The Columbus, Ohio, Tales

Beautiful Columbus, Ohio, a new, modern city. All the latest fashions in the stores. Stores that I've never heard of in New York City. Stores that are even more exclusive than fabulous Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Dad and Tiffany are glad to show me around downtown Columbus. I traveled here to live with them, left my job in Manhattan, to be here. To find work, I will need to learn the bus system here.

The garden apartment I'm living in with Dad and Tiffany is quiet today. They're both at work. Dad works for the Department of Energy and Tiffany works for Episcopal Publishing as an executive. They've been gone a few hours, I've slept late. It's nice and quiet here, not noisy like the city. Don't have a job yet to
go to. Decided I should look for work at the unemployment office. It's Tiffany's suggestion. The bus isn't too far from the apartment.

"Better get ready for the day ahead of me.", I thought.

At 10 a.m. I'm at the bus stop. The bus finally arrives. Downtown Columbus is on the sign on the window. Names like High Street and Broad Street pass by. The bus driver is helpful about letting me off at the address for the unemployment office.

It's 10:30 a.m., lots of people waiting in line; have to find out what papers are needed. Finally get the papers, fill them out, hand them in and then get a folding card which must be stamped every day saying I've shown up at the office ready and willing to work. The rest of the day is mine. It's June, lovely time of the year.

Back at the apartment thoughts of Victor, my special guy; float in my head. I miss him. I do have permission to call him occasionally, but it's a long distance call, expensive. "Maybe I'll write him a letter.", I think, out loud. I rummage through my things and find a box of papers and envelopes. A pretty kitten is on the stationery paper that I choose to use to scribe this love letter to my beloved. Victor lives in a shared apartment with Percy. They have an interesting place. Chinese red window trim, and sills with candles in the windows. The apartment has a sand-colored ceiling and four shades of blue for the wall decor. The kitchen has a floor, stripped down to the wood, that's been painted a kind of dark blue-green with spattered drops of reds and yellows. A line is drawn down the middle of the floor; up the wall and above the window. It's probably a Mondrian-style work, left incomplete.

Victor is warm. He's a gentle sort of person, a poet. He would recite poetry to me, some of which he'd written. He has big, brown eyes and curly, brown hair. I like gazing in his eyes, with their flecks of gold and green. Feeling lazy, I curl up on my bed, and fall asleep.

"Gee Gee, it's supper time.", Tiffany and Dad exclaim simultaneously. I wake up with a start, not having known how long I'd slept. I brush my hair; then, join Dad and Tiffany in the dining room. "Did you have a nice day?", Dad inquires, almost pleadingly. "Yes, Dad, I followed your suggestion and went to theunemployment office.", I inform him, softly, then show him my new folding card with today's date stamped on it. Tiffany looks great. She has nice legs and draws attention to them by wearing gorgeous shoes.

The last time I was with them, Tiffany took me to her beauty parlor. Her beautician fixed my hair. My hair had never looked so beautiful. Now I'm here to live with them, a dream I've had for years.

After dinner we step outside, Dad is growing roses, dark red roses and a soft peach and white; a Peace rose. He always could grow beautiful roses. The neighbor lady and her husband walk over; Dad introduces them. "Mrs. Patterson, this is my daughter, Georgia." "Hello. nice to meet you." I'm not much of a conversationalist, so I leave that to Dad, who loves to talk. Dad is hosting a barbecue; with a meal including T-bone steaks, chicken strips, and roasted, stuffed potatoes. The meal sounds great already.

"May I help?", I ask. "Sure, Gee Gee.", Dad responded, amiably. Dad showed me how to fix up the steak. "One mixes salt with pepper and other seasonings, real heavy on the salt.", he says. I follow his directions. The steak is brushed with water, and then the salt is layered on each side, cooked on the barbecue grill, where the salt layer becomes a thick crust keeping the juices within and protecting the meat. When done, it's the juiciest rare steak ever tasted. Tiffany cleans up after the meal. She's enjoying being a housewife, and she's crazy about Dad. I'm glad they're happy. In the newspaper clipping
I saw of her announcing her engagement to Dad - she somewhat resembled Mother. In person she's also an attractive brunette, but a different type of personality than Mother was. I wonder if they are related to myself, then, I bite my tongue before asking her that question, wisely.

Somehow, she's a better match for Dad, whoever she is. Newlyweds are happy people to be around. We play cards after supper. Dad is a terrific poker player and is fun at blackjack. I'm a terrible poker player but love bridge. We need four players for the game, though, so, Dad and I play blackjack. I have a pile of pennies and I win as often as I lose. Dad, the dealer has the advantage, but only breaks even.

The next day dawns, its overcast, I feel lazy but must go and have my card stamped at the unemployment office. This is beginning to feel like a vacation. After returning from the office, I find a letter waiting for me. It's from Victor. "Dear Georgia", (he calls me Georgia, my middle name) I'm visiting my family in Kalamazoo this summer. If you'd like I could stop by and visit you. You could come with me to stay with them for a week or so." He writes a short and sweet letter to me.

"Yes, I'd love to meet your family.", I thought. I miss him a lot. Never expected to see Victor here. Two days later I receive a letter from Victor's mother. "Dear Georgia," Mr. Dawson and I cordially invite you to visit us. Victor will bring you via bus and will make a stopover in Columbus overnight." Her letter
is a warm invitation, also short and sweet.

