gentle demeanor suddenly turns tyrannical as she sees something
outside the window .
Her foot catches the edge of the chair as she jumps up, sending it to the
floor.
I look out the window but the only thing
I see is a happy whistling woman walking her cute poodle. Uncle Jimmy leans
over to pet the sweet little dog. The dog obviously knows Uncle Jimmy by
the wagging of his tail.
I always heard a dog’s heart is
connected to his tail. This
dog’s heart must be very happy by the looks of his tail-wagging.
“Aww, look at the cute dog.” My smile
faces just as Aunt Grace shoves me out of the way of the window.
I fall down to the ground, catching
myself but sacrificing the lives of two cockroaches under my right hand.
I get up just in time to watch Aunt
Grace grab a brick from the pile stacked up next to the window. “I’ll teach
that bitch for whistling at my husband.” Her arm is like an automatic machine
gun whirling those bricks onto the street, but fortunately missing her target.
“Grace!” Uncle Jimmy screams, shielding
the whistling woman from the bricks. “Stop that now!”
He ducks just in time before the latest brick
zips past his head breaking and shatters against the pavement.
“That’s right.” Aunt Grace cries out to
the woman who’s now on the run. “You better get out of here. And stop flirting
with my husband.”
I’m paralyzed with fear. What the hell
have I just witnessed?
“Damn you, Grace!” Uncle Jimmy calls up
as he watches the lady run as fast as she could.
Aunt Grace doubles over in laughter. She
is so proud of herself.
“Poor dog.” She points out the window
still laughing. “Look! She’s running so fast, that dog is choking.”
Pure satisfaction illuminates her face.
“Now, back to tea.”
“Aunt Grace, what just happened?” I
don’t know whether to get the hell out of here before the police come or call
them myself.
“That slut has been after your Uncle
Jimmy for weeks,” Aunt Grace explains. “She thinks she’s something walking that
little dog and whistling while Jimmy waits for her to pass. She’s enticing my
man. She needs her own man.”
She walks back to the window. I stand
behind her looking at the woman Aunt Grace refers to as a “slut.”
“I showed her whose prince he is.” She
slams the window shut.
The woman looks perfectly normal to me,
in her black jumpsuit and tennis shoes pounding pavement down the street.
Stunned, I watch Aunt Grace. I don’t know
what she sees in my uncle. Uncle Jimmy is no prince. Maybe a jester, but
certainly not royalty. But then again, I guess maybe he’s her Bo.
And did this
moment constitute an emergency?
Chapter Fourteen
Before work I stroll downtown to
Fountain Square, and am pleasantly surprised how at much it’s changed. The
square has been redone with a big screen television, like the one in New York’s
Times Square, along with several new stores and restaurants.
Many of the restaurants offer outdoor
café tables around the fountain. Each table’s umbrella has the restaurant name
on it.
Today happens to be a Cincinnati Reds
businessman’s special. A ton of men are eating and drinking, getting ready for
the big game against the Chicago Cubs, of all teams.
I wonder if Wilson is here since his
work is down the street.
The square is more alive than I’ve ever
seen it.
Saks is ready to embrace another
designer. Gucci will sell well, especially with the re-invention of downtown.
The boutique is further along than I’d
anticipated. When you enter Saks off Fifth Street, the boutique is just to the
left. The bronze front with Gucci written in tan lettering sends chills up my
spine it is so beautiful.
The construction crew will finish in a
few days. Shirts, pants, skirts, shoes and accessories are already on display
and the associates are ready to make their commissions.
I feel strange walking into a room in
which all eyes are on me. Especially since the smiling faces are quivering
outside the window .
Her foot catches the edge of the chair as she jumps up, sending it to the
floor.
I look out the window but the only thing
I see is a happy whistling woman walking her cute poodle. Uncle Jimmy leans
over to pet the sweet little dog. The dog obviously knows Uncle Jimmy by
the wagging of his tail.
I always heard a dog’s heart is
connected to his tail. This
dog’s heart must be very happy by the looks of his tail-wagging.
“Aww, look at the cute dog.” My smile
faces just as Aunt Grace shoves me out of the way of the window.
I fall down to the ground, catching
myself but sacrificing the lives of two cockroaches under my right hand.
I get up just in time to watch Aunt
Grace grab a brick from the pile stacked up next to the window. “I’ll teach
that bitch for whistling at my husband.” Her arm is like an automatic machine
gun whirling those bricks onto the street, but fortunately missing her target.
“Grace!” Uncle Jimmy screams, shielding
the whistling woman from the bricks. “Stop that now!”
He ducks just in time before the latest brick
zips past his head breaking and shatters against the pavement.
“That’s right.” Aunt Grace cries out to
the woman who’s now on the run. “You better get out of here. And stop flirting
with my husband.”
I’m paralyzed with fear. What the hell
have I just witnessed?
“Damn you, Grace!” Uncle Jimmy calls up
as he watches the lady run as fast as she could.
Aunt Grace doubles over in laughter. She
is so proud of herself.
“Poor dog.” She points out the window
still laughing. “Look! She’s running so fast, that dog is choking.”
Pure satisfaction illuminates her face.
“Now, back to tea.”
“Aunt Grace, what just happened?” I
don’t know whether to get the hell out of here before the police come or call
them myself.
“That slut has been after your Uncle
Jimmy for weeks,” Aunt Grace explains. “She thinks she’s something walking that
little dog and whistling while Jimmy waits for her to pass. She’s enticing my
man. She needs her own man.”
She walks back to the window. I stand
behind her looking at the woman Aunt Grace refers to as a “slut.”
“I showed her whose prince he is.” She
slams the window shut.
The woman looks perfectly normal to me,
in her black jumpsuit and tennis shoes pounding pavement down the street.
Stunned, I watch Aunt Grace. I don’t know
what she sees in my uncle. Uncle Jimmy is no prince. Maybe a jester, but
certainly not royalty. But then again, I guess maybe he’s her Bo.
And did this
moment constitute an emergency?
Chapter Fourteen
Before work I stroll downtown to
Fountain Square, and am pleasantly surprised how at much it’s changed. The
square has been redone with a big screen television, like the one in New York’s
Times Square, along with several new stores and restaurants.
Many of the restaurants offer outdoor
café tables around the fountain. Each table’s umbrella has the restaurant name
on it.
Today happens to be a Cincinnati Reds
businessman’s special. A ton of men are eating and drinking, getting ready for
the big game against the Chicago Cubs, of all teams.
I wonder if Wilson is here since his
work is down the street.
The square is more alive than I’ve ever
seen it.
Saks is ready to embrace another
designer. Gucci will sell well, especially with the re-invention of downtown.
The boutique is further along than I’d
anticipated. When you enter Saks off Fifth Street, the boutique is just to the
left. The bronze front with Gucci written in tan lettering sends chills up my
spine it is so beautiful.
The construction crew will finish in a
few days. Shirts, pants, skirts, shoes and accessories are already on display
and the associates are ready to make their commissions.
I feel strange walking into a room in
which all eyes are on me. Especially since the smiling faces are quivering
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