The Eternal Community

by J Meverington

  The bus pulled into the station right on 9am. Zane pulled out his phone and called his friend Marco. She listened to the one-sided conversation, trying to get the gist of it. After a few minutes, Zane disconnected the call.

  ‘Well it’s kind of good news.’ He smiled at her. ‘Marco’s apartments are all full, but he’s agreed to let you sleep on the floor until something becomes available or you find something else. They have a high turn-over of people as they have a six week maximum stay. So if you’re okay with sleeping on the floor for a few nights until you get yourself sorted, I’ll give you the address.’

  ‘How much is it?’ she asked.

  ‘It’s normally twenty dollars per night, but because you will be on the floor, he’ll do it for ten.’

  She screwed up her nose. ‘Not sure I’m too keen on sleeping on a hard floor.’

  ‘They have an airbed you can use. You’ll be sleeping in the lounge and not a bedroom, so you might get a few interruptions with people coming and going. That’s all.’

  ‘Okay, well as long as you recommend it, I’m keen to give it a go.’

  ‘Cool, and remember, if you have any problems, give me a call. I can always put you up in Stamford for a bit.’ He flashed his friendly smile at her again. He continued, ‘You can either catch the subway from here or walk. If you want to save money, it’s probably only a thirty minute walk.’

  ‘Do you know where I could buy a map?’

  ‘Map?’

  ‘Yes, a map so I can find my way.’

  ‘Use google maps, they have a walking option.’

  ‘But I don’t have a phone.’

  ‘Whaaaaat?’

  ‘I could never justify spending money on one.’

  ‘Well, I’d suggest the first thing you do is get yourself a phone. Otherwise you should be able to buy a map in a bookstore. Hey, I gotta get going, need to meet up with some friends before I get my connection, but let me know how you get on.’ He flashed her one last smile then disappeared into the hordes of people. Suddenly she felt all alone. She wished he’d been able to stay, to show her around. But hey, she was a big girl now. This was her adventure and she had to take control for herself.

  She found her way to the apartment block without any problem and pressed the buzzer. Someone answered and let her in. The lift was broken, so she walked up five flights, out of breath by the time she got there. She knocked on the door and a guy with a long beard opened it.

  ‘Hi, I’m Allie. My friend Zane spoke to Marco and arranged for me to stay here.’

  ‘Hey Allie, I’m King. Welcome to our humble abode.’ He spread his arm out to welcome her in.

  She entered the apartment, stepping straight into the lounge. There were a couple of scruffy couches and bean bags scattered about and the window looked out onto a bricked building opposite.

  ‘Let me show you around.’ He sauntered off, leading her into a poky kitchen.

  ‘Coffee?’ he asked.

  ‘Sure,’ she replied, noticing a basin full of dirty dishes. He flicked the switch on the jug and grabbed a disgusting mug from the basin. He rinsed it around with his hand, then wiped it with a filthy tea towel.

  ‘Hey, on second thoughts, don’t worry, I’m just keen to have a look around.’

  ‘Suit yourself,’ he said, as he put the ‘cleaned’ cup in the cupboard.

  He showed her one of the cramped bedrooms where ten bunk beds were packed in tight and some people were still sleeping in their bunks. Alice recoiled at the smell of body odour mingled with sulphur.

  ‘This is the guys’ room,’ he drawled. ‘We try and keep girls and guys separate, but it doesn’t always work out that way.’

  Alice followed him out of the bedroom and into another. The next room didn’t smell nearly as bad as the first.

  ‘And this is the ‘mostly’ girls room.’ He quoted ‘mostly’ with his fingers. There are more guys here than gals, so unfortunately you’ll have to share with guys at some stage. We don’t mind sharing, so long as you keep your farting to a minimum,’ he said, in a deadpan voice.

  ‘So where will I be sleeping?’

  ‘You can sleep in the lounge until someone moves out. You’ll be sharing with a couple of others, but you’ll have first priority for a bed as yer a gal. We like to try and balance the boy/girl thing if possible.’

