I remember that she always sat alone in the dark restaurant where I worked as a waiter, nine years or so ago.
I remember that the restaurant was in downtown San Fransisco and was called Cafe Andree, named after the poet Kenneth Rexroth’s wife.
I remember that Cafe Andree was attached to The Hotel Rex, a literary hotel named after Kenneth Rexroth.
I remember that she was hiding out in the hotel.
I remember that she was always really well dressed and looked like an east coast aristocrat.
I remember that her hair always looked as if it had been professionally done.
I remember she was always reading the newspaper and was happy to talk.
I remember how she spoke like a well written English Literature novel.
I remember that she always said thank you and smiled at me.
I remember wondering if she was coming on to me.
I remember that she said she was going to do my astrological chart but can not remember if she ever did.
I remember that the restaurant was often slow and I would sit down and talk with her.
I remember the first time that she told me that she was Ronald and Nancy Reagan’s personal astrologer while Ronald Reagan was in the white house.
I remember that I thought she was making that up.
I remember when she told me that she set the time for summit meetings, presidential debates, Reagan’s 1985 cancer surgery, State of the Union addresses and so many other things.
I remember when she told me that Nancy Reagan would consult with her before Air Force One could take off.
I remember when she told me that there was a private line set up just for her in the white house and that she would consult with Nancy Reagan several times a day.
I remember how upset she seemed with regards to never really receiving the recognition she felt like she deserved, since the Reagans wanted to keep their personal astrologer a secret.
I remember having a hard time believing her.
I remember looking her up on-line and finding out that she was indeed the Reagan’s personal astrologer.
I remember thinking how cool it was that I was getting to know her.
I remember spending several evenings a week talking with her.
I remember that she was often in a state of terror.
I remember that she felt very alone.
I remember that she felt like people where after her.
I remember that she thought that maybe it was the Illuminati.
I remember that she would often talk about how America was being taken over by a small group of very wealthy men.
I remember how she talked about how everything in America was going to get worse and worse, that individual freedoms were being taken away.
I remember that she was always afraid of being killed or kidnapped.
I remember when she took me out to lunch at a prestigious San Fransisco restaurant that she loved called Garibaldis.
I remember when she took my then wife and I out to a nice Italian food dinner in North Beach.
I remember that she spent the entire dinner talking about who she thought was after her and the take over of America.
I remember that she felt like we were all in great danger.
I remember that her eyes were always looking around the room.
I remember drinking a lot of red wine that evening and staring at the Joan Miro prints on the walls.
I remember being happy that she bought dinner because I did not have any money.
I remember that one of her credit cards was declined and becoming really concerned that my then wife and I were going to have to buy dinner.
I remember the last time I saw her she gave me her book entitled, “What Joan Says, My Seven Years As A White House Astrologer To Nancy And Ronald Reagan.”
I remember that I never read the book.
I remember that my then wife and her mother were supposed to meet Joan for dinner in Santa Monica several months later but Joan canceled at the last-minute.
I remember the frantic message that she left on my then wife’s voicemail.
I remember that she was coughing a lot and sounded very ill and afraid.
I remember wondering if she was in danger.
I remember that I never heard about her or from her again after that.
I remember last week wondering about what ever happened to Joan Quigley.
I remember wondering if she was still alive.
I remember hoping that she was still alive and doing ok.
I remember thinking that a lot of what she spoke about happening in and to America, has been happening.
I remember feeling glad that for a brief period of time, I got to know Joan Quigley, President Reagan’s secret astrologer.
