Another Angel of Love

by Henry K. Ripplinger

  Henry took a deep breath and dialled. His heart accelerated through the first ring and then the second until he thought he was going to hyperventilate.

  “Hello?”

  It sounded like Julean.

  “Hello?”

  “Yes, hello,” Henry said. “Is Julean in?”

  “This is Julean.”

  “Hi, Julean, it’s Henry.”

  “Who?”

  She doesn’t remember me!

  “Oh! Hank! The Lone Ranger. I thought that was you, but when you said Henry it confused me for a minute.”

  “Yeah, all my friends call me Hank, but at work and at home, my parents usually call me Henry.”

  And that’s what Jenny called me too.

  “Oh, okay. So what do you want me to call you?”

  “Uh, Hank is fine.”

  “I really enjoyed myself at the dance the other night, Hank.”

  “Yeah, so did I.” Go for it! “I was wondering, Julean…”

  “Yes?”

  “Would you like to go to a movie on Saturday night?”

  “I’d love to go. Which movie did you have in mind? Not Lone Ranger and Tonto?”

  “No,” Henry laughed. “There’s one called Giant they’ve brought back. It’s about this rich Texan that owns all this land and oil. It stars Rock Hudson and James Dean—you know, the guy who died in that car accident.”

  “I love James Dean. That sounds great!”

  “Was there another movie you wanted to see?”

  “No, that one’s fine. What time will you pick me up?”

  “Well, I don’t have a car so I’ll ask my dad if he’ll drive us, and maybe we can take a taxi home. Would that be okay?”

  “Oh, that’s way too expensive. Let’s just take the trolley.”

  “All right,” Henry said. They settled on a pick-up time then said good-bye.

  Henry placed the receiver on the hook, not realizing until then how hot and flushed he was. His hands were sweaty and perspiration had formed circles under his armpits. And then it came—a rush of excitement he had not felt since Jenny said, “Quickly, hold my hand.” He was on cloud nine. Mr. Engelmann had been right as usual.

  In the blink of an eye, his emotions veered from nervousness and worry to elation and freedom. He’d allowed his lack of confidence and, and…procrastination to control him.

  Well, not anymore!

  Just then Mr. Engelmann moved the curtain aside and peeked through the doorway from the storage room.

  “I see by the look on your face all is well?”

  “It sure is. We’re going to a movie on Saturday night.”

  “That is good, Henry. Oh, to be young and in love.”

  “Yeah,” Henry answered absently.

  “Now that it’s over with, I guess I can expect to get some work out of you before you go home?”

  Henry smiled. “Yeah, yeah.”

  He headed over to the shelves to find out what needed restocking, but by the time he reached the storage room he’d forgotten and had to turn around and look again. His conversation with Julean kept getting in the way.

  After several attempts, Mr. Engelmann slid a piece of paper and a pencil to the end of the counter, shook his head from side to side and muttered, “Henry, Henry, Henry.”

  Before Henry left for the day, Mr. Engelmann asked if he could meet the girl who had turned his young assistant’s world upside down.

  Henry could see Mr. Engelmann was very happy he had found another girlfriend.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  I can see your mind is on your date tonight, Henry.”

  “It’s that obvious, is it?”

  Mr. Engelmann nodded. “When I dated Anna I was the same way. Pretty girls do it to a man every time.” Mr. Engelmann winked, then asked, “Is your father going to drive you to the movie?”

  “Actually my friend Travis can get his dad’s car. When I told him I was taking Julean out he decided to ask Lorraine, the girl I went on the blind date with, and so the four of us are going to double date again only this—”

  “My, my how quickly the right matches were made! You should be in for an interesting evening, no?”

  Henry smiled, “Yeah, it’ll be kinda awkward, but you know us men, we adjust very quickly when the right girl comes along.”

  “Well, you have a fine evening, Henry. Why don’t you run along and get ready—I can handle the store. It’s not so busy today. And besides, this is important—you want to make a good impression.”

