The Story of Charlie Mullins

by Jim Wygand

  The group would go silent when Charlie reminded them that the life of a bachelor in a small town full of married couples was a bit empty.

  One of them would try to break the silence by saying, “Yeah, but what about the broads, Charlie? You can go out every night with a different one. We have to look at the same old face.”

  “I got into that singles thing after Mary Jo left, but I can tell you that it’s not what you guys fantasize it to be. You go to some bar, meet somebody else on the make, go to a motel, wake up with a hangover, and look at some stranger who doesn’t look anything like she did the night before. Then there is this silence as you try to figure out what to do next. She’s gotta leave and so do you. Maybe you drive her back to her car. Then you don’t know if you are supposed to kiss her goodbye or pay her! She feels obliged to say she’d like to see you again, even if she can no longer stand even looking at you. Most of the time you don’t even remember if you enjoyed the sex or not. It’s mostly mechanical – human hydraulics. You pump her, she pumps you. You fall asleep and wake up with bad breath and a stranger. A bachelor’s life ain’t what it’s cracked up to be guys.”

  “Well, why don’t you hook up with a local broad, Charlie?”

  “That’s easy enough to answer. What do you guys think would happen if I shacked up with a local woman? The next day the whole town would know about it. I don’t want to date some woman who is going to be telling me what a nasty break I got from Mary Jo. I don’t want to be sharing my feelings with the whole town and you know that’s what would happen.”

  Charlie broke out of his reverie, finished his dinner which he washed down with a glass of wine, and put his plate and silverware in the dishwasher. He picked up his sweaty gym clothes and tossed them in the washing machine. He was ready for another week of work and Saturday night with Gina.

  After watching some news on CNN, he switched off the TV and went to bed.

  * * * * *

  Like Charlie, Gina, too, had followed her regular Sunday routine, going to her uncle’s home for brunch. She kissed her uncle hello and relaxed in a large leather easy chair while she told him about her week and again about Charlie Mullins.

  “Uncle Carlo, I think I am getting serious about Charlie – the guy I told you about last week.”

  “You mean the ‘mick’ from Jersey?” Carlo laughed.

  “The same” said Gina, “he really is a very nice guy and I think I have some pretty strong feelings toward him.”

  “Ah, love is wonderful, even if it is with an ‘Irish’” said Carlo.

  “C’mon, uncle Carlo. Don’t get hung up on that Irish stuff. I know you are just kidding.”

  “Yeah. I’m kidding. Do you really like this guy?”

  “Well, I sure feel something different. When I am around him I feel relaxed. He’s not pushy, and he seems to be pretty sure of himself. I mean he is quick and witty, comfortable with who he is, and most of all respectful of my space. You know most of the guys I date wind up with eight hands and I have to fight them off and put them in their place. It’s no fun. They’re such idiots! But Charlie is different. He listens to me. He respects my views on things and even asks me what I think. He doesn’t seem to be in any hurry in the relationship and we enjoy each other’s company.”

  “That’s where relationships get built, my beautiful niece. When friendship precedes passion and lust, the relationship will last. You want me to check this guy out? You know, see if he is telling you the truth about his life and his divorce, all that?

  “Not yet, Uncle Carlo. I want to wait a while. I can tell if something is not quite right. So far, he has been above board on everything. Let’s see how it goes. I’m not in a hurry.”

  “Ah, but I might be in a hurry, my dear Gina. I’m not such a young guy and I’d like to see a few bambini running around before too long.”

  “Uncle Carlo! Here I am telling you that I think I might really like this guy and you are talking about bambini.” She laughed.

  “Gina, you are a beautiful woman and you will have beautiful kids. Everyone likes beautiful babies and I’m no exception. Anyway, I’m just daydreaming. You know it’s your happiness I want.”

  Gina kissed him. “Thanks, Uncle Carlo, I know. I just think that for the first time I have found a guy who can make me happy.”

  “Just one question, sweetheart. Am I gonna have redheaded grandchildren with freckles? Imagine a redheaded Italian with freckles – má ché.”

