A date with Debbie, 1979

           

       It was a cool autumn evening, the sun was just setting and the few clouds in the western sky looked as if they were ablaze.  The air was crisp and relativity calm.  The leaves on the trees were just beginning to turn colors.

            I drove into the parking lot of the high-rise apartments and parked in the “NO PARKING” zone next to the fire plug.   The landscaping around the building  was completed in a very formal manner.  The shrubs were well trimmed.  The marigold and mums were in full bloom.  As I got out of my car and walked to the door, I saw a young lady at the front door, struggling with two bags of groceries, a six pack of coke and her keys.  I held the door open for her and as she went through. The elevator door, which was directly in front of the door, opened. 

            I rode the elevator to the fifth floor.  I knocked and Debbie opened the door.  She looked beautiful!  She was wearing black slacks, a white blouse and a gray fur jacket.  We said hello and left immediately.  I opened her car doorand as I walked around the car, she unlocked my door.

            As we drove downtown, we made the usual small talk, exchanging pleasantries.  I had never driven into the city by that direction so she game me instructions until I was familiar with the area.  We parked the car in an underground parking garage and walked up the stairs to the Morris A. Mechanic Theater.

            “Ain’t Misbehavin” by Fats Waller was being preformed.  We both enjoyed the musical play.  When it was over I asked her if she’d like to go for a drink and a bite to eat.  She replied “yes”.  Again, because I wasn’t familiar with the area, she suggested a restaurant named “The Crease”.  We walked around the corner, along the building, halfway down the block and into the door.  It was very crowded and the hostess said it would be at least twenty minutes.  I asked her if we could sit at the bar and she replied “yes – may I have your name?”  I told her “Wheeler, party of two.”

            Debbie and I walked over to the bar.  There weren’t any stools open at the bar so we sat on two stools next to the partition separating the bar and dining room.  Debbie ordered a glass of red wine, I ordered white.  The conversation became more relaxed.  We talked for a short time and then were seatedfor dinner.  There was another glass of wine for both of us.  She ordered soup and baked potato peels. They were out of potato peels so she ordered a salad.  I ordered crab cakes.  We finished eating and left.  It was chilly so we walked briskly.  We followed some people who were dressed for a Saturday Night down the stairs into the parking garage.

            As we drove home, we talked some more.  I put my had on hers.  She did not respond.  I removed it a short time later.  There was a parking space close to the door so we did not have to walk far.  I rode up in the elevator with her.  We walked down the hall to her apartment.  She opened the door and asked me in for some wine.

aoljpictureUpload, aoljpictureUpload_1