Becca Read online

“Oh, gee, thanks for the compliment.”

  “You are welcome.”

  “That was sarcasm, Josh. Good night.”

  IV

  “Greg called for you.”

  “Oh?” Becca had made it to the kitchen before her father had spoken to her. “I’ll call him.”

  “He said you’d left him about an hour ago.”

  Becca rolled her eyes at the question. “I’m not late.”

  Mary walked into the kitchen at that time. “No, she’s not late, Bill,” she said.

  “I know that. But it took her an hour to get from Greg’s.”

  “I drove around.”

  Bill was going to say something, but his wife restrained him by touching his arm. “Bill, please.”

  He said, “Something’s going on, I know it. Greg seemed surprised when I told him you weren’t home. He sounded worried.”

  “Worried?” Mary asked. “You two didn’t have another fight, did you?”

  “No.” Becca rubbed the sore spot on her leg. The pain flared near her hip.

  “Okay, honey,” Mary touched Becca’s shoulder. “What’s wrong with your leg?”

  “I’ve got this nagging pain. It won’t go away.”

  “Did you injure it somehow?”

  “No.”

  “I’ll make an appointment with Doctor Herbert,” Mary said.

  “Becky,” Bill said, watching her rub her thigh, “that skirt.”

  “It’s too short, I know,” Becca said, in a flat voice.

  “Why do you always defy me?”

  “Maybe that’s the only thing I do well,” she said.

  Bill started to speak, but again his wife restrained his comments with a firm touch of his arm. He then said, “Your mother thinks I ride you too much, Becky. I disagree. I have said I would ease up for a while. But don’t push me.”

  V

  The next Friday night, Becca and her friends went to the Oaks Theater where Becca parked the car while her girlfriends bought the tickets. She met them in the lobby at the concession stand. As they chatted, Gail’s eyes suddenly focused on someone behind Becca.

  “Oh my God,” Gail said and grabbed Barbara’s arm, “there he is. The gas station guy.”

  Seeing Josh at the ticket window put a smile on Becca’s face. She was not surprised to see him here because Friday nights he went to the movies. She spoke nonchalantly and tried to hide her smile. “Oh him.”

  “You should say hello,” Barb said.

  “Why would I do that?”

  “Because you were gawking at him a couple of weeks ago, remember?”

  “He’s probably spoken for.”

  “He’s not with anybody right now. I say he’s free.”

  “I wonder what kind of girl he likes,” Gail mused.

  “A girl with honesty, great beauty, intelligence, and compassion,” Becca said.

  “Oh, get out, how do you know that?”

  “He just has that look about him.”

  “It’s too bad…he’s…” Gail began and then stopped.

  “He’s what? Too tall?” Becca said with a smirk. Becca stared at Bert and felt a tug of pity in her heart for him because she knew the reason he did not date. “Too dark for some, too light for others,” he had said.

  “Hey, Becca,” Gail said and touched her arm. “Hello, Rebecca.”

  Becca took her eyes from Bert, who was now at the ticket window. “What?”

  “My God, you looked like you were in a trance,” Gail said. Then she said after a short pause, “I guess he reminds you of Alex.”

  Becca shook her head. “No. I mean…maybe a little.”

  “Sorry I mentioned him,” Gail said. “I mean…”

  “Forget it. Anyway I have a boyfriend.”

  “Oh, gosh, he’s coming this way. Let’s go,” Barb said.

  They walked toward the auditorium doors. Her girlfriends wanted to sit near the front, so she reluctantly followed them, and once they took their seats, she looked over her shoulder to watch for Bert, but she didn’t see him. She tried to join Barbara and Gail in their chat, but she had to look over her shoulder one more time. Bert took a seat on the other side of the auditorium. He did not notice Becca watching him.

  An hour into the movie, Becca left her friends to go to the ladies room. Bert stood at the concession counter in the lobby and as he turned to go back into the auditorium, Becca greeted him. “Hello there,” she said with a smile.

  Bert allowed his eyes to give her the once over before resting upon her face that wore a whimsical smile. “Hey, hello.”

  “Ogling,” she said. “Don’t deny it.”

  “Guilty.”

  “Imagine you and me at the same movie. Some coincidence, huh?”

  “I’ll say. Who would have thought?”

  “But it’s not really a coincidence, because it’s Friday, and you don’t work Friday, and you come to the movies on Friday. So, who’re you with?”

  “Nobody.”

  “Yeah, dumb question. You don’t have a girlfriend.”

  “But you’re working on that.”

  “Yeah I am.”

  “So…is it a coincidence that we’re standing in the lobby at the same time?”

  “Oh, hold on there, buddy. Don’t go getting any silly notion that I came out here just because I was hoping you’d be here. Let my heart be still…” She tapped her chest with her fingertips and fanned her face with the other hand. “This is a chance meeting caused by my need to use the can. I walk out here and ta-da, here you are.”

  “Well don’t let me delay you.”

  “Yeah, I should be getting back in there because pretty soon they’ll come looking for me.”

  “Wouldn’t want them to catch you talking to me.”

