Hush: TARNISHED GOLDEN TIMES

Philly’s refurbished movie house, Schanze’s, shows oldie films two nights a week. Earl and I go occasionally, share a large bucket of pop corn and a queen Coke. We live again in the rapture of our younger days. College students attend , compare the times, lighting, sound, direction but mostly the audience wants to envelop the Golden days of the grace of Astaire and Rogers gliding in step, falling in love. The sharp features of the pretty boys, all strong hearted men, Nelson Eddy, Robert Taylor’ dark eyebrows and perfect widow’s peak, Don Ameche’s smug, cute, little black moustache twitching at Betty Grable, Wow. The male audience in particular can’t understand the big deal when Hedy Lamarr can be seen for a moment, naked, actually bare skinned. How, when, why, did TV., movies make Hedy laughable? Earl and I hold hands thru every old film we see. A special warmth fills our veins.

When the picture is over, my ears open wide. I eavesdrop on conversations, join in now and then. Earl doesn’t like it when I pretend I am a reporter for PHIW’s radio show and ask questions as the audience files out. He hides in the men’s room until the lobby is quiet. His tsk tsks do not stop me. I am harmless and enjoy what I do. All the way home our tongues  wag as memories explode like fireworks. That evening ends with silent cat tails sticking in my heart. My mouth aches to speak but I do not.

Putting my secret in cold storage for a while, I go with Earl for a pleasant evening playing cards, having a drink or two at Naomi and Greg’s duplex. Naomi casually mentions having attended the opening of the new art school. Art is her passion. She goes on and on about what shows will be coming up, hints we make a hefty donation but we don’t. I continue asking her questions about the opening and she gives me small details. Naomi is lying. I know she is lying. She did not go to the opening last Wednesday. She didn’t see me but I saw her at Schanzes’ Wednesday evening and she was not alone,  nor was she with Greg. There was no mistake. I saw her sitting four rows in front of us, recognized her voice too. It is one of those irritating scratchy ones that send chills thru my body. There was a good looking guy with her, someone I didn’t know. His arm was around Naomi’s shoulder the entire time Tyrone was in Ranchipur.

When the two of them were walking up the aisle, looking like star crossed lovers, I ducked to pick up my comb that was on the floor.
By the time I finished feeling the dirty floor, Naomi and whoever were gone.

I have glue on my lips and will live with the secret I have seen until, until--somebody else less wonderful than I catches her and tells–

and it better not be you!