  ‘So where will I sleep.’

  ‘We’ll pull the couch away from the wall and stick a single airbed behind it.’ He looked at her backpack, ‘I assume you have a sleeping bag in there?’

  ‘No, I don’t.’

  He stroked his beard. ‘Hmmm, we don’t have any spare sheets, but we can probably fix you up with a blanket. Or you could go out and buy yourself a sleeping bag; that would probably be the best thing to do. I’ll need to take a $50 bond for the key and $10 for your first night’s stay. You’ll get the bond back when you return the key.’

  Alice fished around in her wallet for $60.

  ‘Zane told me Marco owns a couple of bars. I was hoping I might be able to get a job at one of them.’

  ‘Good luck with that.’

  ‘What do you do?’ she asked.

  ‘This is my job. Showing people in and collecting their money. In return I get free board and a some cash. It ain’t a lot but it’s a cruisey job. Just gotta be here from 9 till 12, then my time is my own.’

  ‘Well if you hear of anything, can you please let me know?’

  ‘Sure. Now I need your phone number and email address, so I can complete this form for you to sign.’

  ‘I don’t have a phone. Is there somewhere you can recommend where I can get a cheap one?’

  ‘I’ve upgraded and you can have my old one for fifty bucks.’

  ‘Can I see it?’

  ‘Sure, I’ll go get it.’

  She looked at the stained couch and decided to stand while she waited. The filthy apartment needed a good clean. Beggars couldn’t afford to be choosers though. A hostel in this area would cost her over $40 per night and she couldn’t afford that sort of money.

  She gazed out of the window at the dirty grey building opposite. For some reason she thought New York would be glitzier, it certainly had been when she came here with her parents all those years ago. Of course back then they had stayed at expensive hotels and caught limos everywhere. This was another side of New York she hadn’t expected. Oh well, it all added to the adventure.

  King came back with a scratched up cell phone. ‘It don’t look pretty but it still works well enough to get your emails and Facebook on it.’

  She looked at it and wondered how much a new one would cost. What if she could get a brand new one for the same price? She didn’t want to offend him, but also didn’t want to make any snap decisions.

  ‘Do you mind if I shop around for a new one while I’m out?’

  ‘I’ll give it to you for $40.’

  ‘No, really, I just want to see what is out there.’

  ‘$30?’

  ‘I’ve never had a phone before, so I’d like do some research before I buy.’

  ‘$20 and it’s yours, That’s my final offer. It does work, I promise.’

  He seemed desperate to get rid of it and Alice felt sorry for him.

  ‘All right, I’ll take it. Thanks.’

  He looked somewhat relieved. She fished another $20 put of her wallet, making a mental note of how much money she had left.

  She took her door key and headed out to buy a sleeping bag. The hustle and bustle on the streets was electric. The sound of car horns filled the air, while people rushed about, jostling for space. Alice didn’t have the first idea how to go about finding a job, but getting connected to the internet would be her first priority. The apartment had free Wi-Fi, so she could browse the internet from her second-hand phone.

  Her stomach grumbled with hunger, so she stepped into a small deli and bought a bagel, being mindful not to spend too much. $200 of her hard-earned cash had already disappeared on a haircut, bus fare, bond and no
w a cell phone. She needed to be more careful with her money until she found a job.

  The bus journey had left her shattered and all she wanted to do was sleep, but there were things to do. She decided not to buy a sleeping bag, choosing instead to search for a job. She asked in a few bars and diners, but they all wanted experienced staff.

  That evening Alice met some more of the apartment’s inhabitants. Most of them were men, but she immediately hit it off with Jenna, a super friendly girl who had arrived a week ago. Jenna had managed to secure a job at a new bar which had opened up.

  ‘The bar is still looking for people, so you should apply,’ Jenna said.

  ‘But I’ve got no experience.’

