The following is a work of fiction.

Not Nick Nolte's Diary, Malibu, California
June 19, 2005

Barn

How do people get into collecting things? Scotty collects the cancelled postcards of strangers. He must have a hundred framed around the house. How he decides to frame it photo out or message out I've never had the nerve to ask. I mention it because he dragged me to one of his stamp conventions in orange county this morning. I don't know how the whole thing started, but I know he's not cruising for company at these things. One woman asked me if my collection had anything "micophilatillic." I excused myself by pretending to answer my keys. On the way home, we stopped off at Barneys and I got some nice Italian sandal socks from my guy Darrick. Turns out he got a big part in a caper movie at Paramount so it will perhaps be the last pair he'll sell me. I just realized the phrase "cancelled postcards of strangers" is a great poem title. If only there was a by-mail service to take it from there, Diary.