What’s in a Name?

What’s in a Name?
A short story by Diana Weeks

Bubbles stood a foot back from the 125th Street apartment window… even though she was four stories up. She didn’t want her date to see her watching him. She had spotted his car roof the second time the red and white convertible passed by. Oh… he’s looking for a parking place she thinks. But he drives away to leave? What? There he is again… he gives up on street parking and goes to the “ten bucks for all night” lot across the street.

She picks up her bird-watching field glasses and clears the focus. She can’t help smiling watching… seeing how he bends his tall lanky body in half to get out. He reaches to retrieve his jacket and puts it on…looks at his reflection in the window… and dusts his hands like a cowboy on his way into a clean farm house… he grinned and looked up…and dusted his hands again.

Bubbles decided to be herself with this guy… just plain ole Norma Jean. She grabbed her coat and left her apartment with all the lights on…she wanted to go meet him… go someplace to talk… so she could explain that her nickname was because she blew bubbles with a wooden spool... after the thread was used up.

He hadn’t gotten fresh on their first date… the next day… after a neighbor introduced them… in an aisle at Central Market. From the things in his basket… a whole raw chicken, box of rice, colored sweet peppers, fresh basil... and a small watermelon. She knew she was going to like him. Her father could cook.

Buck had taken her to a chick flick last night and bought her… her own box of popcorn. He didn’t talk much but he kissed her... at her apartment door after… and she thought she would faint. She had not planned to ask him in. During the long kiss she wanted to drag him in and kiss him all over. But her late mother’s advice… to not let her ovaries make decisions for her…made her send him home.

The second Buck saw her in the lobby he put out his arms… like a soldier home from the war… And she walked right into them. They kissed until the doorman cleared his throat… and waved them out the door. Buck put his arms around her waist as they walked. “Mom invited us over for dinner. Have you ever been to Brooklyn?”

THE END
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED