by Linda Ungar
“God, if she can fall in love and rescue that ridiculous looking creature, maybe there’s hope for me,” he thought.
“Eddie, do you have a minute? I want to talk to you about something.”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“I just got a call from Paulie, he slipped on some ice near his house last night and broke his ankle. He’s not going to be able to come back to work for a while, so I need some help around here, especially now that I have to watch the dog. Maybe not full time, at least not to start. We can see how it goes. You told me your heart device works pretty well, and I don’t think anything I need you to do should be a problem. What do you say?”
Normally he would have scoffed at the offer, since he looked down on menial work. He always imagined he’d have an important job, though he never imagined what he would have to do to get it, but this would give him an opportunity to see Anna regularly.
“What do you want me to do?”
“A little of this and that. Sweep up at the end of the day, watch the store when I have to spend time in the basement putting supplies away, or when I want to run errands. You could learn to make sandwiches for the lunch crowd, and walk the dog sometimes. In fact, if you start today I could use you to walk Stroopsie right now.” Mr. Jovanovic picked up a leash and handed it to him. “OK?”
Eddie, not an animal lover, inwardly groaned. But he wasn’t going to let that be an obstacle. For Anna, he would even pretend to like her stupid dog. He had never been so smitten by anyone before.
Eddie bent over and attached the leash to the dog’s collar.
“How come she’s named Stroopsie, did your daughter giver her that name?” Eddie thought the silly name suited the silly looking dog.
“No, that was the name her former owners gave her. The people at the pound said she was brought in by an older couple who were selling their house and moving to an apartment that didn’t allow dogs. They were heartbroken to have to give her up.”
Stroopsie perked her ears up at the sound of her name, then sat down, refusing to go with Eddie. Apparently the dislike was mutual. With some coaxing from Jovanovic, Stroopsie eventually allowed herself to be walked. She did what she needed to do quickly, then tugged at her leash anxiously leading the way back to the store.
Time passed more quickly than Eddie had expected. It was actually easier to work than spend the day trying to avoid his landlord.
“You’ve been a big help to me today, Eddie, can you come in again tomorrow?”
“Yeah, Mr. Jovanovic that’ll be ok.”
“Good, but since you’ll be working here now, do me favor and call me Mr. J., otherwise you’ll spend half the time I’m paying you just pronouncing my name.”
“No problem, but I have to ask you a favor.” He explained the situation with the late check and asked for an advance so he could pay his landlord when he got home. “I should have it definitely by tomorrow, so I can give you the money when I come in then.”
His new boss hesitated for a moment, then agreed.
Eddie got up his nerve to ask another favor. “Could you pay me under the table so I don’t have to declare any income? I really could use all the help I can get.”
The second request was denied.
“No. That I won’t do. America’s a great country.”
“Oh no, not the America lecture again,” Eddie mentally rolled his eyes.
“It doesn’t give you anything,” Jovanovic continued, giving his favorite lecture. “You have to grab it. But it’s here to grab. My parents brought me here when I was ten years old. They gave me a chance to live in this great country, and we thanked God every day for that opportunity. When we first came here we got help from the government until my family was able to take care of themselves. Where do you think that money came from? I’ll tell you where.”
“I’m sure you will.” Eddie thought unhappily.
“Taxes, that’s where. You wouldn’t get a disability check if nobody paid taxes. What I will do is work with you and show you how to get ahead by saving your money. Every time I pay you, take some of it and put it away. Then you’ll never have to worry about paying the rent again. You’ll need to have some put away for the time you have to be in the hospital. You don’t want to come out and find you have no place to live, do you?”
Unlike Jovanovic, Eddie never planned that far in advance, so hadn’t thought of that. He tried to appear interested in all this good advice. It reminded him of a conversation he’d once had with Jill after one of the many times he’d come to her for money.
“You know what some people do when they have money problems?” she asked.
“What?” he asked, eager for easy answers.
“They get a job!”
This wasn’t the answer he hoped to hear.
“You can wind up living on Easy Street, there’s just no easy way to get there.”
Now like then, he was disappointed. And now like then, he had no other choice, not if he wanted to see Anna again. Constant thoughts of her had lodged in his mind, and he had no desire to evict them.
“That’s a good idea Mr. J., you’re right,” he said, pretending to be grateful.
He did, however, make one more request.
“Don’t tell anyone I’m on the transplant list. I don’t want people feeling sorry for me and asking a lot of questions. I hope to have a bright future.” But it wasn’t other people he cared about, it was only Anna. It wouldn’t improve his chances with her if she knew his condition.
Mr. Jovanovic nodded ok. “How old are you, thirty, thirty-one?”
“Thirty-three.”
“That’s very young, plenty of time for you to make it yet. I agree with you. I think you have a lot to look forward to.”
Eddie did get satisfaction going into the hardware store, just before closing time, and paying his rent. He enjoyed seeing Walter Staab looking so surprised.
“You thought I couldn’t pay. Don’t worry about getting your rent anymore. My luck has changed, and I expect it to get even better,” he boasted, and strutted out the door with an air of importance.
