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JULY 17: Noticing that they haven't run a story on Denise Gottlieb since her 1983 graduation, Carl writes a letter to the Inquisitor.
* * * DECEMBER 29: At an eatery on the naval base in Sasebo, a fellow notices that Carl is wearing a Phoenix Suns sweatshirt that Alicia sent him. The guy strikes up a conversation. His name is Harvey Steinberg, and he's a fireman aboard the USS Brunswick, also stationed there.
Carl mentions his hometown: Mesa.
Harvey mentions his home town: Winslow.
Adding irony to the whole thing is the fact that the eatery where Carl met Harvey was called (really!) the Sunset Grill, which is also the title of a song by Don Henley!
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DECEMBER 30: Carl visits Harvey in his barracks room. Harvey
asks what Carl knows about Denise. Carl mentions various items from the
Inquisitor articles; Harvey says that they are all correct. He tells Carl that
Denise likes old country music, and also informs him that her mother owns Francine's Diner in Winslow, and that Denise spends a fair amount of
time there, especially during their Wednesday Night Specials. Thanks to
the information given by Harvey Steinberg, Carl finally has a plan.
With major news like this, it seems as though trip #3 is finally
in the bag -- he has something to look forward to when he goes on leave.
JULY:
Carl has tried to get orders to the USS Tarawa, but there isn't an E-3 opening, apparently. He advances to the rank of Petty Officer Third Class and calls his detailer. This time he is successful in getting orders to that ship. He is to report there some time in early 1992.
He is able to convince Alicia and Donald that going to Winslow would
be a worthwhile trip. He decides he'll go ahead and take the chance on
Route 87, bringing the charger with him and possibly a spare battery. The
only minor annoyance is a rumbling sound coming from the car's front drive
axle.
The Toyota place tells him that the drive axle mounts are pretty
worn, and will have to be replaced soon. Getting an estimate, he finds
that repairing the drive axles and flaky alternator would be cost-prohibitive
at this time. The car is running alright after some minor work, and a
date is finally set for Trip #3 to Winslow: Wednesday, April 1.
MARCH 30: On the way to Scottsdale, the rumbling noise stops. Minutes later it is replaced by a clunking sound, like something keeps getting caught in the wheel well. He turns around and very slowly babies the car back to his parents' garage.
Alicia and Donald suggest Carl ask to borrow his father's 1989 Chevy Corsica. After some thought, his father decides he doesn't want the Corsica driven that distance (180 miles). And so it goes.
APRIL 7: Carl checks aboard the Tarawa, and learns that they will be making a six-month deployment to the Middle East beginning May 28.
NOVEMBER 25: Carl returns home.
Carl remembers Harvey Steinberg telling him that Denise likes old country music. A local station is showing Grand Ole Opry from 4 to 6 AM weekdays. After working hours on the ship, the guys on phone watch in the communications shop are allowed to view television when things are slow, and Carl volunteers to take a couple of 4-to-8 AM phone watches so he can record the Opry broadcasts and give the tape to Denise if he ever meets her.
MID-MARCH: While off the coast of San Diego for a twelve-day exercise, Carl has a nightmare. He dreams that he visits Winslow only to find that Denise Gottlieb has passed away. When he wakes up, he thinks, "Oh no, have I put this off too long?" At that point, he's sorry he's stuck at sea. Shaken by the nightmare, he puts in a request for ten days' leave in May.
MAY 10: When he goes home on leave, his father has a brainstorm: why not just rent a car for about ten days and let Carl drive the Corsica? The oft-delayed "Trip #3" is practically clinched now. Carl invites Alicia and Donald to go with him, and a date is again set: Sunday, May 16.
MAY 13: Carl digs down in a dresser drawer and fishes out an
old page from a Winslow phone book that he copied in 1985. It has a listing
for Francine's Diner. Even though it's more than likely the number has
changed, maybe whoever has it can tell him how to reach the place.
He dials the number. A lady answers.
"Hello, is this [Francine's Diner]?"This puts a slight kink in his plans. Undaunted, he doesn't cancel the trip, just tries to think of another way to meet Denise.
"No," says the woman. "[Francine's Diner] burned down two years ago."
MAY 15: Alicia calls him up that evening and tells him that Donald will be too tired from working and more than likely won't go.
MAY 16: Donald calls him in the morning and says, "So are we going
to Winslow or what?" Carl tells him about Alicia's phone call and how he
thought Donald wouldn't go. By now, it's getting late in the morning and
by the time they get there the day will be half gone. He talks them
out of going and decides he'll make the trip tomorrow alone. He goes rollerskating that night in Glendale, Arizona with Barry Fitzgerald, Barry's girlfriend Gayle Eastman, and Linda Chemult. It's a good thing the trip is delayed -- Linda has a seizure on the skating floor and Carl has to tend to her.
CONTINUED...
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