Her Thirties Part 48

The morning committee meeting went well and I had an hour to do some research in the library.

I spent the time comparing the Depression to the Panic of 1910.

Then, I walked to the Wymilwood café and ordered lunch. While eating my soup and sandwich, I called Harry Greenspan on my cell.

“Hey, Harry—you still want to talk to my class about the Christie Pits Riot?”

“Sure—you know me, Scott—always ready to reminisce.”

“How about next Tuesday? I have a ten o’clock lecture and could pick you up about nine. I’ll treat you to lunch and have you home by one-thirty. How does that sound?”

“Sounds great, Scott—I’ll be ready.”

I almost rang off before remembering about Cam’s party.

“Oh, by the way, you’re invited to a Thirties costume party at the Palais Royale this Sunday. There’ll be lots of Swing music and, best of all, it’s free—you can bring whoever you want.”

“That’s really nice, Scott. Thank you. I’m a widower, so I won’t be bringing anyone—but I’d like to come and take in the sights and sounds. It’ll be like a trip down memory lane.”

“The party starts around four—dinner’s provided. But I’ll have to send you home in a cab —I’m supposed to attend a small gathering later.”

“Thanks, but you don’t have to do that. I used to drive cabs—I still have friends in the business. They pick me up and take me anywhere I have to go.”

“Well, okay—if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure, and Scott—”

There was a hesitation in Harry’s voice, as if he wanted to impart something, but felt shy.

“Was there something else, Harry?”

He seemed to change his mind.

“Naw, nothing important—I was just thinking of something dumb. I’ll see you Sunday.”

I smiled as I closed my cell.

I liked Harry. I never had a grandfather so I guess I adopted him, just as Ella adopted Marilyn. He made me happy and I was glad he was coming.

I frowned though, as I thought of the afternoon ahead. I had a faculty meeting at four, but suddenly needed to see Marilyn—I couldn’t wait until tomorrow. I made up my mind to drop by the bookstore on the way home.

As it turned out, the meeting ended early when one of the presenters was called away on a family emergency. So, it was just past five when I headed out to The Cozy Nook Bookstore.

The temperature was dropping again. The voice on the radio was saying, “Pull out the winter coat folks—it’s going down to a chilly nineteen overnight.”

Again, the seesawing temperatures kept me off-balance. Not even the weather seemed normal any more. Even time appeared dilatory and the shifting boundary between dreams and reality would confound Pirandello.

I thought again about Marilyn—how she was an excluded woman—her amnesia keeping her from finding her proper place. There were no more anchors for her—she lived in a world where anything could happen.

It was strange feeling really. Around Marilyn I felt safe and protected—but it was she who needed protecting. The role reversal frustrated and bedeviled me—it provided me with yet another reason to avoid solving the riddle of our lives—just accept it and somehow soldier on.

My so-called ‘solution’ seemed pathetic, but I was at a loss as to what to do. I supposed I really needed to be with her and talk it out.

Beyond my infatuation with her, there was a deeper magical, even mystical connection between us, and I was determined to discover exactly what it was.

To be continued...


© 2018, John J Geddes. All rights reserved

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