Tom's Love Quest

Dear [Ballerina],

I think I told you that I enjoy writing my views on relationships and how best they can work. In 2002, when I determined that writing was a skill that I’d like to develop, I soon realized that a nice place to think was needed. So, in the spring of 2002, I contracted to have this pavilion built in the back yard. Here’s a pic of the result, in the dead of winter…

I wired it for electricity myself and ran underground power cable 210 feet from the house to it. And since this picture was taken, I’ve added two swings that face each other. This way, I can entertain folks who visit, interview them, or just gaze into their eyes. The mountain view and trees all around helps relax everyone.

It’s fun to read letters there, generate new ideas for short stories, or simply drink iced, herbal tea with a sweet, special friend on a hot summer’s afternoon. Spearmint tea sweetened with stevia is my favorite, although I have been known to drink some lemonade with low-calorie sweetener there. At night, there are four very bright lights (two to the west, and two to the east) which illuminate the surrounding trees and fields. On those rare winter days when it’s warm enough to go there at night, the lights might be bright enough to light up the side of the mountain a little.

Well, enough about that. But tell me about a special place in your life (if you have one).

Tommy

Dear   [Ann],

I just want to get your chubby cheeks. Don’t care if I eat.

Tom Hesley

Dear [Ballerina],

Perhaps one day, you won’t feel the need to watch what you say to me. I want you to be able to comfortably tell me anything.

Perhaps one day, we can have talks like that, in settings like this… [I attached a picture of a pretty red sunset to this letter for her.]

Later,
Tommy

Dear [Kandi],

Don’t work too hard, but do work hard enough to accomplish your goals.

More later,
Tommy

Dear [Ballerina],

Just finished putting the top layer of concrete over those holes. So far, so good. No water coming in, and it’s been raining since last night here.

I’d love for you to call me and talk if you want. My number is 814-742-xxxx, I also have the free long distance package. So I can call you too.

I love chocolate. Chocolate makes it hard for me to stay on my diet sometimes, but not usually. I love the Reese’s peanut butter cups and the Milky Way bars especially, but Hershey’s Kisses aren’t bad either.

You write very well. I don’t even see the mistakes (unless I look for them). But as I read your words, I try to imagine what your voice would sound like saying them. English is my native language, although I did study Spanish in high school for two years. Never became a fluent Spanish speaker, but I learned what some of the words meant anyhow.

Call me Tommy, please.

Yes, the stars are beautiful, if you’re lucky enough to find a place where there isn’t much light pollution. There’s a place I visit each summer up in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, where the stars and the Milky Way are quite visible. The skies are real dark there when there’s no moon. And even the dimmest stars seem somehow bright.

Glad you liked the pic. Here’s another…

This one is me, working a DJ gig at a sweet sixteen birthday party in 2003. That was my first fully-paid gig.

Talk to you later,
Tommy

Hi [Ballerina].

Wow. That’s truly a remarkable story. I thought from your photo that you were in some sort of arts occupation. Yes, take your time if you like. Tell as much as you want, when you want. I only want to hear what you want to tell me, and when you want to tell it. No, I doubt I’ll get tired of hearing your story, so long as you don’t mind hearing mine when it’s time to tell it.

Call me Tommy if you like. I enjoy it when ladies call me that.

I did finish today’s work in the basement. Patched four holes after removing the old posts yesterday. Just in time too, because it just began raining about a half-hour ago. Tomorrow, I hope to patch the other hole. Haven’t removed that post yet however, because the steps down into the cellar are nailed to it and rely on it for support. So, will have to build a little temporary support jig to hold the steps up, until I get the old post out, cement the hole, and put a new post there, on top of where the old one was.

I fear my life hasn’t been quite as interesting and worldly as yours. But I would love to travel someday. I’ve just put it off until I had a true love to do it with. I’ve been in most of the states here in the US and also to Canada, but haven’t been overseas yet. It’s fun however to listen to short wave radio and hear the stations from the various countries. I’ve always wanted to visit the Czech Republic (Prague) in particular, as well as England and Australia. One day perhaps.

I had a friend back in the 80s who was from Russia when Communism reigned supreme there, before the Berlin wall came down. He managed to get to the US and used to share his stories of his escape. Unfortunately, just after he reached freedom, he became afflicted with multiple sclerosis, and now lives in a nursing home. I almost cried when he told me all that. I must say that I’m glad that you and he made it over here.

Hang in there. Hopefully, you’ll find someone worthy of your love and who won’t abuse you. As you describe him, your last ex sounds terribly bizarre. I don’t think I can relate to someone who seems so mean. At least you had the good sense to get away from that relationship.

Do you currently perform?

I’d very much like for you to continue.

Anyway, I’m off to bed. Another full day tomorrow.

Take care and write again soon, please.

Tommy

Dear [Ballerina],

Yes, absolutely. Generally, it takes me a couple months of phone talk and emailing before I’m comfortable meeting. Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression on that.

We got flooded this past week (over four feet of water in the basement). So, things have been pretty hectic getting the muddy water out. It’s all gone now though, and we just removed some old support posts in the basement. The bulk of the water came up through the floor, around those posts. So tomorrow, I’m pouring cement into the old post holes. Hopefully, the next time it rains like that, the water won’t be able to find as easy a way in.