  Gina laughed heartily. “No, Uncle Carlo, Charlie is what they call “Black Irish”. He looks more Italian than I do. He has black hair, black eyebrows, and could really be Italian for all I know. And like I said, it’s early to talk about grandchildren.”

  “Well, so when do I meet this Mr. Irish Wonderful of yours?”

  “I’ll let you know, Uncle Carlo. Maybe in a couple of weeks, maybe never. It will depend on how things move forward. But I am really fine with the relationship for the first time in my adult life. And try not to keep calling him ‘Irish’, Uncle Carlo. His name is Charlie!”

  “OK, bambina mia, let’s have something to eat. You’re not losing weight are you? You look thin.”

  “I am thin, Uncle Carlo, and I intend to stay that way. You’ve been looking at too many of those ‘mamas’ in the neighborhood. God forbid I ever get like that!”

  They enjoyed their brunch, made small talk, and Gina kissed her uncle and went off to meet her friends to discuss some of her projects for next week.

  VIII

  After yet another uneventful week at his desk at Shaw, Charlie dressed for his date with Gina. As usual he had been to softball practice and again, skipped out before the regular pizza and beer.

  Bill Gallagher commented to the group, “Hey, Charlie skipped again. You think he’s home?”

  “What if he is and what if he isn’t Bill?” said Tony Mazza. “Does he have to have pizza and beer every Saturday? He’s not like us – we’re married. We can afford to get a gut. Charlie’s single. He has to look trim, right? C’mon Bill, give him a break.”

  Charlie had to get the house in order earlier today. The book signing was at 7-o-clock so he would have to leave a couple hours earlier than usual.

  As promised, Gina had called him during the week. She first called on Thursday afternoon and left a message on his answering machine. She said, “Well, I guess you’re not married Charlie. And if you are, this message should really mess things up!” She laughed and rang off. Charlie laughed when he heard the message when he got home. She called again at 8-o-clock. “Well, Charlie Mullins, if you were married this morning, you are in trouble tonight! I presume you got my message?”

  “Satisfied now, Gina? But what if a guy had answered, would you have thought I was gay?”

  “You’re glib, Charlie,” she laughed, “I know you’re not gay. I have a few gay friends and they told me that you are definitely, really definitely not gay! They claim they can tell. I don’t know how, but they say they can! But to answer your question, yes I’m satisfied. You’d be in deep trouble after that phone call and you would not have answered this one if you were married. Anyway, I’m calling just to hear your voice and to tell you that the book signing on Saturday is scheduled for 7. Can you make it?”

  “I’ll be there Gina. Where is the signing?”

  “Meet me at the trattoria like before. Six-thirty OK? We’ll go from there by taxi.”

  “OK. You know, I’m beginning to feel like a spy meeting you at the trattoria every time. Wouldn’t you rather I picked you up somewhere?”

  “I like the trattoria, Charlie. It’s my special place now because it’s where we first met.”

  “OK, Gina, trattoria it is. I’ll be there at six-thirty. And, by the way, I’m glad you called.”

  “Good to hear that, Charlie. It means you’re not in trouble.” She laughed again.

  Charlie laughed to himself about the phone call while he showered and shaved. He applied the expensive Armani cologne and thought, “The last
time I used this stuff she kissed me. Whether it was luck or fragrance, I’m not taking any chances. Do your stuff Mr. Armani!”

  Charlie left for Philly at a quarter-to-six and pulled up to the trattoria just a little before six-thirty. Gina had not arrived yet so he went in and sat at a table. Johnny the waiter was there and he said “Good evening Mr. Mullins. Nice to see you again.”

  Charlie was impressed. “The guy knows my name already. It must really be nice to be a beautiful woman. Even her dates get noticed!”

  “Hi Johnny, I’m waiting for Gina. Could I get a glass of the house red?”

  “Sure thing, Mr. Mullins.”

  While Charlie was drinking his wine, Gina came through the door. She had an entourage of about half-a-dozen friends. “Charlie! Hi!” She came over and kissed him on the cheek. Charlie thought, “I could get used to this!”

