Less Of Me

by Edward Goble

  Chapter 24

  He usually celebrated the completion of a novel by ordering in a Chinese feast and a bottle of wine from Trader Joe’s. But tonight would be different. In keeping with what he had been feeling for the past few days, he would spend the evening with his friends. Debbie was meeting him at his place at 7:30 pm; about the time Mr. Martin would re-open the doors for his guests.

  Debbie arrived right on time and Andy went down to the street to show her how to park in from of his little garage like his mother. From there they walked over to the Martin’s.

  “So this is your neighborhood,” she said. She was bundled in a long purple topcoat and red knit hat and scarf against the cool wind off the bay. She put her hands in her pockets as they walked.

  Andy wanted to put an arm around her, but didn’t. He stuck his hands deeply in his own pockets, balling them into loose fists. “This is it. I like it. You know, if you like the City, it’s hard to beat this area, really.”

  “I love it,” she said. There were about a dozen old Germans and Italians in the deli when they walked in; the little string of bells bounced noisily on the glass door as it closed, announcing their arrival. Mr. Martin looked up, as did many of the guests. His eyes lit up as he saw his friend, and doubly so as he saw that Andy had brought a guest. Mrs. Martin was in a wheel chair, sitting at a table with old friends, laughing and enjoying being home. Mr. Martin made his way across the room and gave Andy another crushing bear hug. Andy stuck his tongue out and gasped over the old mans head, making Debbie laugh.

  “Andy, my friend! Welcome! And who is this beautiful young woman that you have brought tonight, huh?”

  “Mr. Martin, this is my friend Debbie Williams.”

  “Mr. Martin hugged Debbie, who was his same height, and said, “My dear, we celebrate tonight, ja? My wife, she came home from the hospital and everybody hugs tonight. Hugs and kisses and good German beer, ja?” He laughed and turned again to the crowd, dancing around, back to the counter to bring out some food.

  “What a guy!” she said.

  “He’s happy to have his wife home. Let me introduce you to Mrs. Martin.” They made their way through the tables and steins to where Maria Martin was sitting. Andy leaned down and hugged Mrs. Martin.

  “Andy, I’m so thankful for you,” she said. “You make my family very happy, I tell you.”

  “Mrs. Martin, this is my friend Debbie Williams. I told her about your accident.”

  Mrs. Martin took both of Debbie’s hands and drew her close, kissing her on both cheeks, “Debbie, it is so nice to meet you. You have a fine man here,” she said.

  Mr. Martin returned with two glasses of dark brown beer which he gave to Andy and Debbie and said, “Hey, everybody, come back and look at the new machine, huh?” And with that, he wheeled Mrs. Martin carefully through the saloon doors and into the back room followed by the parade of guests. He helped her in the chair and buckled her in for the trip and said, “This machine is to help Maria get up to our home. It was a gift from our neighbor, Andy Boyd.” he said and started clapping. He pushed the up button starting Maria on her journey to the top of the stairs. Everyone clapped and she waved and raised her arms like she’d won the gold medal. Her smile of joy lit up the room as she rose above the crowd. At the top she unbuckled herself and carefully stood up and turned a circle, showing everyone the finished product, and her friends all raised their glasses and cheered. Mrs. Martin sat back down and buckled in and pressed the down button for the return ride.

  “This was an amazing gift,” Debbie whispered to Andy. “You’re amazing,” she added. Everyone made it back in to the dining room where food was served and stories were told. Mr. Martin and his friends had the group doubled over in laughter for two solid hours. Debbie’s eyes never dimmed from their wide-eyed wonderment at the joy and community of Andy’s neighborhood. Her smile never left her face.

  At 9:30 pm they said good-bye to the Martins and the few remaining guests. Mr. and Mrs. Martin both began to cry when they thanked Andy for everything he had done for them.

  “We love you, Andy, you know that,” they said.

  “I know. I just want you to stay open, we all need you around here, okay?” he smiled and brushed off their sentiment, but he knew they were seriously touched by his generosity. It felt pretty good. Debbie kissed them both and thanked them for such a wonderful evening and expressed her hope for a full recovery for Mrs. Martin. As they stepped out of the Deli, leaving the laughing, conversation and opera music behind the closed door, the city became quiet and cool. They walked across the street with the signal and turned toward Andy’s place.

  Debbie locked her arms around Andy’s left arm as they walked slowly up the street. She had seen him among friends and had never been more proud to be with a man. In thirty-five years he didn’t know if he had ever been happier than he was at this moment.

  “I read your blog today,” she said. “Your mom gave me the link.”

  “Oh great,” he said.

  “No. It was good... You know that part, about ‘less of me?’”

  “Mmm, yeah.”

  “Did you know that’s right out of the Bible?”

  “Huh-uh.”

  “Mmhmm,” she said, gripping his arm tighter against the cold and snuggling her head tightly against his shoulder. “John the Baptist was talking to his followers about Jesus, and he said almost exactly the same thing. He said, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” In other words, I came to prepare the way for Him, you know, now it’s His turn to take the center stage. More of Jesus, less of me.”

  “Interesting,” he said. She gave him her keys as they reached her car and he opened the door for her. She turned in to him and he held her close in the chilly evening air.

  “I’ve always thought that was a good motto to live by, in general, more of Jesus, less of me. Kind of like you wrote,” she added with a tender smile.

  He nodded and kissed her on the cheek. Not as soft and tender as hers from the other night, but the best he could do.

  “This has been an amazing evening, Andy,” she said.

  “They’re great people, they really are. And they loved you.”

  Debbie smiled and shook her head, looking up into her new friends gently, loving eyes. She stood to her tiptoes and returned a long soft kiss to his nervous lips before he had a chance to react. She hugged him tightly and sat down in the drivers seat. He handed over her keys, somewhat reluctantly, and she started the car and buckled in as he watched. Then he shut the door, releasing her to go. They touched fingers against the glass of the window and smiled. Neither knew what else to say or what the future might hold for them. They just knew that this moment was perfect.

  As he watched the most wonderful girl in the world drive out of sight, he whispered to the cool evening air, “Less of me.”

  The End