The Summer Of 1993

Wear A Shirt

     On our afternoons off, I bought a bikini. It was cute. It was sort of seventies style, macrame. "It's cute,". Jamie said. However, we forgot it was California. I had a great time with Vicki and Jamie yesterday. Vicki was really sweet when she found out I was pregnant. We went to breakfast at another one of those 1960s diners. I missed them in our city. There was only one left in our fair city. They tore the ones downtown for a parking lot. We put on our suits before we left.

"I look pregnant," I said.
"You are."
"How am I going to hide this when I go home?"
"Not sure."
"I can't believe we fly home in a few days. Johnny's club opens. I cannot believe I thought he wanted me by his side. I mean really?"
"Maybe he did. You never know. Maybe he misses you."
"I doubt it."

He was just lonely and missed Winona.

The breakfast was delicious. I felt good that morning. I had an omelette and a Coke. The hash browns tasted so good. After we were done, we went to Venice Beach. "I will pick you up and we will go eat in Malibu. Tomorrow? The Valley and we will be going to the mall." We both nodded. We walked around the beach. We wore out bikinis and we were talking, going into shops. We went to one and the guys were flirting with us. I heard the guy say in the back, "You take the one with big titties and belly." The guy groaned and said, "Ew. Roll her in flour and find the wet spot." I knew it was about me. Jamie was not fat at all.

"Let's leave,". Jamie said. "Pay no mind to them." Jamie was a good friend.

We walked out and walked around. We had fun. We sat on the beach. She gave me some sunscreen. "Don't want you to burn," Jamie said. I put it on and relaxed in the sun. I heard snickering. "Put a shirt on. This is not 1976," a girl said. I sat up. "Yeah, you. You need to wear a one piece and fucking groom yourself" a pretty woman said. I tried not to cry. "She's pregnant! Leave her alone." I looked at her and said, "Jamie. Thank you." She said always. I got so many negative things about me that were told to me. "Put on a shirt!"

"Johnny felt sorry for me,". I sobbed.
"No. People are cruel. This isn't Indiana. You could tell Johnny liked you. People are just mean."
"He did."
"Sure you are a bit chubby but you are beautiful. Otherwise, johnny would have picked someone else."

I just tried not to cry the rest of the day or the trip.

Lunch was nice and I would visit California from time to time to see Marsha. I called her to thank her for my birthday. Marsha would be a friend through the years. I spent my last days just soaking it all in, enjoying a land much different then Indiana, a land steep in glamor and beauty. We went back to the house after lunch of all places, a Pizza Hut, and we walked up to his house.

"Don't do it," she told me as I was going to go to the door. "Just don't."
"I want to tell him goodbye properly."
"No. Let's just go home. You will have a piece of him with you always. Be okay with that."

She was right. "Let's enjoy the last few days of California life."
"Let's," I said.

I didn't buy much at the mall but we had a good time. People were kinder than when I was at the beach.  I would have one memory from California to cherish forever.