CHAPTER 73: Hanging With Action

 

Barbara Dubois had good reasons to be happy today: She received a promotion at work...instead of working at the tills at Hamburgerman, she was now to undergo training to be a cook there and with that promotion came a boost in wages plus a bonus.  She knew that for some time she'd be in line for a promotion, having studied and shown interest into moving into the kitchens at Hamburgerman and that extra work and diligence now paid off.  So she decided to splash out a little and treat herself.

On her way home she stopped off at one of her favourite boutiques and spent some time trying on different outfits, dresses, skirts and pants.  There were so many good things that whetted her appetite but in the end she decided she wanted to be more daring in her fashion choices.  Recently she'd had some good times hanging out with Suzy Kent, a genuine fashion reporter whose tastes were right up to the minute.  Her advice was that bold dress patterns were in, so that's what Barbara went for...a little black dress with a white collar, puffed sleeves and turquoise patterns that surrounded small yellow flowers to create a geometric pattern.  Barbara loved it, and went further in buying new shoes, tights and also stopping off at nearby beauty parlour to have a makeover which included long, false eyelashes (which were the height of fashion) and heavy black eyeliner and mascara.  She looked every inch the modern Dolly Bird.

She was so impressed with her outfit that she went home from the shops in it, putting her Hamburgerman uniform in a bag.  She felt, confident, happy and with-it now...and she was walking down the street, singing, snapping her fingers and shuffling her feet.  She looked good, she looked fine.

Her happy mood was noticed by two old ladies having a discussion near Barbara's home.  "Well, isn't it so nice to see a young woman looking and sounding so positive" said one of the women; an old black lady who was wearing a wide brimmed sun hat.

"It makes a change, I suppose" said her friend, a lady with very pale skin and sad looking eyes.  "Everywhere it seems that young people just want to get into trouble, start fights with the police and act in a wild, uncontrolled way"

"Well I'm sure this young lady doesn't get up to anything like that" said her more positive friend.  "Excuse me for stopping you from going on your way but may I just say you look lovely and your singing has cheered me up no end."

"Well, thank you" said Barbara, taken aback by such a compliment.

"I hope it has an effect on my friend here, who needs cheering up" 

"Hmmm" said the paler woman.

"Well...erm..." said Barbara, trying to think of something positive and cheery to say to this woman. "Did you see the rocket launch yesterday?  That was very exciting"

"Going into space when there's war, chaos and starvation all over the world" said the pessimistic lady.

Barbara didn't know what to respond with but the jolly lady placed a reassuring hand on her arm.  "Well I think you're a very nice person and I hope you have a nice boy in your life"

"I do, thank you...he's lovely" said Barbara, smiling.  She said her goodbyes and headed off home.  There she took one good look at herself in the mirror, hoping that Jeremy would like this new dress of hers.

At that moment, the phone rang.  Barbara went to answer it, hoping it would be a friend, but instead it was her manager at Hamburgerman.

"Barbara...Andre's come down with a temperature and can't do his shift this evening....we need you down there tonight"

"But..." she wanted to say she'd made plans, but that would be a lie.  She was hoping to surprise Jeremy this evening when he came home from work.  "...Fine, I'll be there." She put the phone down, forlornly, and went back to the bedroom where she took off her brand new shoes, unzipped and slid out of her new dress and put them away in the closet.  Then she put on her boring uniform shirt and pants and the Hamburgerman hat.  Trudging out of the house, she missed Jeremy by minutes.

When he got home he could smell perfume....Barbara trying a new scent? He thought.  He found a note on the kitchen table that said "GOT CALLED UP FOR WORK AT LAST MINUTE.  SORRY TO NOT BE THERE TONIGHT....LOVE YOU....B"

Jeremy sighed and had a quick dinner.  He felt lonely in the house, all the more so because he really wanted to spend the evening with his beautiful girlfriend.  He changed out of his business suit and, on the side dresser, he noticed a receipt for a purchase of clothes from some place he'd not heard of.  The receipt was dated for today...Barbara had been shopping but what had she bought?

He smiled, thinking she might have bought something really nice...or maybe just a pair of jeans...but thinking about her made him pine all the more.  He needed distracting and so he decided to pay John Action a visit.

"Hey, Action"

"Hey Jez....come on in." said Action, looking bored and if something was weighing on his shoulders.  He was watching the news on his TV; it was a report on the situation in Vietnam.  Jeremy sat next to Action but felt awkward about saying something about what was going on over there because he knew the guy had actually been there.

"Sorry, man" said Action, switching the TV off "It doesn't seem like a year since I was over there"

Jeremy nodded.  "Do you still have friends out there?" he said.

"A few.  A lot from my unit rotated back to Stateside at the end of their tours but some others stayed on.  I don't keep in touch often enough.  But enough about that, how's it going man?"

"Not bad...I was hoping to treat Barbara to dinner tonight but she had to go into work at the last minute.  I think she's been buying new outfits"

"Women will do that...so are things still good with you guys?"

"Never better.  And you?"

Action took a deep breath.  "I don't know, man.  Katherine's a classy lady but me?  I don't know if I'm the right guy for her.  She sees things differently:  She's cool, real cool and I get a little hot under the collar"

"Really?" said a taken aback Jeremy.  "I had you down as THE cool cat"

"It's a bit of an act" said Action.  "I try to stay cool because I've seen things that would make you mad or make you bad...better maintain an even strain..." he said, holding his hand flat out in front of him, perfectly still.  "Anyway, I hate talking about this stuff...let me get you a beer"

They drank beer and contrasted how their work and love lives differed.  Jeremy was an office worker, a real white collar guy but he had this cool love life with a sweet, beautiful girl.  Action walked the line with his work dealing with criminals, getting in fights and risking his neck but he wasn't sure where he was with his girlfriend, Katherine, right now.

After a couple more beers Jeremy, feeling tipsy, shared one more insight with Action.  "Listen...man..." he said, picking up the hip lingo now "You've got to ask yourself....all other things put to one side....is Katherine the kind of woman you can see yourself with not today, but tomorrow and tomorrow and the day after that ad infinitum"

"I have no idea what that means, Jez" said Action.  "But if you mean for ever and death do us part then I catch your drift.  I will certainly think about it, my friend."

"Am I your friend now?" said Jeremy, giggling.

"Sure, man, you are one of the good guys"

"I need to get home...I want to be there for Barbara when she finishes work" said Jeremy, staggering to his feet.

"You've got a good one there" said Action, helping him to the door.  

They said goodbye and Jeremy shuffled home but when he got there, he collapsed into bed and fell fast asleep.

When Barbara did arrive home, she hoped Jeremy was still awake so she could share her news and perhaps show off her new outfit but he was there, asleep in bed.  She smiled at his peaceful looking face.

I can't make a career in fast food...I need to find something more worthwhile and at the same time be able to spend more time with Jeremy.  I have an idea of what I really want to do...........