  “Yeah, you’re right as usual. Thanks, Mr. Engelmann; as you already noticed, my mind just isn’t on my work at the moment and I hate to be paid for—”

  “Yes, yes, you go on now. Have fun, you are long overdue.”

  It was awkward for Henry to get out of the car to get Julean when just over a week ago it had been Travis knocking on her door. But as soon as Henry rang the doorbell, Julean answered.

  “Hi Hank, come in. I want you to meet my mom and dad.

  They were standing behind Julean, both wearing a pleasant smile as he came into the front entry. Henry didn’t expect this and momentarily felt shy. Julean’s dad must have just come home; he was still wearing a white smock and the label on his jacket read dr. carter.

  “Henry, this is Vera and Jack Carter, my parents.”

  Henry extended his hand to Julean’s mom and dad; their hands were already reaching out to him.

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Carter, and you, Mrs. Carter.”

  Henry heard them say something in response but was too nervous to listen. He was happy when Julean said, “We’d better get going or we’ll be late for the movie.”

  When they got to the car, Henry could see Travis staring at them, like he was maybe expecting her to get in the front seat. Henry and Julean chuckled nervously as they climbed into the back and Travis sped off to Lorraine’s place.

  No sooner had Travis come to a stop, about to open the door to get Lorraine, when she burst out the front door of her house and ran to the car. Instead of getting in with Travis she opened the back door and climbed in beside Henry.

  “Oh, I missed you so much, Hank, I couldn’t wait to see you!”

  “But what about me?” Travis protested, hastily turning around, “You’re my—”

  “My gosh, Travis! Am I supposed to be going out with you tonight?”

  “Well, yeah…” A worried look grew on his face. He wasn’t used to be being shunned like this.

  Julean chuckled, “But I’m not leaving Hank’s side! He’s my date tonight, Lorraine.”

  “No, he’s mine!” Lorraine grabbed Henry’s arm and pulled him away from Julean with a wink of a sparkling eye.

  Julean played along and tugged at Henry’s other arm.

  “Geez, what’s going on here?” Travis blurted again, watching jealously in the rear-view mirror as his buddy got sandwiched between the two beautiful girls.

  Seeing what Lorraine was up to, Henry teased, “Hey, I kinda like this, Travis. Just drive to the movies.”

  “No way! Lorraine please come sit up here with me. The car won’t move unless you’re beside me.” Travis, for once, actually had a pleading look in his eyes.

  Lorraine leaned forward and gave Travis a kiss on the cheek. “Does my new boyfriend really miss me?” And with that, she simply climbed right over the seat. “Well, at least now we all know who we’re supposed to be going out with!”

  Everybody laughed and at once felt at ease with the new arrangements. That Lorraine sure knows how to make people laugh.

  “So what’s it going to be, Giant or Some Like it Hot? I could easily take Marilyn Monroe for a couple of hours.”

  “Well, I think the girls might have James Dean and Rock Hudson in mind, Travis, and I don’t think the Marilyn Monroe starts for another hou
r,” Henry mused.

  “I saw Giant with my parents when it came out just after James Dean died two years ago and I just fell in love with him then. He was such a good actor; I could easily see it again,” Lorraine gushed as she turned and knelt on the front seat facing Julean. “Wait till you see him, Julean, is he ever cute! Kresge’s Department Store had a poster of him with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. My God, I thought I’d die when I saw it!”

  “Come on, Lorraine, wait till you see me with a smoke, it’ll curl your hair.” Travis’ confidence seemed to have returned.

  “Well, I’d like to see Giant and that’s the one Henry originally picked,” Julean said, squeezing Henry’s hand for the briefest of seconds.

  Lorraine turned around and sat back down. “That settles it, Travis, three to one. Giant it is.”

  “Arrgh,” Travis snarled in his jokey pirate voice. “And I’ll make ye walk the plank if I don’t like it!”

  Travis found a parking spot on Rose Street just off 11th Avenue. As the four walked the block to the Metropolitan Theatre, Henry couldn’t get over the fact that he was actually taking another girl to a movie. It had been more than three years since he and Jenny had seen High Society.