  “No…I mean… Oh, hell I don’t care if they catch me or not. We’re doing nothing wrong.”

  “That doesn’t matter, does it, Becca? People are looking at us right now.”

  “Only the bigots.” She sighed. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go.”

  “So, I’ll be seeing you?”

  “Wait,” she said and rummaged through her purse to bring out a paper and pen. “What’s your phone number?”

  “I could ask you what you want my number for, but then you’d give me some smart-assed answer like ‘to call you, you idiot.’”

  “Wrong, buckaroo. Actually, I’m going to write it on the wall in the ladies room so someone else can call you. Or I might meet someone who matches your needs—you know your type of girl you mentioned the other night—and I could give them your phone number and have her call you.”

  “That’s actually a very good answer.” He gave her his number.

  “Thanks,” Becca said. “Now, don’t be surprised if I call you.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  “In case I have nothing to do and need company.”

  “But you have a boyfriend.”

  “I do and I don’t.”

  “I’m confused”

  “Look, don’t go reading anything into this, but if I’m desperate for companionship, I’d rather call you than sit at home and mope.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. Now if you’ll excuse me, my bladder is ready to burst.”

  “See you, Becca.”

  “For sure, Josh.”

  VI

  When the movie finished, Bert took his time walking back to the lobby, hearing Becca and her friends behind him chatting away. In the lobby, he started for the doors and realized that Becca was walking beside him, her car keys in her hand. They said nothing and flowed out into the street with the rest of the patrons. He started along the sidewalk, his hands in his pockets. The evening was warm so he did not mind the walk ahead of him. He had a couple of options on a route to take, but tonight he decided to walk along the main street.

  “Hello, Josh,” Becca said through a chuckle. She walked close, but not too conspicuously so.

  “Where’re your frie
nds?”

  “They’re waiting for me to bring the car to them. Damn.” She bent over suddenly and grabbed her thigh. Her face contorted in pain.

  “What’s the matter?” Bert asked.

  “A shooting pain up and down my leg. Holy cow it hurts.”

  “Are you okay, Becca? I mean, can you walk?”

  She nodded. “Yeah…I can.”

  “Where’s your car?”

  “Right there on the corner.” She straightened up.

  “You need to see a doctor about that.”

  “Yeah, my mom’s made an appointment.”

  “You’re limping.”

  “No shit, Sherlock.”

  “Okay, well here’s your car and here’s where I leave you.”

  Becca unlocked her car and winced when she got into the driver’s seat. “See you later.” She started her car and as Bert continued across the street, pulled from the curb.

  Five

  I

  Sergeant James stepped out of his car as Bert serviced another and stood patiently awaiting his attention. When he finished, Bert began filling the government vehicle.

  “Well, Bertram,” Sergeant James asked, “have you thought about the ASVAB?”

  Bert had decided he might as well get the testing over with, since it was something he had to do. “When can I take it?”

  “How about Thursday morning?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll pick you up about six AM and drive you into town and I’ll bring you back. But I need to fill out some paperwork on you. Can you come by the recruiting station?”

  “Monday morning?”

  Sergeant James smiled warmly. “Nine o’clock. Want me to come get you?”

  “I know where it is.”

  II

  His mother sat on the front porch swing.

  “Hi, Mom,” he said.

  “Hi honey. Gosh, it’s a nice tonight, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, it is.”

  “Mom,” he said when he sat down next to her on the porch swing and set it in a gentle motion, “I’ve got to tell you something.”

  “It’s something I’m not going to want to hear, isn’t it.”

  “Yes.”

  “What is it?” She watched the street, as if expecting someone to pull up in front of the house.

  “Thursday morning I’m going downtown to take a test.”

  “What kind of test?” She sighed heavily and shook her head. “No, don’t tell me, I know which one. You’re taking an Army test.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “It gives me options.”

  “What do you need options for?”

  “When…if I’m drafted.”

  “You don’t know if that will happen.”

  “I know…but I think I should do this anyway, Mom.”

  She looked away. “I don’t want to lose you, Bertram. I’ll be alone.”

  “You won’t lose me.”

  She looked him in the eye now. “I’d better not.”

  III

  The next day in the middle of the afternoon, the phone rang.

  “Hello?” Bert’s mother said.

  “Uh…hi… Hello, is Josh—Bertram there?”

  “Oh, yes, he is. Hold on. Please hold on.” She went to Bert’s door and tapped lightly. “Bert, you have a phone call.” Bert opened the door. “It’s a girl.”

  “Sure it’s not a wrong number?”

  She tapped his arm. “Stop that. She asked for you.”

  Bert went down to the living room and took the call. “Hello?” he said.

  “Hello is this Bertram Leslie—what’s your last name?” Becca’s voice restrained a laugh.

  “Martin.”

  “Am I speaking to Bertram Leslie Martin?”

  “Junior.”

  “You’re a junior no less?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I am speaking to Bertram Leslie Martin Junior?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is Rebecca Abigail Smith.”

  “Abigail?”

  “What, you find my middle name funny, Leslie?”

  “No, of course not. I just didn’t know what your middle name was.”

