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I stretched as I stood up from my seat on the small aircraft
owned by The Manitowoc Company. I was accustomed to the short flights between
Michigan and Wisconsin. This particular flight was a bit longer and I was cramped
and uncomfortable. I was eager to sit down with my family and tell them about
my upcoming date with the pretty, young, girl from the greasy spoon. I grabbed
my things off the plane, thanked pilot Joe and headed for my car.
I opened the heavy door of my 1972 Chevelle SS. She was the
first automobile I had purchased new and the smell of leather hit my nose
immediately bringing a smile to my face. She was ascott blue with white wall
tires and a she didn’t blow smoke or rattle down the road like the cars I’d had
before her. I had worked for The Manitowoc Company for a decade and in 1971
they became a publically traded company. I didn’t much care about all of that
business stuff, but when the first dividends were paid, I called my old high
school buddy who owned a Chevrolet dealership and I ordered myself a new car
using the dividend as my down payment. I didn’t own a home, but I really felt successful
when I signed the forms and paperwork. It was hard to wait for her to come off
the assembly line.
I glanced around the parking lot to make sure no one had
noticed I was just standing there stupefied looking at this car. No one was
around. I carefully placed my bags in the trunk and started her up. The engine
roared to life and we were soon on the road headed to my Brother Donald’s house
in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Donald’s wife Carol fretting about my being single and
was happy to cook me a meal and do my laundry when I got in from these weekly business
trips. It was enjoyable to spend time with Carol and Donald and their family.
Their home was so different from mine; they had three children. The house was
filled with noise, laughter, and it had warmth do it that was foreign to my
apartment or the hotel rooms I spent so much time in.
“What is this?” Donald was asking Carol in a raised voice
when I came through the side door. I chuckled despite myself; I was very
familiar with these arguments and I recognized the Simplicity pattern in Donald’s
hand as he shook it in frustration at his sweet wife. This was pattern 5318 and
apparently it was called ‘Bikini Pants & Bell Bottoms’ and Donald wasn’t
having his 16 year old daughter wearing anything with the word ‘bikini’ in it.
He couldn’t believe Carol had spent an entire dollar on something so foolish. Carol
was trying to explain that the pattern couldn’t be returned and bikini only
referred to where the pants rested on Mary’s hips. Donald was not interested in
discussing his daughter’s hips and they all looked quite relieved at the
distraction that I created as I dropped my bags on the floor of their kitchen.
“Charles – it’s so good to see you. Can I get you a drink?”
asked Carol as she hugged me as if I had been gone for months. Being a
gentleman with manners, I couldn’t turn her down and agreed to drink a martini
on the rocks if my brother was having one with me. I greeted the children who
were busy discussing the new movie they wanted to see at either the Mikadow
Theater or the Lakeview Drive in Theater the following weekend. Mary wanted to see ‘Pay it Again, Sam” and Terry
wanted to see “The Godfather” while their youngest sister, Holy, just wanted to
be included in whatever her older siblings were talking so animatedly about. “Do
you kids know that Uncle Charles worked at a theater here in Two Rivers when he
was your age?” Donald asked the children
to get their attention. They quickly gathered around asking me to tell them
about it. Your dad is telling the truth, that was my first job. You kids know
where Evans Department store is now, well that once was a theater called the
Rivoli. I would work the late shift and I was responsible for cleaning the
theater and making sure that everyone was out at night before we locked up.
Your dear uncle has seen the second half of most movies shown in the late 1940’s
and early 1950’s. Don’t laugh when I tell you this. I had the biggest crush on
Ethel Merman after hearing her voice and seeing those long eyelashes in Irving
Berlin’s Call Me Madam. I even went back on my day off to watch the
entire show; I really thought she was a knockout!”
“Supper is ready when you are.” called Carol from the
kitchen (just in time, I was about to mention how much I loved large breasts).
Story time was over and the children groaned. I was still smiling at the memory
of Vera-Ellen singing ‘It’s a Lovely Day Today’ and all the good times I’d had
(the smell of buttery popcorn, and the silly antics of my friends – ahhh the
memories). “Where shall I sit?” I asked Carol as I gave her a wink. She always
saved me the best seat at the head of the table opposite my oldest brother.
This made it easy for banter and discussion. She gave me a smile as she pointed
to my usual seat. Carol was a great hostess and had a fresh martini and a glass
of water already waiting when I got to my spot.