  ‘You have to lie. Make up some stuff on your CV and research. I can tell you what sort of questions they’ll ask you and you’ll cruise in.’

  ‘I can’t lie though. What if I get caught out?’

  ‘What’s the worst that can happen? You don’t get the job. New York’s a big city, word won’t get around. But if you don’t lie, you can’t expect to get into bar work.’

  ‘But I’ve only just turned eighteen. I can’t lie about my age surely?’

  ‘Perhaps you could say your parents owned a bar in the town you came from. You can say you worked there clearing tables for pocket money or something.’

  ‘But what if they check up on it?’

  ‘They won’t, they’re too busy to chase up on stuff like that. Make sure you read up on everything you can.’

  Alice shook her head. ‘No, I don’t want to lie. It wouldn’t feel right and I’m sure they would be able to tell I was lying.’

  ‘Suit yourself.’ Jenna shrugged, then walked away.

  Alice spent the entire week looking for work, but without any luck, and she was starting to feel depressed. To top it off, Jenna was preparing to move out, having found a cheap apartment above her new job.

  ‘Are you excited?’ Alice asked.

  ‘Hell yeah. Hey, there’s still a vacancy a the bar, I’ll put in a good word for you if you like. It would be so cool if you got the job. You could share a room with me.’

  That would be awesome, Alice thought. The filthy apartment she was currently living in was getting to her, and it would be unbearable without Jenna living there.

  She agreed and Jenna set up an interview for her. Alice nailed the job and moved in with Jenna and her flatmate, Luke. And that was how Alice’s life in Manhattan began.

  Chapter 24

  Alice snapped out of her daydream when her phone rang. It was Charles to say he had finished work early and would be there to pick her up in thirty minutes. They’d been seeing each other for three weeks now, and he always planned something romantic to do on her days off. Today they were going on a horse and carriage ride around Central Park.

  In the past, Alice had seen the horses clip clopping around the park and thought it would be fun, but she’d never been able to afford it, so she was excited when Charles suggested it. When she told Jenna what they were doing she scoffed, saying it was corny, and it was mean to the horses. Alice put it down to jealously and ignored her, determined not to let it ruin her day.

  Charles had arranged a cart filled with rose petals, and a bottle of champagne. As they trotted through the park, he pointed out landmarks like a tour guide, but all she wanted to do was to kiss him. She’d fallen madly and hopelessly in love with this handsome man twelve years her senior, and she knew he felt the same way.

  After the carriage ride he took her back to his apartment. She had visited there twice before, and each time was blown away by the views of the Manhattan skyline. He had a hot tub strategically placed to take in the view. They both climbed in and he poured a glass of wine for each of them.

  Alice sipped her wine and luxuriated in the hot water.

  ‘Your apartment is amazing; what do you do to afford something like this?’

  ‘Hey, why ruin the moment with talk about work.’ He started massaging her foot.

  She drifted into a half sleep as his amazing hands worked wonders on her feet. For the past three weeks he had been the perfect boyfriend, taking her out, treating her to expensive dinners, and showing her the sights of Manhattan. She had tried to pay her own way, but his old-fashioned ideals wouldn’t have it.

  ‘Allie, did you realise it’s our one month anniversary next weekend?’

  ‘Uh-huh,’ she said, not wanting to distract him from rubbing her feet.

  ‘Would you like to go away to the Hamptons, to celebrate?’

  ‘Ooh, I’d love that,’ she said, excited by the thought of getting out of the city.

  ***

  The following weekend they spent the entire time together, either in bed or taking romantic walks along the beach, followed by candlelit dinners they cooked together whilst sharing a bottle of wine.

  The sun woke Alice early on Sunday morning. She rolled over to cuddle in to Charles, but he wasn’t there. She spread out in the bed, enjoying the luxurious feeling of the sheets on her skin.

  Ten minutes later, Charles came into the room carrying a tray of fresh fruits, pastries and coffee. He crawled into bed beside her and they sat there, eating breakfast while taking in the incredible views of the sea. When they finished, Charles moved the tray away, held her in his arms and whispered those three words she had longed to hear.

