by Frank Perdue
“Mister Warner?”
“Yes, this is he.” So formal.
“This is Joanna Thomas.” She waited for his response, there was none. “I want to apologize for what happened the other day. I wasn’t myself.” Her voice was soft, and music to Ted’s ears.
Now it was his turn. “I liked you the way you were.” That wasn’t what he wanted to say.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I’m sorry. That was very insensitive of me.” He hoped this would smooth it over. “I know you’re under a tremendous strain.”
She would have none of this. “What do you mean? You took advantage of me. I thought you were someone else. It wasn’t my fault.”
“Of course it wasn’t”, Ted answered., “It was just one of those unfortunate circumstances where a misunderstanding sort of took over. It was no one’s fault.”
“That’s right.” She had recovered her composure. Now they could continue as equals.
“Can we meet somewhere? Have you eaten yet?” Ted tried to be matter-of-fact, and not let the excitement show in his voice.
“I’d like that.” Joanna answered. “Where would you like to go?”
“I’m at your mercy there. I don’t know of any good places.”
“I’ve heard the food is good, and reasonable, at Harry’s in North Beach.” and she added, “but I’ve never been there.”
Of course. She wouldn’t want to go anywhere she had been with Jake. “Harry’s sounds fine to me. I’ve rented a car. Can I pick you up?”
Her first inclination was to say no. She wasn’t sure she wanted to be confined in a car with this man, who was indeed a stranger. But she realized they might need each other to find the restaurant.
“That would be fine.” she answered, stiffly. “I’ve checked out of the hospital. I’m at my mother’s home.” She gave him explicit directions.
“I’ve got it.” he said. “How does seven sound?”
“That will be good. Meanwhile I’ll call and make reservations, just in case it’s crowded.”
“Great. I’ll see you at seven.” It occurred to Ted that this was as hard as setting up a first date.
He pulled up in front of the house she’d described exactly at seven PM. They hadn’t talked about how to dress. He didn’t want to be too casual for the occasion, so he wore a pair of gray slacks with dark blue shirt and a neutral tie. His sport coat was a lighter shade of blue. He expected that she would be in a miniskirt. He was mistaken.
He got out of his car and started up the walk to the front door. She came out before he reached the small porch. He was slightly disappointed. She was wearing pants, but she was still a knockout.
“Hi,” was all he could say.
“Good Evening, sir.”
He reached the car door before she did, and opened it for her.
“Nice chariot.” She observed.
“Thanks. I haven’t gotten used to a small car yet.”
Once inside the vehicle she explained how to get to the restaurant. There was very little conversation during the trip, which took about a half hour. What talk there was was very light, and could be classified as courtesy.
It was a nice place, overlooking the ocean. They were seated almost immediately, and had a view of the water. That was impressive, considering there was a crowd in the lobby.
The small talk between them continued through her daquiri and his vodka martini. They were both very reserved. He needed something to break the ice. Finally he looked in her eyes, and said, “You’re not so pretty.”
She broke out laughing. As he remembered, that’s what happened in the movie he took the line from.
“Why don’t we just consider this a business dinner”, she remarked. And we can get rid of the boy-girl thing between us.”
“Good idea. Then I can take if off my expense account.” His repertoire of jokes was limited. “Seriously, how are you doing? I’ve been wanting to ask that all evening.”
She went off some place far away for a moment. Then she was back. “I’m sorry. I’m doing okay. Much of my memory is gone. But the shrink the hospital provided for me says that’s normal considering the trauma I’ve been through, and the operation I had.”
Good. No more questions about that. Changing the subject quickly, “Have you seen Anna Heis yet?”
“No. I called her place. Her husband answered the phone. You know they’re newlyweds.” She barely got the word out of her mouth before she started to cry again. He took the handkerchief out of his upper coat pocket and offered it to her. She took it, wiped her eyes, and handed it back. “Thank you. I have to stop doing that.”
“Yeah. Especially in public places. Half the people in here think I just dumped you, or hit you.”
“Oh, don’t make me laugh. It hurts.” She put her hands to her side near her lower rib cage. “Anyway, as I was trying to say, her husband said she’s out of town on business for two weeks. She just left. He said she stuck close all that time I was in a coma. But she just had to go this time. It was a track and field symposium for the entire state. She’s the Women’s track coach at San Francisco State.”
“And what other friends do you have to fall back on until Anna returns?”
“There was only Jake. We didn’t need anyone else as long as we had each other.” The tears came back. Her hand automatically reached out for the handkerchief. Then the food came.
“Oh good. My eyes can’t stand too many more personal questions.” She attempted a grin. She almost pulled it off.
He accompanied her to dinner each of the next two days. He was able to make Her laugh. And somewhere during the journey through that time, they became friends.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
On their third dinner date he finally asked how she and Jake had met. Hesitantly she answered.
“We were all gathered near the steps in front of the Lincoln Memorial. We were waiting for Dr. King to arrive.” Then it all came flooding back, as if it were yesterday.
