEM DROP. HE WAS NOW SKYCLAD ADMIRING HIMSELF IN HIS FULL LENGTH SHEET OF GLASS. JOHN WAS THE EPITOME OF NARCISSUS.
I STOOD BEHIND HIM WANTING TO TOUCH HIM.. SOMEHOW MY INSECURITIES HELD ME BACK. " HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT FOR IT?" I ASKED.
"FIFTY DOLLARS," JOHN DIDN'T MISS A BEAT. THAT WAS SO OVER PRICED FOR A PIECE OF GLASS. KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS ALMOST AS MUCH AS HALF MY RENT.
IT WAS THE SEVENTIES.
" OK", I SAID AND HANDED JOHN THE $$.
HE TOOK IT AND PUT HIS SUEDE SHORTS BACK ON. JOHN WAS VERY COY.
HE PROMISED THE NEXT TIME WE WOULD HAVE SEX, AND GAVE ME A SOMEWHAT PASSIONATE KISS.
AS I CLUMSILY CARRIED THE OVERPRICED PIECE OF GLASS TO MY CAR, IN THE BACK OF MY MIND I KNEW IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.
NOT SURPRISINGLY, MY FRIEND PONY LATER TOLD ME JOHN HARP WAS A HIGH CLASS HOOKER.
BACK AT MY APARTMENT ON LAS PALMAS AVE, A NEW NEIGHBOR HAD MOVED IN.
HE WAS ABOUT 6' 2'' WITH A GOOD BODY AND A REAL NICE BUTT. HE WORE HIS PANTS TIGHT AND ALWAYS HAD AN OPEN SHIRT SO YOU COULD SEE HIS SLIGHTLY HAIRY PECS. HE HAD A MUSTACHE, MEDIUM LENGTH DARK HAIR WITH SIDEBURNS. REMEMBER THIS WAS THE SEVENTIES.
HE KINDA LOOKED LIKE JOHN TRAVOLTA IN SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, BUT A LITTLE BEEFIER, TALLER AND MORE MACHO. HE ALWAYS GAVE ME A CRUISEY LOOK AND SMILE. SOMETIMES EVEN SAYING, "HI". THIS CONFUSED ME BECAUSE I KNEW HE WAS STRAIGHT. HE LIVED WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND. SHE WAS PRETTY, VERY PETITE. MUCH SMALLER THAN HIM. HE WORE HIS PANTS TIGHT AND IT WAS OBVIOUS HE WAS WELL HUNG. SEVENTIES FASHIONS LEFT LITTLE TO THE IMAGINATION.
IT SEEMED HIS GIRLFRIEND WOULD BE IN ALLOT OF PAIN ACCOMMODATING HIM ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THEY LIVED ONE DOOR OVER FROM ME ON THE SAME FLOOR.
FROM TIME TO TIME I WOULD SEE HIM IN THE HALLWAY.
' HOW ARE YOU?" HE WOULD JOVIALLY SAY TO ME WHEN WE'D CROSS PATHS. SOMETIMES HE WOULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR ME. HE WOULD OPENLY FLIRT WITH ME IN FRONT OF HIS GIRLFRIEND.
I REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. HE WAS STRAIGHT! MAYBE HE THOUGHT I WAS A GIRL? I WAS VERY ANDROGYNOUS IN MY YOUNGER YEARS. DEPENDING ON WHAT I WORE, SOME DID MISTAKE ME FOR A GIRL. I WAS A LITTLE INSECURE ABOUT IT. ONE OF MANY ON MY LIST OF INSECURITIES.
ON THE DAY I WAS COMING BACK WITH MY OVERLY PRICED ACQUISITION FROM JOHN HARP, I PARKED MY 1964 DODGE VALIANT( WITH PUSH BUTTON GEARS),
ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY BRICK APARTMENT.
THE STRAIGHT, SEXY NEIGHBOR WAS PARKING IN FRONT OF ME.
AS HE GOT OUT OF HIS CAR, HE EAGERLY SHOUTED TO ME, "HELLO!"
" HOW ARE YOU?" I RESPONDED AS I GINGERLY MOVED MY MIRROR FROM THE BACK SEAT.
"OH HERE LET ME HELP YOU WITH THAT, " HE SAID AND CAME RUSHING TO ME.
IN THE BACK OF MY MIND ALL THESE THINGS FLASHED-
HE'S GONNA CARRY MY MIRROR INTO MY APARTMENT...
THAT MEANS I'LL BE ALONE WITH HIM....
WE WILL HAVE PRIVACY....
I CAN OFFER HIM A DRINK OR POT...
OR EVEN A QUAALUDE....
HE CAN LOOK AT HIMSELF IN MY NEW FULL LENGTH MIRROR...
HE CAN TAKE OFF ALL HIS CLOTHING...
I WILL FIND OUT IF HE REALLY IS STRAIGHT...
I DON'T WANT TO BE PENETRATED BY THAT DICK OF HIS...
I KNOW IT MUST BE A BIGGIE...
MAYBE WE CAN JUST CUDDLE?
THE SEXY NEIGHBOR SAID, "HERE I'LL GET THAT FOR YOU. "
HE WAS TREATING ME LIKE- THE WEAKER SEX.
HE TOOK A HOLD OF THE MIRROR WITH BOTH HANDS, MOVED IT OUT OF THE BACK SEAT OF MY CAR...... AND DROPPED IT!
IT BROKE IN THREE PLACES.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED. HOW COULD SOMEONE BE SO CLUMSY?
" OH I'M SORRY, " WAS ALL HE COULD SAY.
I WAS SPEECHLESS. THERE WAS AN AWKWARD SILENCE.
HE WAS SO UNCOMFORTABLE... HE SLINKED AWAY AND WALKED INSIDE.
I STOOD THERE IN DISBELIEF. EVENTUALLY PICKING UP MY THREE PIECES OF GLASS AND TAKING THEM TO MY APARTMENT. ALONE.
LEANING THEM AGAINST THE WALL, I PLACED THE THREE SHATTERED PIECES SO THEY WOULD REFLECT DIFFERENT PARTS OF MY BODY.
FOR THE THREE YEARS I LIVED AT THIS BRICK BUILDING ON LAS PALMAS AVE,
MY THREE PIECE MIRROR STAYED IN THE SAME SPOT.
YEARS LATER I FOUND OUT THE SEXY NEIGHBOR BEAT HIS GIRLFRIEND ON A REGULAR BASIS. HE GAVE HER A BLACK EYE. ONCE HE BROKE HER ARM AND WAS ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT AND BATTERY. HE WENT TO JAIL.
JOHN HARP WENT ON TO BE FRIENDS WITH THE ACTRESS RICKI LAKE. SHE INTRODUCED HIM TO THE ACTOR STEVE ANTIN.
THEY BECAME BOYFRIENDS FOR A SECOND.
JOHN HARP WENT DOWN THE DARK SPIRAL CALLED HEROIN. HE EVENTUALLY DIED OF AIDS.
I MOVED TO A CUTE HOUSE IN WEHO, AND OPENED A WORK STUDIO ON WESTERN AVE. I DESIGNED A LINE OF NEO-ROMANTIC CLOTHING UNDER THE LABEL-
"I LOVE RICKY."
DESPITE AN OVER PRICED BROKEN MIRROR, I HAD SEVEN YEARS OF GOOD LUCK.
No comments:
Post a Comment