When Eddie caught a glimpse of himself in the living room mirror, it shocked him. It had been quite a while since he paid any attention to his grooming. His unwashed hair needed to be cut, he hadn’t shaved in days, and his clothes were stained. Now he was grateful Anna hadn’t noticed him when she was talking to her father.
Years ago, when he was still in the Navy, his ship had docked in some port city, he couldn’t remember which one now. He had passed a second-hand store, filled with dusty old furniture. An elderly, broken down man was staring in the store window, the reflection of his forlorn face captured in an old mirror. He, like the abandoned furniture, unwanted. Eddie was reminded of that face as he saw his own reflection. The memory frightened him.
“It’s not too late for me. I won’t end up like that old man,” he vowed.
He hadn’t realized how much he’d let himself go. There was still time to bring his clothes to the laundromat and get a haircut before Hector closed his barbershop. Meeting Anna had been like shock therapy for him. He was allowing himself to hope for a future that included her.
“Anna Gavula, that sounds better than Anna Jovanovic,” he mused.
But right now all he had to offer her was a shorter last name.
“Good morning Eddie, you clean up well. Why were you keeping your good looks a state secret?” Mr. Jovanovic laughed, enjoying seeing such an improvement in Eddie’s appearance. He was also relieved not to have to tell Eddie that he expected him to come to work looking neat and clean. He thought he would have to bring up that subject today. It confirmed his belief in the basic goodness in people. “If you just show an interest, and give someone a chance, they can make it.”
Eddie’s dark brown hair was neatly trimmed, and shaving off the stubble revealed a nice-looking face. He wore a denim shirt that complimented his blue eyes.
“I thou
ght I should look more professional if I’m going to work here.”
“That’s a good idea.” But Mr. Jovanovic guessed that it had everything to do with Anna and nothing to do with the job. He really didn’t care what the reason was, he was happy to have made a difference in someone’s life. He was optimistic that he would have some part in making Eddie’s life better. He also didn’t worry about Anna ever being interested in Eddie. She knew her worth and would never settle for someone who was not her equal. Now with Frank Russo in her life, it was almost impossible for any man to compete. Mr. Jovanovic shook his head in pity at Eddie’s unrealistic dreams concerning his daughter. He would, however, do everything he could to help him realize the ones that were possible.
He was happy that Anna had found Frank. He remembered the night she came for dinner and first told her parents about him. Anna, who taught at a local charter school, had approached Frank’s hedge fund firm to seek funding for a project she wanted to start. She was nervous about trying to convince a group of high-powered people, who lived such privileged lives, to help her underprivileged students. Would they care that something as basic as nutritious food and a safe place to stay after school, where the students also could get help with their homework could mean the difference between success and failure, and in some cases, even life or death? But to her relief, the meeting had gone well.
Frank had been the one in his company who wanted to help the disadvantaged. Anna said that he asked a lot of questions that revealed both his idealism and his pragmatism. As Anna excitedly bubbled on about the meeting, her parents looked at each other knowing it was not just the success of her presentation that caused her glow.
When Anna was first introduced to the group, she got the usual reaction from the men, Frank included. It was the rare man who was not almost immediately attracted to her. But after she finished speaking she saw that he was not just attracted to her beauty, he was attracted to her.
For Frank, as a successful handsome young man, beautiful women were not a rarity in his life, but women of substance were. Frank was certain he had just met the woman he would marry.
Eddie eagerly waited for Anna. He heard the barking before he saw her. He stood by the door, making it impossible for her not to notice him. As she came in, he smiled at her. She nodded, briefly looking at him without pausing, and walked quickly to the back of the store where her father was slicing the meats and cheeses needed for today’s sandwiches.
“Hi, Pappa, here she is,” handing over the leash with Stroopsie excitedly jumping up to greet him. “I’m running late, see you later.” Then she was gone. It would be hours before she came back.
Mr. Jovanovic glanced at the clock right after she left, and the next time he looked it was almost four. It always surprised him how quickly his day disappeared. Talking to the customers as he served them was like socializing with friends. People would walk blocks out of their way to come to his store. The place had a convivial atmosphere as everyone talked and kidded around as they caught up with each other’s lives. Those who claimed that New Yorkers weren’t friendly had obviously never been here. Mr. J’s had become a neighborhood institution, it was even featured once on the local news when two of his customers who had met in the store wound up getting married and had the wedding catered by Mr. J’s. Even though Eddie had been shopping here for many months now, he never joined in the friendly banter that the other customers enjoyed. He was irritated with all their chatter, and felt it slowed down the service. He had no interest in them, but now that he was working here he was forced to be friendly. For him, unlike Mr. Jovanovic, it seemed to take three days to get to four o’clock. Eddie thought he was doing the customers a favor by waiting on them. Mr. J. patiently explained it was the customers bringing their business to his store that made him successful. “Without them,” he said, “I wouldn’t be able to pay your salary. They’re doing us a favor by coming here. I like to treat everyone well and have them leave happy. It’s good business and costs me nothing. Look, here comes Mrs. Moscarella, go open the door for her. She likes a little pampering. You’ll see how easy it is to make someone happy.”