It was nineteen sixty-three. They had risen early that morning, having arrived in the Nation’s Capitol late the night before for the big civil rights rally. She had brought Anna Heis with her. They were best friends ever since Anna showed up at William’s Funeral. Because she was a Scandinavian blonde, and everyone else at the service was dark, Joanna noticed her as they were leaving the church. She went over to Anna and said, tearfully, “Thank you so much for coming.”
Anna took both her hands in her own and answered “I thought you might need the support.”
“You were right!” Joanna tried to smile through her pain. At the same time she reached for a tissue. “Please honor me by coming to the reception. It’s going to be right next door.” She pointed out the direction.
Anna did come. They talked, and made arrangements to get together for lunch. They met at a restaurant a few days later, and the friendship was off and running.
Now here they were a couple of years later, three thousand miles away, chasing a dream of equality that had eluded Joanna’s people for hundreds of years.
“Is this the line for the Redskins game?”, a voice behind them boomed out.
Joanna couldn’t help but laugh. She turned to look, and there he was, looking right at her. “I asked you a question,” he smiled. She looked at Anna, thinking maybe he was talking to her, since he was obviously white. “Oh I get it, you’re one of those uppity aristocrats that can’t be bothered with poor white trash.”
The statement was so ridiculous that she burst out laughing in spite of her attempt to remain demur. “Who are you, man?”
“Well, I’m obviously not Martin Luther King Jr., so I must be one of the others.”
“Other what?” She couldn’t help but ask.
“The thousands of others who came to see them, of course”, he said, as if she should have known.
She looked at him. They were all packed in pretty tight so she could only see him from the chest up. His dark shirt was unbuttoned as far down as she cou
ld see. He had very little hair on his chest, which was very muscular. His shoulders were broad, and his arms, that which she could see, were well rounded. His neck was average, not thick like a football player’s, but not thin and stretched either. His jaw was rather pointed, and without a double chin. His mouth, which was opened wide in a smile, showed teeth that were slightly off-white, but looked as if they were all there. His nose was the first feature she had seen that she didn’t like. It had obviously been broken, and not reset. There was a knob on it’s bridge. Then she saw his eyes, and she immediately forgot the rest. He was looking at her, but it seemed as if he was caressing her with his eyes. They were dark, and large, more like a handsome black man. His eyebrows were bushy and unruly. They needed to be trimmed and brushed. His forehead continued straight upward to a mound of curly, very dark hair that was about two inches long on the top, and trimmed neatly on the sides. He had razor thin sideburns that ended about even with the middle of his ears, which were set close to his head. She looked back into his eyes.
“What did you say?” Joanna realized finally that Anna was talking.
“I said you two can’t do it right here.” Anna was grinning.
Now Joanna blushed. “Anna!” She said it admonishingly.
“Well, if you don’t want him, give him to me. What’s your name stranger?”
Anna asked the obvious next question.
“Jake.” The stranger said.
“I have a feeling my friend will have to know more than that for the wedding certificate.” Anna was enjoying this.
“Jake Gentry.” He answered in a deep voice that fit his looks perfectly.
“We’re staying at the St. Regis. It’s south of here. Here’s the phone number.” Anna handed him the hotel card after writing their room number on it. She looked at Joanna for approval, but Joanna’s eyes were still on Jake.
Presently the ceremony started. The crowd shifted to get a better look at the podium. Joanna lost sight of him.
After the speeches, they realized they were hungry, so they stopped for lunch before heading back to their room. When their plates were empty they decided to walk back to the hotel, rather than take the bus. By the time they arrived at the St. Regis they were exhausted. They both fell onto their respective beds. Neither noticed that the red message light on their phone was lit.
Joanna awoke first, about two hours later. It was still bright outside. As she sat up on the edge of the now mussed single bed, she noticed the light blinking on the phone. She picked it up, called the office, and was informed that a Mister Gentry had called. He had left no return number. She was disappointed.
Later that evening Joanna and Anna left the hotel to go to a restaurant they had heard about that served great ribs. They both loved barbecued pork ribs. As they were walking on a well-lit but deserted street, Joanna had a feeling of being watched. She turned and looked back, still walking. Then, seeing nothing, she started to right herself, but not looking where she was going, she tripped, and fell. Her hands were outstretched instinctively toward the sidewalk, and she wasn’t hurt. She was, however, embarrassed. She looked to see if Anna was laughing at her, and saw two men reaching out to grab her friend. One had put his right hand over her mouth, while draping his left arm across her chest. The other had hold of her arms.
“What are you doing?” Joanna screamed.
“Shut up, you black bitch!” The man who held Anna’s arms yelled. “First we’re going to teach Blondie to watch out who she associates with. Then we’ll deal with you in a proper way that you’ll understand.”
Joanna thought about running, but what would happen to Anna if she did? Her friend moaned and struggled to shake her assailant’s grip, but to no avail. The attacker in front of Anna suddenly released her. Before she could react he made his hand into a fist and hit her full-force in her stomach. The other man let her go at the same time, and she doubled over and rolled onto the ground.
