California beaches with luggage for Melika
estate to Tranquility Manor. The neighbors have noticed that family cars (except when Nazy is driving) meander up the hill. Everyone in the house is asleep before 4:00 AM. We’ve seen the floor in Melika’s room for the first time since we returned from Holland.
Melika called home after her first day of classes. Things were going very well. She was studying – by the pool.
Meanwhile, back at the Compaq, confusion continues. I’m traveling – trying to spend as much time away from the office (and my ‘bosslet’--> while not like my Shell boss – i.e. a truely ‘evil man’, the Compaq boss will not win any mental agility contests) as much as possible. Nazy has gone to Montreal to see her Aunt. Darius booked a trip to New Orleans and Mitra is setting Tango dance records in venues all over Manhattan Island. The cat, deprived of the piles of clothes that were her customary sleep space, is annoyed, stressed and fatigued.
Finally, VAN-GO, the purple Martin Family van is now officially VAN-GONE. After eschewing the proposal to have it bronzed in celebration of 100,000 miles of service, we sold it (and its broken air-conditioner).
As you can see, Melika is taking a lot of difficult courses at UCSB.
My travel isn’t getting better. I was stuck in Cleveland for three hours because the roof at the Air Traffic Control Center sprung a leak. (Dripping water caused the computers to fail.) And, when I (finally) checked into the hotel in Chicago the desk clerk was most helpful:
“Your room is on the 68th floor. You can take the elevator.”
“I certainly hope so,” I replied, “I can’t fly and I don’t want to walk.”