  “You want to finish your wine? We can wait.”

  “No, that’s OK, Gina. I’m ready to go.”

  “OK, these are a bunch of my friends. Friends, meet Charlie, Charlie meet my friends. I’ll introduce all of you properly at the book signing.”

  Gina was dressed in an expensive navy blue linen business suit with white trim. She was wearing blue stockings and a pair of expensive navy blue high heels. Under the jacket she wore a cream colored silk blouse and a thin gold chain around an exquisite neck. Charlie thought she looked like a million bucks – as usual.

  Charlie left the payment for the wine on the table and the group split up to drive or take taxis to the book signing. Charlie and Gina went alone.

  In the cab Charlie turned to Gina and said, “You look terrific! Are you always this beautiful?”

  “No way I can answer that one, Charlie. If I say yes I will sound like I think I am beautiful and if I say no, you might wonder what I look like when I’m ugly!” and laughed.

  “Gina, I really find it hard to believe that you could be ugly. Not even if you tried!”

  “Why, thank you Charlie Mullins! I’ll remember that when I look in the mirror covered with face cream and curlers in my hair!”

  They arrived to the hotel where the book signing was to take place. The room where the signing was to occur was packed. Gina moved through the room like a diva. She would stop at some group, introduce Charlie, kiss a few people on the cheek and move further through the crowd until she reached the table where Jerry would be signing the books that were piled up nearby the table. Waiters were circulating with trays loaded with flute glasses of ice-cold champagne. Jerry’s book was one of those big coffee-table jobs of photographs. He had assembled a collection of the old and the new in Philly. Some of the pictures were in color and some were black-and-white. There were some pictures of the Irish and Italian immigrants that had populated South Philly and some shots of the old townhouses that had been renovated in the 70s by young couples who moved into the center city. It was a very nice piece of work and Jerry’s photos were captivating. He had captured well the energy of Philly in his shots.

  Charlie purchased one of the books and Jerry signed it: “Charlie Mullins, to the guy who has brought happiness to Gina.” Charlie was at least confused. “What power that woman has over people! I’m known as the guy who makes her happy. They are all so protective of her,” he thought.

  Charlie watched as Gina worked the room. She seemed to know everyone and everyone knew her. He sipped at his champagne while he watched her flit from one group to another like a butterfly gathering nectar. As she moved closer to where Charlie was standing, she signaled for him to join her. She introduced him to several people and he saw plainly that when Gina introduced him it meant immediate acceptance. This was not just a book signing, it was a collection of friends and Charlie felt comfortable to be among them. No one seemed to be posturing. Gina was supporting actress to Jerry’s work and she was superb in the role.

  As the crowd began to thin, Gina again moved from group to group to say goodbye and thank people for coming to the signing. Jerry looked satisfied and pleased. She took Charlie along with her and introduced him to each group as they left. Charlie had the impression that everyone left knowing who he was, not because he was Charlie Mullins of Shaw Corporation but because he was there with Gina.

  She had introduced him to the friends that were with her when she showed up at the trattoria and they all seemed to know about Charlie. Clearly, she had talked to them about him.

  “OK, Charlie, we can go now. Are you ready for dinner or have you had too many canapés?”

  “No, I’m fine, Gina. I took it easy and I’m hungry. In fact, what I would really like is a good steak. How about you?”

  “I can do with a steak, Charlie. It’s been a long day.”

  Over dinner Charlie told Gina how much he enjoyed the evening and how he was impressed with the way she seemed to make everything work. “Gina, you must know everybody in this town. And, I’m sure that everyone sure knows you. You were like an orchestra conductor at the signing. It was absolutely seamless. I am truly impressed – really.”

  “Maybe it’s easy when they are your friends, Charlie. I like Jerry a lot. He is a very talented photographer and he was ready for a show. He looked happy, didn’t he?”

  “You know what he wrote on my copy, Gina? Look!” he opened the book to the page with the autograph. Gina blushed. “Jerry is so nice. He thinks he needs to protect me and he wants to see me happy. Don’t take it the wrong way.”