I love working out, and so, lift weights three or four times a week. Walking is also enjoyable, especially in the fall and spring. When I used to live in Philadelphia, I walked all over that city. Do you like to walk and hike?

Also, I’m health conscious and am trying to get refined sugars out of my diet. That’s hard though, ’cause I’m quite the sugar junkie. But it’s getting easier to do, the more I read about the bad things sugar can do.

I own a disc jockey business, so I guess that makes me self-employed. Did my first wedding in August, and have another wedding coming up in November. I also write, about my views on relationships. Nothing published yet, but I’m hoping to try that next year.

I hope with all my heart to find that special someone one day. Someone to make traditions with, and to laugh and cry with. The holidays are so wonderful when you have a romantic someone with whom to share them.

Anyway, just a bit about me. Tell me more about you. Where are you from, originally? In your profile, you said something like, “…in my country…” In what country were you born? What’s it like to live there, and why did you come to America? Was your daughter born in America?

Well, I have to get to bed. Getting up early tomorrow morning to pour this concrete. So take care and I’m so glad you wrote again. Write me soon. Now, I have something to look forward to in my email inbox. 

Take care,
Tom Hesley

Dear [Ballerina],

No problem. I’m only a 2-hour ride away, in Altoona. I lived in Pgh for close to 18 years in the 70s and 80s. In fact, I’m coming there next weekend to attend an alumni board meeting in Oakland.

No, don’t think I’ll ever want you to move anywhere besides where you’re comfortable living. If we get to the point where we’re sipping coniac by moonlight on the gateway clipper, I will come to you, as long as you come visit me now and then of course.

I’ve attached a pic of me. Write back if you want to know more.

Later,
Tom Hesley

Dear [Kandi],

You know, it’s such a thrill to be getting emails from a “perfect 10″ like yourself. And I would have responded to yours much sooner, like you deserve. But we’ve been dealing with flooding issues here the past couple weeks. If you’ve talked to your family back home, they’ve probably been doing similar things. We had 4 feet of yucky yellow-green water in the basement. It lifted my freezer off the floor knocking it down on its back. Lost all the food in it. However, it still seems to work fine.

Our furnace didn’t fare so well. It has a computer module that orchestrates all its functions — the firing of the burner, turning on and off the fans and the gas at the right time, reading data from the thermostat, and so on. It even has a photocell that “sees” the flame in the burner. This tells the computer that the gas has lighted, and to turn off the igniter. It’s actually quite a complex yet wonderful system. But that piece was under water for over 24 hours, and so, will probably not function properly again. The good news is that the furnace is covered under our flood insurance policy.

The washer was floating around at a strange angle, and I have this air compressor that’s about 6” tall, that the water turned upside down. Unfortunately, I wasn’t here to see all that happen, as it happened, because we were forced to evacuate for about 12 hours on Friday night, because the river which is normally about 200 feet from the back door, was just inches from it that night.

Some of the DJ equipment was under 2” of water but I think that’s going to be okay. The computers, the most important part of the outfit were safe on the 2nd floor.

Cleanup is going slowly but very well. So far, most everything I’ve tested, still works.

But on to brighter things. I’ve upgraded all my computers to Windows XP Professional so I can use it’s indexing service to make running music searches easier and faster at gigs.

I’ve added about 2700 songs to the library since you last saw me at camp and the total count is now up to 34,100.

There’s a fellow I buy all my DJ stuff from, except for the computers, that offered me a temporary job. That would be to upgrade all the computers he has to Windows XP Pro. In exchange, he would give me more DJ equipment. I want to add a couple high-intensity black lights to the show, and a mega strobe light and light controller. He’s supposed to call back tomorrow to discuss this further. I hope I get the job. I think the added lights would add something neat to the Tommy’s Tunes experience.

Wow, sounds like you’re in the Florida part of China, with those hot temps, no? Take lots of pics there. I want to see them next summer, or sooner perhaps, if I’m lucky.

Well sweetheart, I’ve got to get back to the cleanup. Laundry is almost done in the dryer. So take care and by all means, stay healthy. Do you know when you’re coming home? If you’re back in time, perhaps you’d consider coming to the camp winter retreat the first weekend in December. That’d be so cool to see you there, if not for the whole weekend, then perhaps an afternoon or an evening. We burn fires in the living room fire place, and trek up into the woods near the pond to find a Christmas tree. There’s lots of singing, dancing, musical chairs, Santa bingo, wal-marting, and dining out. On the last night, they cook us a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and Santa Claus comes and listens to everyone’s Christmas wishes. It’s truly quite the festive time. Spending some of it with a “perfect 10,” like you, would be the highlight of my holiday this year. I’m not joking.

*smile*

See ya,
Tom Hesley

Dear [Kandi],

Well hello there. All is well here. The wedding gig went very well, and so did the class reunion one that I think I mentioned before. Using the money to upgrade the computers to Windows XP professional for more search capabilities.

The rest of the summer was nice. Wet, but nice. In fact, we had lots of rain the past day or two. Water in the basement and all.

That’s right. You did say something about going to China. Where in China are you and what’s the weather like? How does it compare to PA?

Well, since you’re so far away, I don’t suppose you’d be able to come to the harvest fest here at Delgrosso’s park later this month. Sounds like you’re going to have the time of your life over there. Good luck learning their language. I hear it’s difficult.

Anyway, write back soon.

Well-wishes from Altoona.

Tom Hesley