It was nine forty five in the evening all I had was an additional fifteen minutes to complete my shift. I had fed my watch companion Buster and taken him out back to relieve himself. Buster was a good one hundred pounds of muscle with a German Sheppard and Doberman Pincher background. I loved the Dog and wished he were mine to take home But he was the property of the club. A fellow employee just like me. I would not see him again until the next day.
Juan my relief had just arrived and my work day was now over. I liked the hours of my shift because it allowed me a lot of time to socialize. At ten o'clock the night is just beginning in New York city. There were many places I could have gone to because New York has them all. But I intended to go to my own neighborhood in the Bronx.
I walked the three blocks over to grab the subway for my homeward trip. I boarded the six train at forty second street and Grand Central after a wait of only five minutes. The train was half empty so it had many seats available. I sat and started to dose immediately.
The train started and proceeded to fifty first street and took on a few passengers. To be honest I was tired and really did not take notice of the new passengers. I could feel the eyes of one of the new passengers seated directly across from me checking me out.
The conductor called out using a speaker stating fifty ninth street was the next stop. I opened my eyes upon hearing the speaker and seen a girl sitting across from me smiling. Seeing her was like being hit with a haymaker. It was Gerri Vittorio a girl from my past. Hello Tony I heard her say, I was stunned because I had not seen her since high school. I really felt uncomfortable because she had dumped me when I was only seventeen, just prior to me enlisting in the Navy.
I felt of all the subway rides I had taken in the last twenty years I would meet my ex girlfriend. But I was more or less forced to return her greeting. I said hi Gerri how are you? She certainly looked great, she was a blue eyed redhead and quite gorgeous. I noticed a wedding ring on her left hand so I knew just a conversation was to come. We talked of the past and of the present. She now had two children and was divorced and worked as a legal assistant.
She told me she wore her wedding band just because she was not interested in suitors. And then dropped a bombshell on me by saying unless I was available. I lied, I said I was engaged to another. And I told her I appreciated her warmth but I was not available. We reached seventy seven street and she rose from her seat and said goodbye Tony it was great seeing you again.
Just like that Gerri was gone on her way home. And I, was on my way to a Bronx bar for some drinking alone and soul searching.
Tony Mike Nerone
4-21-10
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