The Beginnings - Part 122: I'M A SPY

You measure people first by their kindness and their capacity for devotion.

-Michael Cunningham

THE HOURS

The Beginnings – Part 122: I’M A SPY

I had an excellent sales day.  I accomplished over five-hundred dollars in new revenue.   I received an award pin because of it.  The pin has an imprint of five words: PACIFIC BELL, WEBSTER, THE ANSWER.   No, it wasn’t a bad day for me at all.   There was also a free Pacific Bell Celebration Luncheon.  

For dinner I had leftover lasagna.   It was the homemade dish that Jim had made the other night.   It still tasted quite good.

I called Vicki Perata while I was home this evening.   The truth came out.

Vicki said, “I’m just hesitant about beginning a new relationship because I’m still ‘sort of’ seeing an ex-boyfriend.”

I caught her drift and figured ‘such is life’.  

I called Lynne Major, an old flame.   There was no answer.   My notion to call her is beyond me.  

Then I telephoned Paloma once again.   She wasn’t home.  I later learned that she claimed to be at the dentist.

I telephoned Howard Edelstein.   My notion to call him is beyond me.  He had just left the house, so I never spoke to him anyway.   Some unknown guy gave me this information.  Could he have a new roommate?   Did his roommate, Seanne, move out?

Jim called me back. 

“I did get your two messages and I tried calling you up until twelve-thirty on Halloween,” Jim said.

“I guess I just missed you.”

“I also missed you on Tuesday because I didn’t see you at the skating rink.   I thought I’d see you there.”

“Oh well, I, for one, don’t really like that joint…and I don’t skate.”

“I understand.”

We rapped awhile and we made a date for this Saturday night to see a play in San Francisco called THE TORCH SONG TRILOGY.  

I explained to Jim about my Halloween night in San Francisco.

“Yeah, I met this French girl named Paloma.”

He didn’t seem very interested and switched on a subject that he thought would interest me.

“I learned about some of the extracurricular activities of George for you.”

“You did?” I asked most curiously.

“Yes, he was at the rink Tuesday night, flirting around as usual.”

“Well, I sent him a postcard because he owes me some money.”

He didn’t seem very interested.   Suddenly, Jim started rambling on in a blunt sort of way about sex.   He cracks me up about how he so openly talks about sexual subjects.   I felt a need to close the subject.

“Okay, let me watch DYNASTY now and I’ll call you back.”

Jim said, “Okay…but only if you promise to call me back.”

“I will.”

I sat on the sofa and munched on some candy when the phone rang.   I thought it might be Nici Maurino.   I wasn’t feeling too thrilled about the possibility of Nici calling; however, it wasn’t Nici.   It was Paloma!  

“I really enjoyed talking to you last night,” I stated as I sat upright on the couch.

I was so excited by her reply, “I felt the same way.”

“I want to invite you out for dinner.”

“Why don’t you call me tomorrow night about dinner?”

“Okay, I will do that.”

We may just go out.   After hanging-up I wondered if she was going to change plans with another guy in order to go out with me.   I couldn’t be sure.   It thought it a bit strange that I had to call again tomorrow about the hopeful dinner date.  

I also said, “I want to give you a tour of Alameda on Saturday…since you don’t know the area.”

After I said it I had forgotten that I am committed to working from 8:30 until half passed noon on Saturday…but so what.   

I asked Paloma, “Do you know that restaurant called Hs Lordships or Spengers?”

She seemed to know but no date was arranged.

I mentioned that show called BEACH BLANKET BABYLON.

Paloma said excitedly, “I still want to see THE ROAD WARRIOR movie.”

Maybe we will see that movie together on Friday night.   Who knows?   She’s an okay gal.  

I explained, “I know that you live with The Walsh Family.”

I could hear that she was amazed that I knew that.   I had to explain that I looked up her phone number while at work and saw that the telephone number was listed under the Walsh name.   She probably thinks I’m a spy now.

When I hear the UB40 song, RED RED WINE, I can only see Paloma.   I can hear her laughter.   I see her smile.

 “Do you know what the FRENCH call a beauty spot, a mouche like that, high on the cheek?”

“They call that one ‘courage’.”

-Thomas Harris

HANNIBAL