  “Oh no, that’s not it, Gina. I mean I get the feeling that while you manage and organize these events, everyone there is also protecting you. I don’t know how to describe it. Maybe it’s like you are a plant with deep strong roots but a very delicate flower. I mean it’s obvious you are a strong person. You are sure of yourself and have enormous poise. But somehow you are vulnerable. I don’t know. It’s strange and exciting in a way.”

  “Exciting, Charlie?”

  “Yeah, it’s not every day a man meets someone like you. There is enormous depth to you, Gina. I sense character and integrity. You love your friends and you do things to help them. You don’t seem to need them but they seek to protect you. It makes you sort of mysterious.” He stopped. “Am I sounding silly? Do you know what I am trying to say?”

  “I do, Charlie and it’s very nice. I do think my friends are protective of me. Especially in the area of emotions and romance. I know I am attractive to men and I am financially independent. That scares a lot of guys, you know? They figure they can’t control me, you know. I don’t depend on them. I’ve been hurt a lot by that. I’ll meet a guy and when he gets to know me, he disappears. Maybe I am a delicate flower, Charlie, but a lot of guys have thought I was also poison. That’s my vulnerability, Charlie. And my friends try to protect me and watch over me. Jerry was being sincere and grateful when he said you are the guy who makes me happy.”

  “Look, Gina, I’ve never met anyone quite like you. I would be lying if I said I was not impressed by your beauty. I’m not concerned about your money and I am certainly not interested in controlling you. My parents had a close and very interesting relationship. I never heard them argue about money. I never even knew what my father’s salary was. We weren’t rich by any means, but money was just never a concern in our family. Mom and Dad had a partnership. It wouldn’t have mattered if either or both had been rich. What held them together was first of all respect and second, love. Money was just what you needed to pay your bills. It did not enter the relationship. I would feel terrible if I thought I had to control you. I would want you to support me in what I do because you respect me and love me.”

  “Charlie, I sometimes think you are too good to be true. I get scared that I might just be wrong and that you will back away from me like others did.”

  “I don’t think so, Gina. That’s not my style. I learned that I should never stand in awe of someone as long as he puts his pants on one leg at a time. The only person you have to consider as possibly better than you is the one who can put their pants on by simply jumping into them w
ith both legs. Since I’ve never met anyone who can do that, I don’t figure I have to stand in awe of anyone. Now, maybe you don’t wear pants, but I bet you put your pantyhose on one leg at a time, right?”

  Gina started to giggle. “That’s funny Charlie. I actually had a vision of someone standing up and trying to put on a pair of pants without doing it one leg at a time!”

  “Yeah, it’s ridiculous to imagine.” Charlie continued, “So I make you happy, do I? That’s really nice to know because I have never been so comfortable around a person in my life. I live in the town where I was born and raised. I know just about everybody in it. All the guys I went to school with are there and we play softball and go bowling together and I feel more comfortable around you than around people I have known my entire life.”

  “Thank you, Charlie. I feel that way too. I only have my uncle and he sheltered me all my life while he taught me my own style of independence. But he was always there when I needed him. I barely remember my parents. He was all I had and I suspect that I was all he had. He loves me and doesn’t want to ever see me hurt. Anyone who makes me happy has his heart too. My friends are my other pillar of support. I love them all dearly and they love me. They are all just regular people with tremendous talents in their respective areas or a dedication to the well-being of others. I never ran with the ‘fast crowd’, never wanted a coming out at some debutante ball, and I don’t hang around country clubs. My life is with my friends and my volunteer work and I like it that way.”

  “OK, so let’s lighten up. I make you happy and you make me happy. Where do we go from here?”

  “Charlie, I feel very strongly about you and I want to continue seeing you. I want to see if our relationship will grow. I want to go slow because we have to get to know each other very, very well. I want to be sure. And I’m sure you probably feel the same way. After all, you suffered an enormous deception. You had known your wife all your life, right? And look how little you really knew about her after all. I’m not afraid of risk, Charlie, but I do believe in looking before I leap.”