finally leaving the city for two days---off to Baltimore, the city that still fascinates me, and the only city which, for a certain, amount of time, I really called my home. Still remember those Hopkins days, especially the last Spring (64) when all I could feel was Heat! Do you remember the women in your life at that time, cittiboy? Of course you do---one who cared about me but could not commit, and the other who took (maybe went with me is a better way of putting it) on a wild erotic adventure. Thank god for ___there was some pain in our "morning after" (actually the same night) , but what happened before was worth it. Yes, those were the days---I had the car and David F and I would go on those wild "midnight rides" around Baltimore, where we would try to put things together. Then came graduation, and it was all over---time to move on to a different (and much more frightening) place (Yale School of Drama, 64-65). Could not believe that two years would be so different, but they were, and when I left Yale (did not graduate, not even asked to come back) my life was "in ruins". Time to start all over, to reconstruct without a map, to deal with the disappointment that my parents experienced, in addition to my confusion of why I could have two so disparate years right in a row.
November 63: Walking around Hopkins a hero and leader
November 65: Walking around a poor neighborhood in the Bronx, making "home visits" to welfare recipients. Quite a change---well, those days are long gone, they only exist in memory now, and at least the "calm' of the present is somewhat reassuring. Ultimately all these memories become a tapestry of visions, that can be called out at any time. Anyway, tomorrow I return to Baltimore, which, as you know, is in a very tumultuous state, and spend a day and a half there. Will see my friend Robin on Sunday, tomorrow means one or maybe even two baseball games at Camden Yards. Will be nice to do that.
Yesterday evening, Promenade turned out to be a revelation---one of the most amazing theater experiences I had in a long time. And to think that I only went because Jim, my college roommate randomly chose this for he and his wife to see, and invited me along. At one point I actually thought that I would skip the show and just meet them afterwards. But I went--I had heard of this musical before, but somehow did not think it would interest me---boy was I wrong! An amazing score, great lyrics--a wonderful quirky cast, truly bringing to life the wacky underpinnings of the musical. Only game two performances, otherwise, I might go back and see it again.
Afterwards, Jim, his wife Sally and myself went to the Greek diner around the corner from City Center and talked a bit. That was fun---they are visiting their son and his wife and child who live in Brooklyn Heights. Some memories of the times we spent together at Hopkins, and some discussions about current events in the city. A nice time.
So there we are, will report on the Baltimore trip, memories and all, on my return.
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