the background. Music’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. All kinds, too: rock, jazz, salsa ...”
I started getting restless. “Saul, are you always so serious?” I asked in a teasing voice.
“About music, I am,” he answered earnestly. “But there are other times ...” He grabbed my foot and pulled it up into the air, then started making noises like a monkey. I immediately convulsed with giggles.
“Stop! Stop!” I screeched between my hyena-like screams. “I was only kidding!”
With a fake Spanish accent. Saul cried, “I weel show you no mercy until you agree to marry my seester!”
When I couldn’t breathe anymore and I was just about ready to faint from laughing so hard, he finally let go of my foot.
“You’re a nut!” I told him, still laughing.
“That’s nothing. You haven’t seen my Al Pacino imita tion yet.”
“Saul, tell me something. I probably sound ridiculously sheltered and naive, but you’ve got to understand ...”
“That you are sheltered and naive. What do you want to ask me?”
I lowered my voice and narrowed my eyes into tiny slits. “Do you carry a knife to school?”
“Why, do you think all Puerto Ricans have knives in their pointed black shoes?”
“I didn’t mean ...” My voice faltered.
“Hey, look, I was only kidding,” Saul said quickly. “You know, I don’t mind making jokes about being Puerto Rican. There is such a thing as taking yourself too seriously, you know. I think everybody should be able to fool around about themselves and their background. I mean, I could very easily make jokes about your orange hair, right?”
I gripped a strand of hair self-consciously and wrapped it around my finger.
“Just as long as it’s all meant in fun, and not malicious ly,” he went on. “I know what people think about Puerto Ricans in this day and age. Especially people who live in New York. There are stereotypes about them, just as there are about every other ethnic group, not to mention any other kind of group you can think of, All I have to do is say ‘Save the whale,’ and immediately a certain type of person comes to mind, right? Well, it’s the same thing. Everybody has preconceived notions about everything, especially other people. Some are based on fact, and some on fantasy. What’s important is keeping an open mind.”
“I can tell you’ve given this a lot of thought,” I ventured, still unsure of how to react.
“Yup, the old boy is thinking all the time. But seriously, Sallie, you can ask me anything want to know.”
“Okay.”
“And I would hope that I could feel free to do the same.”
“It’s only fair.”
Saul leaned forward and said, in a soft, conspiratorial voice, “So, tell me, where’s the bathroom in this joint?”
After that, the ice between Saul and me was completely broken. It was amazing how comfortable I felt with him, and how quickly. Besides, we had so much in common. Despite our noble intentions, we ended up talking away the rest of the afternoon. We talked about different rock groups; we talked about writing songs; we listened to a few of my new record albums. The chemistry was definitely there.
The only negative was that we never did get started on a song. I guess the inspiration simply wasn’t there. We agreed to stick to our original plan of an upbeat love song, but neither of us seemed to have any ideas.
“It’ll come,” Saul assured me.
When there was a knock at the door, I called “Come in!” I turned to look over in that direction, and as I did, I got a glimpse of the clock on my dresser. Five o’clock! I couldn’t believe it was so late; the afternoon had flown right by. Again. A weird trend seemed to be emerging: Whenever I was with Saul, I lost all track of time. Did this mean something?
It was Jenny who was standing in the doorway. “Hi, Sallie. Hi, Saul. How’s it going?”
Saul and I glanced at each other.
“We’re getting there,” he assured her, winking at
I started getting restless. “Saul, are you always so serious?” I asked in a teasing voice.
“About music, I am,” he answered earnestly. “But there are other times ...” He grabbed my foot and pulled it up into the air, then started making noises like a monkey. I immediately convulsed with giggles.
“Stop! Stop!” I screeched between my hyena-like screams. “I was only kidding!”
With a fake Spanish accent. Saul cried, “I weel show you no mercy until you agree to marry my seester!”
When I couldn’t breathe anymore and I was just about ready to faint from laughing so hard, he finally let go of my foot.
“You’re a nut!” I told him, still laughing.
“That’s nothing. You haven’t seen my Al Pacino imita tion yet.”
“Saul, tell me something. I probably sound ridiculously sheltered and naive, but you’ve got to understand ...”
“That you are sheltered and naive. What do you want to ask me?”
I lowered my voice and narrowed my eyes into tiny slits. “Do you carry a knife to school?”
“Why, do you think all Puerto Ricans have knives in their pointed black shoes?”
“I didn’t mean ...” My voice faltered.
“Hey, look, I was only kidding,” Saul said quickly. “You know, I don’t mind making jokes about being Puerto Rican. There is such a thing as taking yourself too seriously, you know. I think everybody should be able to fool around about themselves and their background. I mean, I could very easily make jokes about your orange hair, right?”
I gripped a strand of hair self-consciously and wrapped it around my finger.
“Just as long as it’s all meant in fun, and not malicious ly,” he went on. “I know what people think about Puerto Ricans in this day and age. Especially people who live in New York. There are stereotypes about them, just as there are about every other ethnic group, not to mention any other kind of group you can think of, All I have to do is say ‘Save the whale,’ and immediately a certain type of person comes to mind, right? Well, it’s the same thing. Everybody has preconceived notions about everything, especially other people. Some are based on fact, and some on fantasy. What’s important is keeping an open mind.”
“I can tell you’ve given this a lot of thought,” I ventured, still unsure of how to react.
“Yup, the old boy is thinking all the time. But seriously, Sallie, you can ask me anything want to know.”
“Okay.”
“And I would hope that I could feel free to do the same.”
“It’s only fair.”
Saul leaned forward and said, in a soft, conspiratorial voice, “So, tell me, where’s the bathroom in this joint?”
After that, the ice between Saul and me was completely broken. It was amazing how comfortable I felt with him, and how quickly. Besides, we had so much in common. Despite our noble intentions, we ended up talking away the rest of the afternoon. We talked about different rock groups; we talked about writing songs; we listened to a few of my new record albums. The chemistry was definitely there.
The only negative was that we never did get started on a song. I guess the inspiration simply wasn’t there. We agreed to stick to our original plan of an upbeat love song, but neither of us seemed to have any ideas.
“It’ll come,” Saul assured me.
When there was a knock at the door, I called “Come in!” I turned to look over in that direction, and as I did, I got a glimpse of the clock on my dresser. Five o’clock! I couldn’t believe it was so late; the afternoon had flown right by. Again. A weird trend seemed to be emerging: Whenever I was with Saul, I lost all track of time. Did this mean something?
It was Jenny who was standing in the doorway. “Hi, Sallie. Hi, Saul. How’s it going?”
Saul and I glanced at each other.
“We’re getting there,” he assured her, winking at
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