Joanna was furious. Hate flashed in her eyes as she took two quick steps and jumped onto the back of the one who had hurt her friend. Suddenly she heard a dull thud, and the other man was on the ground, himself moaning now. Standing over him, and saying nothing, was the curly-haired fellow named Jake. Quickly he covered the six feet between himself and the remaining combatant. His arm shot out, and the palm of his open hand hit the other attacker square in the nose, his fingers extending to the man’s forehead. Blood spurted downward from the man’s nearly flattened nose, as his legs buckled. His eyes became glassy, and closed as he crumpled to the ground. Joanna let go just in time, or she would have fallen too.
Jake looked back at the other one. He wasn’t moving. Then he helped Joanna to her feet. They both went to Anna who was still trying to catch her breath, but otherwise appeared to be all right. They each took an arm and gently lifted her to her feet. Then the three of them walked away, back toward the girls’ hotel. Jake still had not spoken.
Joanna opened the door to their room, and turned on the light. She motioned for Jake to enter, pointing to a chair at a table near the window. She took the other chair as Anna made her way to her bed and sat there.
Jake looked Joanna in the eyes and said “Are you okay?”
“I’m just dandy,” she answered “where did you come from?”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled.
“Shouldn’t we call the police?” Anna chimed in.
“No.” said Jake “It’s too late for that. They’ll be long gone back to the sewer they came from.”
“Answer the question, damn it!” Joanna refused to be distracted.
“I arrived at your hotel just after you had left. The room clerk said he’d seen you walk out and head west. You see, if you weren’t so beautiful he wouldn’t have known which way you’d gone. I followed, but apparently I didn’t catch up with you soon enough.” He looked at Anna. “I’m sorry you got hurt, whoever you are.”
“This is Anna Heis, And I’m Joanna Thomas. Where did you learn to fight like that?”
He ignored her question. “Where were you headed?”
“We were going to eat.” Anna answered. “And I don’t know about you,” she looked at Joanna “but I’m still hungry.”
“We can have dinner. But this time let’s take a cab. Will you join us Mr.
Gentry?”
“I’d be delighted, Miss Thomas” He noted that she didn’t correct him when he said “Miss”’
And that’s how it started. He wouldn’t let them go anywhere without him. They put up no fight at all. He was fun to be with. He was not phony.. When he said something about himself it was only after surgical prodding by one or both of them. It was obvious that he was only interested in Joanna, but he always included Anna in the conversation. He never attempted to split them up to be alone with her, to Joanna’s slight consternation.
He told them he was a merchant seaman. His ship, the Asian Wind, was currently tied up in New York harbor, awaiting cargo. He had to be back in two days. The ship was scheduled to steam through the Panama Canal, make port in Honolulu for refueling, and proceed to Hong Kong. From there it was back to the States, and the ship’s home port, San Francisco. Upon hearing that Joanna’s eyes lit up.
She told him San Francisco was her home. “Where do you live when you’re not at sea?”
“I came from San Diego, but I have an apartment in San Francisco.
“Wait a minute.” Ted blurted. Joanna jumped, startled back to the present. “Do you mean to tell me he said he was from San Diego?”
“Yes, that’s what he told me.”
“I’m from San Diego.”
“I know”
“How do you know?” Ted was puzzled.
“Well, I know you were born there anyway.”
“How do you know that?” Ted leaned toward her.
“Because Jake told me he had a twin brother.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
Ted Warner rocked back on his chair. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. Joanna took his hand and
spoke softly. “This is kind of a shock to you, huh?”
He didn’t say anything. He couldn’t. He was suddenly far away. His thoughts were on his childhood, and the loneliness he had lived with. A brother would have made all the difference. But he was an only child! Maybe Joanna was mistaken. Jake could have had a twin, but it might not be him. His shortness of breath disappeared. He released her hand and picked up his water glass from the table. “I wish this was bourbon” , he said, after taking a big gulp.
“I’m sorry” Joanna answered. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I thought you knew.” She continued. “Why did you come to the hospital, if you didn’t know that he was your brother?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Let’s get out of here.” Then Ted added as an afterthought, “Do you mind?”
“Of course not.” Joanna answered, as she pushed back her chair and stood up.
Quickly their roles had changed. She was no longer the emotional cripple, he was!
They were together almost constantly over the next few days. But each night he would dutifully take her home to her mother’s house. They went to the beach. Not to swim of course. It was too cold. They went on picnics, or they parked on hills overlooking the city. They just talked , and their conversations were always about Jake. Once Ted wondered aloud how she could talk about him without becoming dejected.
“The same day I kicked you out of my room at the hospital, I had another visitor.” Joanna looked thoughtful before continuing. “It was a young black man named Daryl Collins.” She paused and looked at Ted to see if the name meant anything to him. Apparently it didn’t. He showed no recognition at all.
“He was driving one of the cars involved in the accident. His wife was killed, but she delivered their child just before she died. The car burned up. If it hadn’t been for Jake freeing her in time, the child might not have lived. He just wanted to see how I was doing. I was weeping so it would have done no good at all to tell him I was fine. He said he wanted to tell me a story. I really wasn’t interested, but I couldn’t tell him that. He came all the way from Sacramento to see me.”
