He said, “I don’t know. He gave me a list of jobs to choose from here it is.”
She took the list and read it over. She then penciled in another position which was Assistant Vice President. She said, “This makes the list more interesting. Its lunch time so let’s eat.”
They went to a reasonable priced restaurant she liked and she quickly ordered a petite steak or that was what they called it.
He said, “I would like the same thing only bigger.” With the trimmings it was more like dinner than lunch. Strangely enough she didn’t talk too much during their meal, but consecrated on eating as if she was hungry. He thought her husband dying hasn’t hurt her appetite any.
While they had an after lunch coffee she began talking with questions galore.
He tried to limit his answers to a couple of words which only caused a barrage of follow up questions. After his evasion and limited answers she said, “You know I have had you investigated don’t you?”
He was genuinely surprised by that and said, “Why on earth would you do a thing like that?”
She said, “Think about it. The way you answered my questions, I knew you must be a very private person and I wanted to know all about you.
He said, “All you could find out was things of record I may have things hidden that you don’t want to know about.”
She laughed and said, “I spotted you before you ejected your room-mate and her friend and then began to enquire as to your status.”
He said, “Well what is your conclusion about me. Do I pass your test or am I found wanting?”
She answered and said, “It wasn’t anything like that, it was I felt you quit living far too soon and I was right about that, wasn’t I?”
He took a long time before answering her and then said, “Yes, you were right.”
She took a long breath and then said, “My situation seemed to parallel yours somewhat and after watching you I didn’t want to follow the same pattern of life that you did. I purposed not to withdraw into oblivion feeling that life was over.
I thought it was over for you until your roommate moved in and she had quite an effect on you. You changed while around her and you owe her a lot. You are still a young man in your early sixties and watching you was important for if you could change then so could I.”
Upon that note they said goodbye and he had a lot of thinking to do.
The first thing was to tell that mirror on the wall to shut up, “I’m no longer an old man and from now on just reflect the new man, or your reflecting days will be over in a hurry.”
“Tomorrow,” he thought, “They will be getting a new Assistant Vice President and they don’t know what a bargain they are getting.”
Chapter 5 Getting Acquainted
The first day was spent in getting acquainted with all the staff and setting up his office.
His name was on the door as the assistant to one of the vice presidents. He had yet to meet the Veep and figured he might as well get it over with. Knocking on his door he went in after hearing “Entrée.”
He sat across from the Veep and met his stare with a piercing look he had learned from dealing with people who felt they were superior to everyone else. For a while neither of them blinked, it was then the Veep knew he had met his match.
He then moved on past the theatrics and began to lay out the New man’s (as he now called himself) portfolio. He had a large file he wanted New Man to get acquainted with and said he expected him to perform at the level he was told he could. After a while things began to ease up and the atmosphere became cordial.
New Man thought this isn’t going to be so bad after all. With the day all but behind him he started asking questions about the widow.
The secretaries were more than happy to tell him every thing they knew and add some speculations about things they didn’t know.
That evening he thought he would have dinner before he went home and went in a restaurant near the office. As he entered he heard a familiar voice.
One he didn’t know if he wanted to listen to. It was too late for she had him in her sights. It was his ex-roommate and she was in the mood for conversation. At first it was all about her and her conquests.
Then it shifted to our New Man. The first thing she wanted to know was how far he had got along with her. He acted as if he didn’t know what she was talking about but due to her incessant razzing he told her how things had developed so far.
She said, “This isn’t the stuff I want to hear about. Have you visited her bed yet?”
He said, “That’s enough. If you don’t cut it out, I will leave.”
She said, “Are you in the dark as to what is happening?”
“What are you talking about?” he asked.
“She has her cap set for you and she intends to have you.”
“Maybe she can have me… is that what you want to hear?”
He was getting a little perplexed at her implications so he left and went home.
The apartment he now had was bigger than his old one and his chair fit right in with the rather plain décor.
Around seven, he received a phone call wanting to know how his day went. He recognized the voice as belonging to the widow.
Out of fun he said. “I was just thinking about you, wondering how you were doing.”
She was surprised at first for he had never been that forward with her.
Being experienced at the “tit for tat” game so she said, “Just how would you like me to be?”
That was all it took for the wind to go out of his sails and all he could think of was the word “Okay.”