“Well Donald, what did I miss? Anything happening?” I
usually began our dinners this way. Donald was happy to fill me in on the local
happenings and he wasn’t jealous like some. Donald had traveled out of the
country as a pilot in the Air Force. He was content with his factory job, family
life, and was relieved to sleep beside the same woman each night. He went on to
tell me about the recent orders at the factory, the new houses going up on the
North side of town, and the family news about our little sister who was
expecting her third child. We chatted casually about these things while
enjoying Carol’s meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, and some steamed carrots.
It was nights like these that made me jealous of all the happily married people
I knew.
“Charles, now that I’ve caught you up on everything around
here, it’s your turn. Don’t you dare tell me about Nixon becoming president or
that silly blimp; I want to know what’s new with YOU!” I guess I couldn’t
argue with that. I certainly liked to tease, and apparently I had responded
sarcastically a few too many times. This time I did have something worth
talking about. I told them about the
adorable young waitress I had stumbled upon when having a cup of coffee at the
greasy spoon on Washington Street “You’ve been to Arvy’s Restaurant downtown Donald.
Do you remember seeing that young blonde with the ice blue eyes?” Donald had
never found a blonde to be the least bit attractive so I wasn’t surprised that
he didn’t remember her. I went on to explain that her name was Elizabeth (Patty
for short) and that she had agree to go to dinner with me this weekend. Donald
didn’t seem interested. Carol was excited at the thought of my settling down
and possibly starting a family.
“How much do you know about her Charles?” asked Carol concernedly.
I explained that she was originally from somewhere in the upper peninsula of
Michigan and she had recently moved here to find some long lost relatives. She
was a bit younger than me (actually, she was 15 years younger, but I claimed
not to know her exact age since it likely wouldn’t go over well) and she drove
a motorcycle. That sure got everyone’s attention. Riding motorcycles was cool
if you were a man, and I could tell from the ten eyes looking at me in dismay
that not one of them were impressed that I was going on a date with a
motorcycle driving woman. I had the feeling Donald was picturing the model on
the front of Simplicity pattern 5318 with her bikini pants and bell bottoms.
“Oh Charles.” Carol sighed. “I had so hoped that you would
find a nice lady, get married, and settle down … does this um … what’s her
name? Elizabeth? Seem like the marrying and settling down type?” I reminded my
lovely sister in law that this was a first date and that I was one of the town’s
most notorious confirmed bachelors. I had no intention of settling down and I
was sure that this young blonde with the curvy figure, bouncy hair, and
motorcycle had no intention of anything of the sort either. I visited for a
while longer, collected the clothes I had dropped off the week before, and
headed back to my apartment for the evening. Of course I thanked my brother and
sister in law, but I didn’t stay as long as usual. I was hoping that if I left
early I would avoid the inquisition about Elizabeth.
The SS was waiting outside; I skillfully slid behind the
wheel after placing my clean clothes over the back of the passenger seat and
putting my bag in the trunk. Carol was an amazing woman. She worked and managed
to iron every piece of cloth and clothing in her own home as well as my things.
Donald told me she ironed their bed sheets, bath towels, and of course I knew
she ironed underwear since mine were always pressed when I picked up my
laundry. No wonder all the girls in town wanted to date me, I really looked
dapper with my clothes so neatly cared for. Carol had also took over shopping
for me, so my clothes were fashionable and she found an imported cologne at the
drug store that made me smell foreign and mysterious. I was hoping Elizabeth
would at least find me intriguing, if not mysterious. I laughed to myself at
the thought. I was nervous about this date. I hadn’t been nervous with any of
the other girls. There was just something about her ice blue eyes that made my
toes tingle.
Back at my apartment, I settled in. I took my shoes off at
the door, hung up my laundry, made myself the final martini of the evening, and
relaxed on the floral print couch that had conveniently come with the apartment
when I began renting. I looked around
the apartment to make sure it would meet with feminine approval, just in case Elizabeth
came up for a cup of coffee after our date. Northing was new, but everything
was well taken care of, tidy, and orderly. It would do – and who was I trying
to impress anyway? She didn’t seem like a prude, but it was highly unlikely we
would end up here after dinner. I closed my eyes and imagined what we would do
if things did go that route.
… knock …
… knock …
“Who is it?” I woke with a start and glanced at the clock.
It was 3 in the morning and my drink was still in my hand (except the ice cubes
which had melted hours ago). The glass made a thud as I set it on the end
table. I headed to the door and thought I was dreaming. Here she was at 3 in
the morning, the day before our big date. She had tears in her eyes and her
shirt was clinging to her youthful breasts. She was shivering and cold and I
couldn’t be an arse, I invited her in and poured her a drink.
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