Since Sunday, January 23, 2000 05:05 PM

Chapter 17 - Rendezvous

    The girl in the red flannel shirt was gone.  While Jay had been reminiscing about the girl at Benson, she had been gathering her things together.  As she walked out the door she turned and looked directly at him for just a moment.  It was so fleeting a glimpse it was nearly imperceptible, but Jay saw it.  He also saw her lips purse as if she were pouting, or about to break into tears, and then she was gone.

    We'll probably never see or think of each other again, was all that kept repeating in Jay's mind.  "I Can't Help it When I Fall in Love With Strangers" kept going through Jay's mind.  It was a song he had written.  The image of the girl in the red flannel shirt, as she walked out the door, was etched into his memory.

    Seven o'clock.  Time to get to class.  He gathered his books together and started for the door.  It's dark, he thought, I bet I'll be glad my Levi's jacket has this imitation sheepskin lining when I get outside.  I wonder why she was pouting?  Reminds me of that girl at Benson.  "Holy shit!" he exclaimed, out loud, turning to see if anyone had heard him.  His thoughts seemed too far-fetched to be true.  They're the same girl, he thought, the girl in the red flannel shirt, the girl at the Spinning Wheel, and the girl at Benson!

    He couldn't stop thinking about it through his entire next class.  It couldn't be, but it had to be.  His heart was thumping with excitement at the prospect that it was possible.  He had to find her, but how?  If they were the same girl, maybe she'd go back to the Spinning Wheel.  What if she couldn't be found?  Those encounters, except for the one at Benson, weren't accidents....or were they?  How could such inconceivable coincidences be possible?  He tried to tell himself he'd gotten along without her for twenty-three years; he could get along without her again.  He could tell himself he didn't care if he saw her again until hell froze over, but he was obsessed now, and he knew it.

    As soon as he got out of class he wasted no time getting out to the car and heading for the Spinning Wheel to follow up on what meager clues he had to her whereabouts.  When he walked into the 'Spinner' there were only four other people, besides himself and the bartender.  It was ten-thirty Wednesday night, and the bar wouldn't get busy until tomorrow. That's when the live band came in to play country music.

    "Katey!  Am I glad you're working tonight!"  he said.

    "So you finally realized how much you miss me, huh Jay?"  Katey joked.

    "How'd you guess?  Hey, do you remember the girl that was in here last week?  You know the day I was in, just after you opened, and I couldn't figure out where I knew her from?  Has she been back in since then?"  Jay couldn't help revealing the excitement and urgency in his voice.

    "You know, that's really weird you should ask.  I never saw her before that day when you saw her here, but she's been coming in every day since then, and...

    "Has she been in today?"  Jay interrupted.

    Katey had an indignant expression as she continued.  "I was just going to say, before you had to interrupt, she comes in at different times each time, and no, she hasn't been in today."

    "Does she ever come in this late?"

    "Say, what's the deal with you and this chick?  You sound like Dick Tracy, or something."

    "You probably wouldn't believe it if I told you!  I really want to find her though."

    "Well, don't think I give out information on people that come in here all the time, but she comes in anytime, from opening to closing.  All she does is look around, like she was looking for someone, and then leaves.  A real space-cadet.  Say, do you want something to drink or do you just want to admire my body?"

    "Yeah, I'll take the usual."

    "Scotch and water." she said, pointing to the scotch button on the beverage 'gun'.

    Jay nodded.  After Katey brought him his drink, they chatted for a while as Katey served the other customers and exchanged social amenities with the three people that came, and went, between Jay's arrival and eleven thirty.  Katey listened in disbelief as Jay told her who he thought the girl in the red flannel shirt was.  At about midnight the front door opened again, and for the fourth time Jay turned to see who was coming in.  It was her!  The girl in the red flannel shirt.

    She didn't have on her red flannel shirt.  She was wearing tight designer jeans with embroidered pockets, a white blouse with a gingham scarf around her neck under a tan suede jacket, and golden-tan Tony Lama boots.  She hesitated when she saw Jay, but then came on into the bar and sat at the corner of the bar, farthest from the bandstand and juke-box.

    Katey smiled when Jay got up from his stool by the order cage and walked over to the girl in the red flannel shirt.  When he was close enough to speak without the whole bar being able to hear she turned, as if on cue, and smiled at him coquettishly.

    "I don't know your name, but I know who you are!" he said.  He noticed that she wasn't wearing the wedding band she'd been wearing, earlier.  "How did you know my name, here, last week?

    "I heard that girl, tending bar, mention it.  I'm Eve."  Her face was virtually glowing.  "If you only knew how hard it was not to tell you where I thought I'd first met you last week.  It was absolutely hilarious to see how perplexed you were.  I'd seen you up at the school, and thought you might be the boy at Benson, but didn't want to make a fool of myself.  Besides, I knew you'd figure it out....if you were.  I hope you understand why I had to let you find out for yourself.  I didn't mean to cause you any unhappiness but, honestly, would you have believed me if I'd told you I was the girl at Benson?"

    "Probably not.  At least not at first.  Is it okay if I sit here with you?  I think we've got alot to talk about."

    "You betcha, Jay.  Please don't hate me for the way I acted when we were kids.  I've been sorry for acting like that ever since.  Especially when you were trying to be so nice."

    "Hey, don't sweat it.”  He knew she was lying, but it sounded nice.  “I never had any thoughts about you that weren't warm and affectionate."  Jay and Eve continued their conversation until the Spinning Wheel closed, and then went to Shari's, for breakfast, and continued their conversation there.  It takes a long time for two people living separate lives, together, to catch up....especially after twenty-three years!  But they both figured they'd have plenty of time to do it.

Previous chapters:  12 & 13,  14, 15, & 16