He did as he was asked, and let in a heavyset middle-aged woman. “Thank you. young man, I don’t think I’ve seen you before. When did you start here?”
“Why these questions; why is this anything she has to know?” he wondered irritably, unaffected by Mr. J’s efforts to educate him.
Mr. Jovanovic answered for him. “This is Eddie Gavula. He just started working here. He’s going to help me until Paulie can come back. Poor Paulie fell on some ice, so he’ll be out for a while. But tell me about you. How are you today?”
“Like me,” she sighed heavily.
“Well, if you said you were like somebody else I’d have to report you for identity theft,” he teased her.
Mrs. Moscarella left with a large bag of groceries and a small temporary smile.
Just as Mrs. Moscarella walked out, Slim the neighborhood drunk unsteadily swayed towards the door. No one knew his last name. He didn’t seem to need one, but everyone knew his reputation; a mean drunk. The police would take him off the streets for a while, but he always returned. Eddie feared trouble. The tall, red faced drunkard, staggered slightly as he made his way to the counter. Taking off his hat as he entered, he smoothed his wispy gray hair.
“Hi Slim, how are you?” Mr. Jovanovic greeted him as if he was actually glad to see him.
Slim spoke slowly, trying and failing not to slur his words. “Not too bad. Thank you for asking.”
“You want your usual?”
“Yes, please.” He sat down at the little table, carefully placing his hat on his lap, and waited quietly while Mr. Jovanovic kept up a friendly one-sided conversation while he made Slim’s sandwich.
After he left, Mr. Jovanovic turned to Eddie, “That man could get a sandwich anywhere, but do you know why he comes here? Here he gets respect. He’s more hungry for dignity than food. He wants to be treated like a person, not just a drunkard. And do you know what, he always goes out of his way to be nice to me. I never have trouble with him. I like to give everyone who comes in here something from me that makes their lives better. If you think of others, Eddie, it makes you happier. And remember what I said before, it’s good business.” Mr. Jovanovic looked at him trying to see if his words had any impact.
They didn’t. Knowing Anna was coming soon to pick up Stroopsie was all he cared about. He kept looking out the window anxious for her arrival.
Approaching the store Anna saw Eddie at the window. It was the first time she had really looked at him. A man his age taking a job as her father’s helper could mean only one thing, she thought. “He’s another one of my father’s ‘projects’.” She smiled, thinking of her overly optimistic father. Everyone who knew Mr. J. said he was all heart. Eddie opened the door for her. He was thrilled when he saw her smile, assuming it was for him.
“Anna,” called out her father from behind the counter, “Meet my new employee Eddie Gavula. He’s taking over until Paulie can come back. Eddie this is my daughter Anna. I’m sorry I didn’t get to introduce you last time she was here.”
Eddie eagerly extended his hand.
“‘Nice to meet you,” she said shaking his hand, and then left him so she could speak to her father. “Thanks for helping me out. I’ve put an ad in the paper for a new dog walker, so I hope I won’t have to bother you much longer.”
Eddie panicked when he heard that.
“I don’t mind walking her,” he interrupted, not thinking to ask Mr. Jovanovic if that was all right with him. He came over to Anna.
“Really, I don’t mind. Your dad made a place for her in back of the store, so she’s not in the way. If you bring her here she won’t be alone all day, and it won’t cost you anything.”
Anna looked at her father, surprised that a new employee would make such an offer without asking permission.
“That’s a good idea, it’s fine with me
,” her father responded, “if it’s ok with you.”
“I guess so, I can always see how it goes. Thank you, Eddie,” she answered hesitantly.
Eddie beamed. “I’m happy to help any way I can.” He rooted himself next to Anna.
“It’s 5:30 you can go now.”
“If you need me to stay longer Mr. J., I don’t mind.”
Anna looked ill at ease. Like Stroopsie, she took an instant dislike to him.
“‘No, you go home. You want overtime now?” he kidded. “See you in the morning.”
Eddie, happy that she had accepted his offer, walked out of the store pleased with himself and his little victory. Anna frowned as she watched him growing smaller with each step. She was reminded of her Aunt Susie, a clueless woman who was incapable of understanding anyone’s feelings but her own. She would swoop down on unsuspecting little children that she met for the first time, grab them, pinch their cheeks and kiss them. She was always baffled when they began to cry.
“He’s too forward Pappa. He stood so close to me, it made me uncomfortable. I don’t like him. The only thing I do like is that Stroopsie won’t be alone when I’m at work.”
Anna couldn’t help shaking her head as she compared Eddie Gavula to Frank Russo, it didn’t seem possible that they were the same species. God was feeling generous the day Frank was born, lavishing him with gifts. On that day he received robust health, intelligence, compassion, integrity, humor, ambition, good looks and a loving family.
Even her father, with his tunnel vision, who only saw the light at the end, never the darkness around him, knew Eddie needed help.
“He needs polishing. Let’s give it some time and see what happens.”
Anna remained doubtful.