  “Look!” blurted Travis. There was a huge line-up at the Broadway theater across the street. “See? I’m not the only one who wants to see Marilyn.”

  “Oh, come on, Travis.” Lorraine tugged his arm. “Be a gentleman and open the door for me.”

  Once seated, with popcorn and drinks, they watched a clip of Alfred Hitchcock’s new movie, North by Northwest.

  Henry leaned close to Julean and whispered, “My friend and I saw Rear Window a couple of years ago. It was sure a suspenseful flick.”

  Julean nodded. “I saw it twice. I got more out of it the second time. Hitchcock’s movies always keep me on the edge of my seat.”

  Henry gazed into Julean’s eyes as she spoke. He wished she had said more so he could’ve looked at her longer. He leaned ever-so-slightly closer, wondering if there would be a hint of lilac perfume. There wasn’t—Julean didn’t seem to wear perfume, though she smelled pleasantly of shampoo—and Henry was glad; it would only have reminded him of Jenny. He remembered so clearly the night they had gone to the movies and that big fat guy sitting between them. He’d wanted so much to put his arm around her and hold her hand, maybe even rub his cheek against hers. He now had that same wish and desire. Slowly he turned to look at Julean. She was watching the movie; the main feature had started and Henry hadn’t even noticed.

  They were sharing popcorn, and every now and then their fingers touched as they reached for another handful at the same time. Henry found himself trying to time when Julean would next reach in the bag. He remembered scheming like this when he was at first with Jenny, too.

  Would she take his hand, as Jenny had?

  Geez, Henry thought, I’ve got to get into this movie. Rock Hudson was buying some horse. I wonder why? He’s sure hitting it off with Liz Taylor. When does that James Dean come in? Or did I miss him?

  Julean had set the empty popcorn bag on the floor and put her hands in her lap. It would be awkward to reach over the armrest that separated them. How could he get close enough to hold her hand? Maybe just put your arm around her. That’s what he’d wanted to do with Jenny and he’d been upset for days that he hadn’t had the chance. Go for it!

  Henry shifted in his chair, raised his left arm for what seemed like the longest moment ever and then let it slowly descend around Julean’s shoulder. Ever so imperceptibly she responded, leaning as close to him as possible. Her hair touched the side of his chin and the fresh scent of her shampoo sent him into seventh heaven. He leaned a little closer still, lowering his head, hoping their cheeks would touch. They did.

  Henry began to watch the show.

  Travis fired up his dad’s ’56 Ford Fairlane and turned onto 11th Avenue, headed east.

  “What do you say we go to Oscar’s for a hamburger or something?”

  “That’s sounds great, Travis, I am a little hungry, even after all that popcorn. How about you, Julean?”

  “Some fries would be nice, so long as I’m home by ten-thirty.”

  Geez, so that’s what her dad said, Henry thought. I was so nervous I completely missed it. “Yeah, its only twenty after nine, we should be done by then,” he said aloud, checking his watch.

  Lorraine turned around on the front seat as she had before, kneeling towards them. “So what do you think of Jimmy Dean, Julean? Wasn’t he adorable?”

  “He was cute, but I think Rock Hudson is very handsome.” Julean turned to Henry. “He sort of looks like you, Hank.”

  “Well, ya gotta like that, Pederson,” Travis teased.

  Henry just blushed. “I guess we might have the same kind of hair. His is more black, though.”

  “Your features are similar as well,” Julean commented.

  Lorraine squinted, looking Henry up and down over the back of the seat. “Yes, you do look a little like Rock, Hank,” she agreed.

  “All you need is a big ranch in Texas and you’ll have it made, buddy.”

  “Yeah, yeah…” Henry replied, his voice trailing off.

  “I don’t know who you look like with that fire-red hair of yours, Travis, but it does set my heart ablaze,” Lorraine quipped, and slid closer to him.

  “Now that’s my girl!” Travis said, freeing his right arm from the steering wheel and wrapping it around Lorraine’s shoulders.

