this love story: part 2, 3, 4, 5

I wrote a story in the post below. Then I wrote some more Wednesday, and here it is. Fictional, but based on true stories and real people.-----then blogger ate parts 2 and 3, which I am repeating here, and then adding parts 4 and 5, to be finished Saturday! Thanks for reading! Tis a love story, told in several parts...

Part 2

Jack tells Gary a long story, begins with this happy little fact: “my grandfather says to me ‘the day your mother was born in Boston, I was at a brothel in Detroit!’ as if that’s funny”

They are at Starschmucks on Spring Street. Maude slipped Gary a freebie muffin with his small coffee. He can never figure out what they call a small, basic coffee, but he will pass over the 2 bucks and smile at her, dump the change into the tips jar. All 17 cents worth, but she always smiles back. Winks, even!
“That all you gonna eat? Plain oatmeal?”

Jack looks down, puzzled, forgot he had food, deep in his grandpa’s memory.
“Oh, well, try to find something on the menu for a vegan and this is it. Anyway, my grandpa—“

“—was an assh*le…” finishes Gary, Jack nodding.

“Yes. That is it. Got it in one. Anyway…” takes a bite of the cold and gluey looking mess in his bowl “he comes to see me this one time in college. Just drops in out of nowhere, hadn’t seen him in like ten years”

“Mmm hmm” It’s a good muffin. Gary is pleased. And the price was right! Remembers “Jack, you know, we got that vegan bakery down by our place. You could eat anything there.”

Jack nods “I know, its delicious, but the coffee here is better. Besides, I didn’t want to go all the way out there. Anyway, so my grandpa, and, yes, my grandma both arrive out of nowhere to see me at college. Its like, a thousand miles from where they live, and grandpa drops this bomb about my mom. My dishrag of a grandmother is deep into the gin and she is laughing, little dribbles down her chin. I think all she ate for dinner she was 3 G and Ts and 4 olives”

Gary is waving at Maude, making eyes at her, flirty. Things are pretty quiet, Seth the manager busy talking to Julie at the far end of the counter.

Jack doesn’t notice, keeps talking “So, my grandfather must have thought his story made him young and hip. Nope. He was an assh*le, still an assh*le. I sat there watching and listening to these 2 old fools, and at one point my grandma, after twoo point three G and Ts looks at me all concerned and asks ‘are you OK dear, you look miserable’ and what can you say to that? Of course I am miserable!”

Gary looks down, coffee almost gone, half a muffin to go. He is stuffed, who could finish such a giant thing? Looks around for napkins, carefully stuffs the half in a coat pocket.

“Anyway” Jack is still going “my grandmother dies, like 5 months later. My parents, aunts, uncles, nobody tells me, until one day somebody drops ‘oh yeah, when grandma died last February’ and everybody just shrugs. Not many tears, you could say”

Gary is looking around for his gloves. Putting on his hat.

Jack finishes “well, so, the old man? He lives another 15 years. Lost his foot though…”

Gary nods to Jack, blows a kiss over at Maude who is emptying the trash, follows Jack out into the morning.

Part 3

Jack is talking to Davey on Tuesday, Davey wearing a wool hat. Even in July. It would be on in December too, year ‘round it seems. Davey has awesome hair, hat or no hat, so you wonder “isn’t it a little hot in summer?” Davey and ladies like each other, a LOT. Jack? Not such a hit with the ladies. Where Davey is smooth, a good listener, gentle and kind, Jack is kind of oblivious.

“Emma said I talk too much” Jack tells Davey. Davey lifts his eyebrows. He is COOL. Signals “I am listening. I got ya, what is on your mind?” without saying a thing. All in those eyebrows under the hat.

“Anyway” which seems to be Jacks favorite word, “I think she loves herself first and foremost”

Davey nods sagely, one eyebrow slightly lifted, signaling “I got ya man”

“I mean” Jack looks away, into the misty distance “she’s really into clothes and stuff. It was always handbags this, shoes that, which earrings, or damn, my lemon skirt doesn’t go with these pearls” Davey sneaks a look at his cell. 10:29 already?

“Fuch that” Jack says, the final, all purpose dismissal of the lovelorn nerd. Davey raises his drink to Jack as if to say “a toast to YOU brutha”

Jack turns to Davey, a sad look on his face “I don’t talk too much, do I?”

Davey’s eyes open wide, the incredulous look on his face says it all without words “no way my man!” and he is rising from his chair, reaches out his fist for the bump goodbye, wondering what Emma is up to tonight…..


Part 4

Maude’s slick older sister Jane is holding forth at the table “I bet he had an affair. Lust is a very strong emotion”

Maude looks appalled, Emma looks down, but is that a smug smile? A knowing look? Jane is not done yet. “I’d cut off his balls though” Now both Emma and Maude look shocked, but can’t help giggling too.

“Take no prisoners, huh Jane?” asks Emma, moving the flowers so she can see her friend better. Real tulips in winter makes you long for spring. That icy rain outside: easy to understand why the Irish invented whiskey. Which gives Emma a timely idea, waving at the waiter “double shot of Jameson and please bring the check” Jane and Maude both wave 2 fingers at the waiter, wanting to join the fun and warm up too. The waiter asks “so, 3 double shots Jameson, you want rocks or straight up?” As one, the three say “straight!” with Emma whispering across to Maude “unlike our waiter” who has a cute ass but probably plays for the other team. Any guy that good looking has got to be gay. But that ass will earn him a huge tip from this table.

Jane is turning back to Maude “You and Gary go out for your birthday too?” and Maude is nodding “He had a coupon!”

Jane is aghast, hands held up, Emma is laughing “A coupon???” Maude is smiling “Well yeah. A new place, with pool tables! Thanks for dinner today Jane” Emma holding up her shot glass “AND drinks!” Emma turns to her phone “sorry, I gotta take this” punching a button and turning aside “hi sweetie!”

Jane pays and the 3 grab their coats. Outside on the walk Jane passes out kisses and heads back to the subway, Maude and Emma heading toward Broadway, chatting, ducking under awnings to escape the rain when they can.

“Emma, Gary was wondering, are you and Davey….?” Maude letting that question float out there, like a fat balloon: does it fly or does it pop? Emma has that cat-got-the-canary look and replies “lust is a very strong emotion”.

Part 5

Gary takes over the kitchen table, spreads out newspaper first then all his supplies. Soon the preheated oven makes the whole place warm and toasty. Maude comes in hours later “Oooooh, feels goood!” peeling off her scarf and coat. She grabs him from behind and plops the big kiss on his head, dropping a big bag on the table “I brought leftovers!”

Gary squirming and laughing, trying to escape. Holds up a little fimo heart with a cat and a beagle on it “see what you made me do? The beagle’s face got squished!”

Maude is looking down “now it’s a PUG!”

Gary seeing the brilliance in that, turns, kissing her, “my muse, my love…”