She said well you will be happy to know I’m okay. Then there was a great silence between them until she laughed and said, “I’m just teasing, you know that don’t you?”
Being somewhat unsure he said “Yea sure.”
She said, “Now c’mon don’t go clamming up on me I wanted to chat with you.”
He said; “Okay.” And again silence.
She said, “Say something, something sweet.”
That unnerved him and he said, “I have to go,” and hung up. It was going to be a restless night for him.
She was ecstatic for she had him just where she wanted him. She would reel him as he regained his composure and he began to feel sure of himself again.
Chapter 6 Meeting the Girls
It was early morning when he woke up and immediately his mind went to last night’s phone call. He wondered what was going on.
He felt whatever it was, he was in the middle of it and it made him feel unsure of himself. He had dealt with business men at the highest level but this woman was something else and she had him confused.
He made a list of possibilities and the one that stood out was the possibility that she was building him up and showing interest to make another possible suitor jealous.
He hadn’t checked it out but he thought the widow had a large interest in the company otherwise he wouldn’t be working there, and it just so happened that she brought her husbands clothes to the mission when he was in need and standing outside the mission.
He couldn’t figure it out for it was too complex for his mind. The one thing that stood out was he felt like a fish on a hook being slowly reeled in and he couldn’t help himself.
He had to put this aside and get to work. A shower, breakfast, and he was ready for the day. The one thing he was sure of was his job. With his experience it was easy.
At first the Veep wasn’t certain about the New Man whether he was aiming for his job or what. Yet there was no evidence of him trying to undermining him.
Something he really appreciated was when a client dropped in unexpectedly the New Man would call him by his name and would bring him into the Veep’s office and say something like, “Look who’s here!” and call him by his name in case I couldn’t remember it.
It was like that all the time. By the time the clien
t got to my office they felt like they were privileged to get to see me. At this point I don’t see how I could get along without him.
The New Man never asked for it but he had gotten two hefty raises already for his boss’s dept had increased in profits greatly. Most everyone gave the credit to the new man.
The weekend was coming up and the widow invited him to spend the weekend with her and her daughters. He kinda wanted to go but he felt he didn’t want to be alone with her. He felt foolish thinking that way but that was the way it came out. Naturally he said yes, he would be glad to go.
She told him that she would pick him up after work and to pack a suitcase for they would stop on the way for dinner and then go straight there.
It was still daylight when they arrived and as she parked her car two young ladies came bouncing out of the house. They gave her a kiss on the cheek and then began looking New Man over. They walked around him, giggling all the while.
The widow said for them to stop and behave themselves. While walking to the front door one of the girls said Mom can we keep him?
New Man thought; this is going to be worse than I thought. Daughter number one took his suitcase while daughter number two took his arm and walked him into the house.
The widow told number one to take New Man to his room for the week end. The daughter led him to a large room with a view. After showing him the bath she said my room is just next door. If you need anything during the night just come over and come in for the door will be unlocked.
New Man thought I’m spending the week end with a house full of loose women and I can’t get away from here.
Having eaten an early dinner the new man was getting a little hungry but he didn’t want to ask where something to eat was. If he was home he would have been in the fridge by now and relieving that hunger pain.
There was a firm rap at his door. He wondered if it was safe to open it. That number one daughter might be there and ready to attack him. After the second knock a voice said; we are serving a snack in the kitchen so if you are hungry you can come down and join us.
Upon hearing there was food to be had, he swung the door open and there stood a woman in a maid’s uniform who said; follow me this way to the kitchen. It was a short cut from the upstairs and he followed her on her heels so to speak.
When he got to the kitchen there was no one in there which brought him relief. He didn’t ask where everyone was but just began to help himself to some delicious Hors d'œuvres.
He felt silly sitting there stuffing himself but continued anyway. He looked for something to drink but all that was served was wine. He didn’t want that so he looked for some water.
The kitchen sink was in view, but he couldn’t find a glass anywhere. Finally he decided to drink from the faucet on the sink. Turning it on, he leaned over to drink when the widow came in. She burst out laughing and said let me see if I can find you a glass.
He stood there with water dripping from his chin and said that dried fish was very salty and I couldn’t find a glass. There wasn’t even a wine glass; does every one drink from the bottle?