  ‘I love you.’

  Tears prickled her eyes and she told him she loved him too, feeling the happiest girl in world.

  ***

  Back in Manhattan, a week later they were eating lunch at a quaint Italian restaurant when Charles popped the question.

  ‘Allie, I’d like you to move in with me.’

  She almost choked on her spaghetti. Did he just ask me to move in with him? Surely not, it’s too soon. She finished her mouthful before replying.

  ‘I beg your pardon?’

  ‘I’d like you to move in with me,’ he said, again.

  Alice wasn’t sure what to say. They’d only been together for five weeks and although she was in love with him, it was too soon.

  ‘Are you sure? We haven’t been going out together for long.’

  ‘I love you and don’t want to be apart from you.’

  Alice absolutely loved her life the way it was. She had the perfect job, perfect friends, and now the perfect boyfriend. What if living with him ruined all of that? What if it didn’t work out?

  Aiden, her boss, now had her designing cocktails, so she didn’t have to work late nights so often. If she moved in with Charles, she would be on the other side of town and would have to commute.

  She shuddered at the thought, having seen all the ants piling out of the subways in the mornings, then piling back into them in the evenings. Why they didn’t live closer to their jobs? The whole process seemed so robotic and mundane to her and couldn’t imagine doing it herself. Nope, never in a hundred years.

  Charles lived too far away for her to walk, so how would she get to work? She could get a bike, or perhaps a scooter, but no. She loved being able to stumble down the stairs from her apartment to the bar below. Oh God, why does this have to be happening so soon... what do I say to him?

  ‘You’ve gone quiet. Are you not sure if you want to move in with me?’

  ‘Oh Charles, I’d love to, but your apartment is so far from my work. I couldn’t imagine having to commute.’

  ‘Allie, darling, I wouldn’t expect you to work if you lived with me. You’d be my partner and I would support you.’

  Whaaaaaat? Alice had not been expecting this.

  ‘But I love my job. I’ve just had a promotion to cocktail designer, and I love it!’

  ‘Well, if your job in a bar is more important, then I understand.’ He spat the word ‘bar’ as though it was venom.

  ‘Of course it’s not. It’s just... can I have some time to think about it? It’s all so sudden, I need to get my head around it. I’ve worked in the bar for five years and it’s like my home, and the people there are my fami
ly. You must understand how important that is to me, having no family of my own.’

  His face softened. ‘I know, but I’m your family now and we’ll create our own family together.’

  ‘You mean start a family? Have children?’

  ‘Of course.’ He took her hand and smiled.

  Alice started to panic. Twenty-three was too young to settle down and have children, but she couldn’t imagine a life without Charles. She loved him with all her heart.

  ‘What would you do if I said I wasn’t ready?’ she asked, tentatively.

  ‘I love you and am ready to settle down. I don’t want a relationship that isn’t going to be lasting. If you don’t want to move in with me, then we should go our own separate ways. I’m thirty-five, Allie. I’m ready to settle down and start a family. I love you, and you’re the one I want to do it with.’

  Her heart sank at the thought of not being with him. He was rich, handsome, and charming; he could have his choice of women, but he’d chosen her.

  ‘If I say I’m not ready, you’ll find someone else?’

  He reached out and grabbed her hand and his dark eyes connected with hers. ‘I love you Allie, with all my heart and I don’t want lose you. Please say yes.’

  His words had the desired effect, causing her heart to leap for him. ‘Yes, of course. I’d love to move in with you,’ she said, but something niggled deep inside her.

  ***

  ‘He did what?’ Jenna screeched that evening, when Alice told her how Charles had asked her to move in with him.

  ‘You said what?’ she screeched, again.

  Alice went on to explain how he didn’t want her working in the bar, and that she would be giving up work.

  ‘You’re doing what? Allie, are you insane? You barely know the man.’