Chapter Three: Getting To Know Prince Charming
After the concert, I walked Mark to his car. He gave me his phone number and I gave him mine. I knew I would never call him, he would have to call first. Well, he did. He called a couple days later and asked if I wanted to have lunch or dinner, and I said either, he suggested a movie and dinner. The movie we saw was Gremlins and we went to dinner at Jazz De Opus, which would become important to us later. Opened in 1972, it once hosted touring jazz legends as well as local music seven nights a week. Literally and symbolically, it was a pillar of Portland’s jazz scene. It closed in 2003, sadly.
I found out during dinner, after quitting Tower Records, he got hired as a produce delivery driver, and while making a delivery, a customer in a restaurant he was making a delivery to, noticed him and offered him a modeling contract for her company, Barbizon Modeling. She said she would train him and he accepted.
Mark, without question is one of those guys when people see him, are instantly attracted to him. He has the look. Over time, I realized I wasn't too bad looking myself, but I felt and still feel insecure about my looks. But Mark, was intimidating to me, one because I was in love with him, and two I felt he was straight and no way was he attracted to guys or me. I just was happy to be eating dinner and being his friend. And that is the way it went for about a couple months.
We would occasionally go out to dinner, meet up with co-workers etc. Then, one night, November 3rd, 1984, I went to his apartment.to meet him before we went out, but by the time I left the following morning, my life would be forever changed.