  Henry wondered if he should do the same with Julean. Before he built up the nerve, Julean slid a hand off her lap into the space between them, almost touching Henry’s hand which was already there. Henry could sense her warmth only microns away and he instinctively moved his hand onto hers. She turned her own slightly and curled her fingers around his.

  The interior of the car was filled with a comfortable silence. Travis turned right on Winnipeg Street, then left at Victoria Avenue and headed east again. Oscar’s was a drive-in restaurant just on the outskirts of town, a favourite hangout for high school students. As they approached Broder Street, Henry turned to Julean and said, “That’s where I work on Saturdays and after school. Engelmann’s Confectionery and Grocery.”

  “How do you find the time to work there with all you do at school?”

  “Oh, I just do my best. I love working there. Mr. Engelmann is a very wise man; I’ve learned so much from him.”

  “Like how thick to cut the salami?” Travis snickered.

  “Yeah, sure,” Henry retorted, not wanting to get into it. He immediately tried to change the subject. “Maybe we can all go to that Hitchcock movie at the Met in a couple of weeks.”

  “There’s another good one starting at the Broadway too,” interjected Lorraine, “Anatomy of a Murder, with James Stewart.”

  “Geez, I like that guy,” said Henry and began to imitate him. “Well, now, tha-that’s right, Lorraine,” Henry began, drawing out the words and lowering his voice a bit.

  “My gosh, Hank, you sound just like him.” Julean was so excited she pulled her hand from Henry’s and clapped.

  “You ain’t seen nothing yet, kid.”

  Suddenly Henry was James Cagney and this time Lorraine recognized who he was trying to sound like.

  Horns began honking as Travis turned into Oscar’s. Travis honked back and waved his hand. It wasn’t that busy tonight and Travis easily found a spot near the restaurant.

  Hilda, Eddy’s girlfriend, saw them and came over, adjusting her waitress uniform as she walked.

  “And here comes Hilda. Look at those boobs just a-bouncin’. No wonder Zeigler’s in love with her!”

  Lorraine smacked Travis on the arm and Henry inwardly cringed at his friend’s crude comment. Oblivious, Travis rolled down his window.

  “Hey guys, what can I get you?” Hilda asked, leaning down to peer in the wi
ndow, giving Travis a nice flash of her cleavage.

  “I’ll have your two milkshakes,” Travis stuttered, transfixed.

  But Hilda wasn’t offended and merely asked what flavour.

  “Whatever flavour they are, I’ll take ’em.”

  This time Hilda saw where the conversation was going and so did Julean. She leaned forward and hit Travis’ shoulder too. “You’re just terrible, Travis! Apologize to her!”

  Lorraine, arms crossed now, had slid away from him. She was clearly unimpressed.

  “One more crack like that and you’ll have a milkshake over your head,” Hilda snapped.

  “Okay already! A guy can’t but help notice a girl so…gifted, can he? I was just joking. Okay, so what does everyone want?”

  After that they ordered, ate and talked about the movie and how James Dean had turned his little plot of land into a fortune by discovering oil.

  Julean was the first to be dropped off.

  Henry walked her to the door.

  “I sure had a good time tonight, Hank.”

  “So did I, Julean. Maybe we can do it again next Friday?”

  “That’d be great!”

  “Oh, geez, I forgot! I have a basketball game next Friday. But maybe Saturday?”

  “What if I came to watch you play? And we could go out on Saturday, too.”

  “That would be swell.”

  They fell quiet and stared at one another. Julean was so pretty. Her eyes glinted in the light from the porch as she stepped forward and kissed Henry on the cheek.

  “Good night, Hank. Thanks again for a lovely evening.”

  Henry nodded. He wanted to kiss her but Julean turned and went inside.

  Henry fully expected Travis to take Lorraine home first but was surprised when Travis drove to Henry’s place instead.

  “See ya Monday, Hank.”

  “See you, Hank,” Lorraine echoed.

  And Travis sped off, raising the dust on the empty street.