  “You’re lucky you know my first name, mister.”

  “Yes, I suppose I am. How’s your leg?”

  “Hurts. So, I was wondering…are you free Friday evening?”

  “Why did you ask?”

  “I’m taking a telephone poll. I’m calling around to ask people if they had plans Friday night.

  “Oh, then, mark me down as no.”

  “No meaning you’re not free or no meaning you’re not busy.”

  “Yes, I’m not busy.”

  “Oh, don’t try to confuse me.”

  “So, that’s it?”

  “Yup. Thanks.”

  A pause ensued.

  “I hear you breathing, Becca. You’re still there.”

  Her sigh filled the phone. “Why do you think I asked you that question?”

  “You just said you were doing a poll.”

  “Cut it out, Josh. Do you know how difficult it was for me to make this call?”

  “No.”

  “My father would kill me and Greg would drive my body out to some desolate location and bury me. My mother would be committed.”

  “For calling me?” He heard the humor in her statement, but he knew she spoke the truth.

  “Yes.”

  “Then why did you?”

  “You have a short memory. I told you last week I’d call you if I was free.”

  “I believe you said ‘desperate for companionship.’”

  “Yeah, well, same thing. Look, Josh, I’ve got like five minutes before my next class and I’m standing here talking to you on a pay phone using my last dime, and time is running out. So if you can’t figure it out then I guess I’ve wasted my time. Sheesh.”

  “Are you asking me out, Becca?”

  “Greg has something to do with his family on Friday night, and I thought since I had nothing to do, perhaps you had nothing to do, then we could maybe do nothing together. How about that, Josh, do you think we could do nothing together Friday night?”

  “Nothing? What do you mean by nothing? Surely we’ll do something.”

  “Okay, how’s this then. Maybe we’ll hit some bars—get a room somewhere and have wild mind-boggling sex; run through East Hills and smash store windows.”

  “Why would I want to do that?”

  “What? Smash store windows?”

  “No have mind-boggling sex with you.”

  She made a tsk-tsk-tsk sound. “Smart ass.”

  “Profanity does not do you justice.”

  “So, what do you suggest?”

  “Well…hmmmm…”

  She sighed heavily. “Hurry, hurry. I’m running out of time here.”

  “I’ll have to think about it,” he teased.

  “Forget it then.” She hung up.

  Bert could not believe that he heard the click on the phone and the line went dead.

  “Who was that?” his mother asked. She had kept out of the living room while he had been talking.

  “A friend,” he said, still holding the phone.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “We got cut off.” He hung up, shaking his head. He had been joking. They always joked with each other. Why had she taken it serious?

  “Who is she?”

  “Just a friend, Mom.”

  “She sounded nice.”

  “She is.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Rebecca.”

  “Nice name. Where does she live?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “She’s the one with the Mustang?”

  “Yes.”

  The phone rang. Bert answered.

  “Hey,” Becca said.

  “Hey yourself. What did you hang up for?”

  “The operator said time was up. I told you I was running out of time a
nd I’m running out of time again.”

  “Hey you called me back.”

  “You’re a real whiz kid for picking up on that.”

  “But I thought you said you were on your last dime.”

  “I found another one. I’m not begging you or anything like that, so let’s make that perfectly clear. I understand that you may prefer to stay home, or go to the movies or perhaps something else. I want you to know it doesn’t matter to me one way or the other if you don’t want to do anything but sit around and miss all the fun that life has in store for your or miss out in spending some time in the company of a beautiful young woman who is intelligent, honest and compassionate. But I need to know, like right now, if you want to go out with me—there, I said it—on Friday night because if we’re not going to go out, then Barb and Gail want to go to the movies, but I don’t feel like going to the movies and I don’t feel like sitting at home watching TV so I thought maybe, hey, Josh doesn’t work on Fridays and since he doesn’t go out, maybe I could get him to go out with me. But it’s not like this is a formal date or anything, it’s just to hang out—you know because neither of us has anything else to do. And I believe you told me once before that I should let you know in advance so that you could wear different cologne. You remember saying that, don’t you Josh?”

  “Okay, Becca.”

  She was going to say something, but stopped. Now she said, “Oh? Oh. Okay. Good. Look I’ve got to get to class. I’ll pick you up at your house Friday night at let’s say seven o’clock.”

  “I could pick you up.”

  “Very funny, Bertram.”

  “I was serious. I can borrow my mom’s car.”

  “You know…well, that’s not possible.”

  “It’s not possible that I can borrow my mother’s car?”

  “No, to pick me up at my house.”

  “I could meet you somewhere.”

  “I’ll pick you up.”

  “Okay then.”

  “Got to go, Josh. See you Friday night.” She hung up before he could say good-bye.

  “So, do you have a date, Bertram?” His mother asked. She had not left the room this time.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Oh, I’m so happy!”

  “Mom, please. It’s not really a date date. I mean, we’re not serious or anything.”

  “You’ve never been on a date. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk to a girl. I think it’s about time.”

  “Don’t get all excited, Mom. We’re not a couple. We’re just friends.”