I'm thrilled to pieces. I show Dad the invitation. He is very upset. "I forbid you to go." Dad says, then,continues, "Victor is going to propose marriage to you."

Taken aback by Dad's vehemence, the rebel in me arises, but I hold my tongue.

Later, alone in my room I'm in a turmoil. "Why would Dad react this way? Doesn't he know I'm a grownup? What did he think I was doing in NYC all that time? I haven't lived at home in several years. Does he think I'm still fourteen? What am I going to do? I've been hoping and wishing to live with Dad for years.
It's been my secret wish. We were so close when I was in Junior High. I used to ask for his help with my school reports for Science class. He was wonderful. I wasn't a bad student. I always came home to do my homework right away. My desk was in an alcove by a window; it was well-supplied, near a radio, and had
good lighting.It was a nice desk with metal-tipped partitions, a small message board, drawers and the desk closed up when I was through working."

The thought of Victor breaks through my reverie. He has such nice brown eyes. I'm afraid of Dad, what will he say if I defy him and go to Kalamazoo with Victor? What a thing to say. How does he know what Victor will or won't do when we're in Kalamazoo? I'm going, anyway to Kalamazoo, with Victor - it's my life.

I'd forgotten some things about Dad. He has quite a temper. I don't know what he'll do if I openly defy him. I'm not a coward, I should tell him. The next day arrives. It's overcast and dreary looking. I wait for Dad to return from work. In deciding to hang around the apartment, I have nothing much to do except
watch T.V. Tiffany keeps the place very neat and clean.

The hours drag on. As the soap opera ends, I hear Dad and Tiffany's voices through the screen door. Tiffany enters and puts her purse down and kicks off her shoes. Shes wearing a navy suit with white trim. Her shoes match. They settle into their late afternoon routine. While Tiffany is in the kitchen I walk over to Dad
who is settling into the daily newspaper.

"Dad, I need to talk with you.", I commandingly state. "Yes, Georgia, what is it?", Dad whispers back, harshly."Dad, about the invitation from Victor's mother to visit Victory in Kalamazoo, it's a perfectly respectable invitation. What's wrong with me going?", I stammer. "Nothing is wrong with it, Georgia, it's just I haven't seen much of you over the past five years.", Dad drearily moans at me. "Dad, I'm not going to disappear off the face of the earth. It's just that Victor is coming out this way and since I'm living here with you now I won't be seeing as much of him. I'd like to meet his family. He's a really nice person.", I explain to Dad. "Georgia...you may not go, and that's final!", Dad commandingly exclaims, as his voice becomes almost a falsetto. "You'll see Victor here." Dad sputtered this out in one moderately loud, bellowing screech.

Dumbfounded, I walk away and wash my face in the bathroom. I didn't expect to be treated like a ten year old; not after all the nice letters sent back and forth between us, and the womanly gifts I received, while I lived in NYC, struggling to pay the rent.

We sit down to a nice, home-cooked dinner. Somehow, I manage to get through the meal. It's been a very disappointing evening for all of us.

That night, sleep does not come easily. I toss and turn and worry. What will I do. I so want to be with Victor. I think I'm in love with him. Can Dad be so blind not to see that I've grown up?

It's only four days until Victor is due here for a visit. I count the days, they pass so slowly. No work for me at the unemployment office.

"Victor can sleep on the sofa in the living room.", Tiffany says as she shows me the linen closet, and continues, "Georgia, you can help yourself to whatever is needed. There's a blanket or two, also." The apartment is air conditioned; a blanket feels good at night, otherwise, it's too cold in the room for me.

I've secretly decided to go against Dad's ultimatum. If I were fourteen it would make sense.

Sunday finally arrives. Victor is due at the bus terminal in downtown Columbus at 4:10 in the afternoon. Dad and Tiffany are off from work. We drive into the city in Dad's shiny, black Lincoln Continental.

"Gee Gee, go and get Victor. In a flurry of excitement I rush into the bus terminal. Dad and Tiffany aren't far behind. I look, but find not, Victor. I sit on the waiting room bench crestfallen. Where could Victor be? After about ten minutes Victor turns up, he says. "Where were you?" "Georgia, I wanted to clean up after the long bus ride. He does look great, though somewhat tired.

Tiffany creates a nice supper. After the meal Dad suggests a game of bridge. I'm so absorbed in Victor, I hardly notice the game. I notice Tiffany, though, and get a definite feeling she doesn't like Victor. Dad and Tiffany play tough bridge.

Tiffany gives me a nudge, and says, "Georgia, I think it's time to make up our guest's bed." I find what's needed and make up the sofa as well as I can. We all turn in for the night.

The next morning I awaken. Dad and Tiffany have been at work an hour or two. I'm so thrilled to see Victor. I'd forgotten how handsome he is with his curly brown hair and great smile. "We have to get to the bus station by 1:10 p.m." I decide not to tell him about what Dad said. We pack a few thing in my suitcase and we leave.

The bus station is dark after our ride in the sunlight. We don't have too long to wait. Victor and I happily board the bus and walk to the back. We get two seats with deep plush red cushions. I get the window seat. There are shades that can be drawn. I'm too excited to sleep. Victor's company is stimulating. No one can
see us behind the high backed seats in front. The bus is almost empty. Victor reaches for me and pulls me to him, his warm lips press against mine.

"It's going to be a long trip", Victor tells me. It's over 200 miles from here to Kalamazoo, Michigan; about an 8 hour ride, including a 3 hour layover in Detroit, Michigan.