She continued laughing saying; the maid just washed the dishes and hasn’t put everything away. She said you can drink from my faucet anytime you want. He said I’ll remember that.
The girls came in with several other guests and New Man was glad to get off the subject about his drinking habits. He was introduced as Ma’s new boy friend to everyone which he didn’t deny for he didn’t want to stutter and sputter trying to explain he wasn’t her boy friend just a guest like them.
He thought they were having a lot of fun at his expense. He actually enjoyed it for it was fun for him also. Over the years he had grown into a somewhat staid condition and there was no fun for him.
He was getting the idea that their teasing was just all in fun and being a target wasn’t so bad once he relaxed. After some time the guests either left or retired to their bedrooms leaving only the two girls and the maid putting things back in order for breakfast the next morning and leaving the New Man with the widow sitting in the living room.
She said, “I hope the girls aren’t too much for you. They are totally unrepressed.”
“Like their mother,” he added, she agreed, “Like their mother but they wouldn’t tease you if they hadn’t taken a liking to you right off.”
He said, “I admit I was taken aback at first but now I really like both of them.”
The two girls came in and said, “Its time for you to go to bed now, and added ‘separately’ that is.”
The widow said alright that’s enough for tonight. I’ll be right up.
New Man watched them go up the stairs and then said, “My face has been red every since I have been here. Those gals are too much!”
She said you better turn in for that’s what I’m going to do.
The next morning New Man had a quiet breakfast because everyone except he and the cook were still in bed. After eating he decided to look the place over. It was quite large with what once were stables and a coach house.
There was a large pool and patio area with a place for food preparation. He thought about his two room apartment he shared with roommate for a while and the larger one he now lived in and said I’m really out of place here.
All the people who were there last night were rich and lived like this all the time. He thought about his good salary and said it would pay for about an hour a month for this place.
While he was feeling small the widow came out and found him. She took his arm and pulled herself close to him as they walked. This was difficult for him to be with her like this.
The things he went through with his wife and being depressed about losing his job and barely getting along had taken its toll on him. Though he was coming out of it he still wasn’t ready for all this luxury. She led him over to a private sitting area and said, “I’m glad you are here.”
He said, “What about all your guests?” for he could hear them in the background.
She said, “They are friends of my girl’s mostly and if I knew you would be here they wouldn’t have been invited.”
She said, “The girls have been urging me to get married again and I must confess that I am giving it some thought. There are men from all over wanting to become my dream man but I fear the dream would turn into a nightmare shortly after the wedding. It’s interesting that the smell of money can put romance in the air quicker than anything else I know of.”
As he sat there his demeanor was a combination of being pleased with a measure of skepticism.
She looked at him and said, “I hope I haven’t shocked you… no, you aren’t shocked for you have known where my interest was leading to.”
For a moment he dared not to speak for all that would come out would have been; I uh, I uh, I uh. So he kept quiet.
She said I guess that answers any questions and misgivings I might have had and stood to leave. New Man leaped up and grabbed her arm and the pulled her close to him in a gentle embrace. He still couldn’t speak but his actions told her all she needed to know.
They stood there for what seemed like an eternity until daughter number one came and stood there while observing them. At first they were unaware she was there until she started coughing to get their attention.
She said, “Mom our guests are leaving and you should say goodbye unless you are too busy with other things.”
The widow left number one daughter with New Man and went to say goodbye to the guests. “So,” said the daughter, “What are your intentions New Man as if I didn’t know?”
Once again he found himself without words and she spoke up and said “Cat got your tongue?”
As he looked away from her she said, “Listen, you keep it clean until after the wedding, you get my meaning?”
He managed a, “Got ya.”
The widow came back and one look at New Man told her that daughter number one h
ad done a job on him. She motioned with her head for number one to scat and as number one left she said, “Don’t you get Mom pregnant.”
New Man almost collapsed when she said that. The widow took new man and hugged him close and said, “Now, now, everything is alright. You don’t pay her any attention to her for she can be mean sometimes.”
He thought she wasn’t mean she just said some of the things I wanted to hear and would like to hear some more.
For the rest of the weekend they enjoyed each others company and the widow said, “Let’s give it a little time and see where it leads to while thinking; to the altar I hope.”
Chapter 7 The storm and the Motel
The Old Man and the Widow Page 2