and elegant along backyard fences; small front-yard rose gardens, their blooms droopy but still lovely; pyracantha bushes alive with curious birds, diving among the long, stiff branches, looking for the perfect spot to build a nest; sturdy orange trees, heavy with unpicked fruit; and occasionally a yard full of bizarrely shaped cacti, sticking up like spooks in a graveyard ground cover of glistening white rock. The continuous sunshine from May to October made everything grow well. One didn’t need a green thumb to grow a prosperous garden in Santa Clara County. No wonder so many fruit and vegetable farmers settled here in centuries past. There was enough blue sky and sunshine for everyone.
But Gina noticed none of this. Once home she jerked the baskets from the front seat, and even before she had crossed the threshold of her apartment she shot a hopeful glance at the answering machine in the corner of the living room. The red light was unblinking, exactly as she had left it two hours earlier. She sighed gustily. Well that just makes it easier to do my homework.
She would try to be positive.
She hunched over her R.C. Allen that afternoon, plunking noisily at the stiff green keys. In the back of her mind was the disquieting thought that she had nowhere to spend the evening and no one to spend it with. She pushed it to the back again the minute it tried to creep forward. She was tired of dealing with the problem, and she needed to focus on her English paper. Nevertheless her mind kept wandering to Saturdays past. They used to be so easy. She spent all of them with Michael unless his law studies got in the way. But even if he had too much studying to do on Saturday night, there were always a few precious hours on Sunday afternoon to stroll through the San Jose Rose Garden, take in a movie, or hang out with Rolando, Michael’s roommate, a business student from Florence.
In the past Gina had had more girlfriends too. She’d made many friends her freshman year, mostly fellow residents of Swig Hall. But that was nearly two years ago. Her old friends had scattered or made new friends, and she had changed. She had new friends at church, but most of them lived farther out, near the church building on Miramonte Avenue in Mountain View, too far for casual get-togethers. After two years of spending most of her free time with Michael and his friends, her own circle of nearby friends had shrunk, and now she had to start all over again.
She got up from her typewriter and walked over to the phone in the living room . I’ll call Bonnie. Maybe Bonnie could get a sitter so that she and Gina could hang out. She liked spending time with Bonnie, though it often meant they were a noisy foursome because of the kids. But no, tonight she wasn’t in the mood to be around little children. She wanted to dress up and go out and have fun, not help Bonnie wipe noses or soothe a crying baby in a public place. The problem was how to tell Bonnie that she wanted her to hire a sitter for a change. Gina dialed the phone and waited. When she heard Bonnie’s recorded voice on the answering machine, she was relieved. She didn’t bother to leave a message.
She could drive to her parents’ house at the other end of Santa Clara. They were always home on Saturday night. But things were strained right now because of Michael. Even without their recent clashes, Saturday night at Mom and Dad’s house was boring. Without fail her parents would spend the entire evening watching TV or reading until they fell asleep. No, if she wanted dull there was plenty of it at her own place.
Again Rolando’s face surfaced in her mind. Medium-tall with a smooth olive complexion and thick black hair that he combed frequently, Michael’s former roommate was one of the best looking young men she had ever met. He was a ladies’ man, for sure, always flirting with all the girls. He knew he was gorgeous, but it was easy to overlook his vanity because he was also fun, good natured,
But Gina noticed none of this. Once home she jerked the baskets from the front seat, and even before she had crossed the threshold of her apartment she shot a hopeful glance at the answering machine in the corner of the living room. The red light was unblinking, exactly as she had left it two hours earlier. She sighed gustily. Well that just makes it easier to do my homework.
She would try to be positive.
She hunched over her R.C. Allen that afternoon, plunking noisily at the stiff green keys. In the back of her mind was the disquieting thought that she had nowhere to spend the evening and no one to spend it with. She pushed it to the back again the minute it tried to creep forward. She was tired of dealing with the problem, and she needed to focus on her English paper. Nevertheless her mind kept wandering to Saturdays past. They used to be so easy. She spent all of them with Michael unless his law studies got in the way. But even if he had too much studying to do on Saturday night, there were always a few precious hours on Sunday afternoon to stroll through the San Jose Rose Garden, take in a movie, or hang out with Rolando, Michael’s roommate, a business student from Florence.
In the past Gina had had more girlfriends too. She’d made many friends her freshman year, mostly fellow residents of Swig Hall. But that was nearly two years ago. Her old friends had scattered or made new friends, and she had changed. She had new friends at church, but most of them lived farther out, near the church building on Miramonte Avenue in Mountain View, too far for casual get-togethers. After two years of spending most of her free time with Michael and his friends, her own circle of nearby friends had shrunk, and now she had to start all over again.
She got up from her typewriter and walked over to the phone in the living room . I’ll call Bonnie. Maybe Bonnie could get a sitter so that she and Gina could hang out. She liked spending time with Bonnie, though it often meant they were a noisy foursome because of the kids. But no, tonight she wasn’t in the mood to be around little children. She wanted to dress up and go out and have fun, not help Bonnie wipe noses or soothe a crying baby in a public place. The problem was how to tell Bonnie that she wanted her to hire a sitter for a change. Gina dialed the phone and waited. When she heard Bonnie’s recorded voice on the answering machine, she was relieved. She didn’t bother to leave a message.
She could drive to her parents’ house at the other end of Santa Clara. They were always home on Saturday night. But things were strained right now because of Michael. Even without their recent clashes, Saturday night at Mom and Dad’s house was boring. Without fail her parents would spend the entire evening watching TV or reading until they fell asleep. No, if she wanted dull there was plenty of it at her own place.
Again Rolando’s face surfaced in her mind. Medium-tall with a smooth olive complexion and thick black hair that he combed frequently, Michael’s former roommate was one of the best looking young men she had ever met. He was a ladies’ man, for sure, always flirting with all the girls. He knew he was gorgeous, but it was easy to overlook his vanity because he was also fun, good natured,
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