Chapter 4
| The Story | The Authors |
|---|---|
| The uniform looked fresh and neat on Jon. The cab driver was irrate. Oh! if only she had her purse! | |
| "Elizabeth! It's you!" exclaimed Jon. "Oh! Jon-- you have come!" "This cabby says you jumped out of his cab! What's going on?" Elizabeth began to explain that she was running... running away from Russel, from Bert (she didn't remember him very well), from herself, from life... As her emotions carried her away, Jon dug into his pocket and handed the cabby two twenties. "What are you doing here?" Elizabeth wondered. "You told me it was the _literacy_ police you worked for!" | |
| "I do work for the Literacy Police" Jon replied, "Wanna see my badge?" "Actually I'm detailed to the UCB campus. Last week we had an anonymous phone tip about a professor who left a participle dangling, and I'm in charge of the investigation. Can't talk much about it....it's kinda hush hush until we decide which charges to file, know what I mean? You hungry Elizabeth? How about if we we grab a bite and you tell me all about the cabby." "Sure" Elizabeth answered, asking herself what she was doing with this guy. If he is on the level I better watch what I say in front of him. Together they headed back down Telegraph. She had a yearning for a Grossburger, but what would he think? Better suggest something a little more cultured like sushi. He held the door for her as they entered the air-conditioned comfort of Aoba. The lunch board read "Miso Soup and Special Blowfish Maki $5.95" | |
| As they were shown to their table, Elizabeth's mind was turning. Something was wrong. His answer was too glib, it didn't set right. She searched his face. "Jon? But your uniform? I don't understand!" It was a Navy uniform. It reminded her of her plane and rescues at sea."I'm working undercover..." he lied. She saw it on his face! What was she doing with this guy?? Where was the love she had felt for him? It was slipping away and all she could say was: "I'll have sushi, please." "Darling, what's the matter? I left Nicole for you! I've lost Russel's friendship and I'll never play on the rugby team again! Tell me, what are you thinking!?" | |
| v. poor see me. 1/10 | |
| "What did you say?", Jon leaned closer, "You want to see me feeding the poor?" "N-n-n-ooo" Elizabeth stammered, but she couldn't think of how to tell him. Suddenly for no apparent reason she despised him, maybe it was the uniform, or his lying, or because his hair was slightly greasy. She ought to be nice, after all he had gotten her out of that jam with the cabby but the thought of spending another minute with him, let alone a lifetime revolted her. Glancing around the restaurant for the toilet, she noticed a woman in her forties, assiduously reading the current issue of Time magazine. "Jon, I have to be honest with you. Jon....uh um uh I'm gay. I'm coming out of the closet to you, because Ellen is gay too." Jon looked at her with disbelief. "Are you serious? And who is Ellen? Do you mean all those times in bed with me, you were just pretending?" Elizab felt as if she was going to faint, the room was spinning and the aroma of raw fish made her feel that she was about to vomit. "Yes, I'm sorry Jon, Ellen is my lover...excuse me please" She rose, grasping the back of the chair to steady herself as she headed for the loo. Why had she told him, she thought to herself, was it true? Suddenly she was stumbling, the room went black as she collapsed in on the floor in front of the glass showcase. The last thing she remembered was a meat cleaver eviscerating a blowfish. | |
| Jon, seeing Elizabeth's distress, jumped up and followed her from the table. As she went down, he wondered if he could reach her in time to break her fall. But he was too late. The other patrons were all staring at Elizabeth, some whispering, some just gaping. One young man, dressed in nines, had the table near the showcase. After leaving the theater, he had come to enjoy a cup of java alone and Elizabeth's collapse irritated him more than distressed him. He was not, however, an unfeeling cad, and he got up and leaned over the prone young woman. As he touched her forehead and lifted her hand Jon arrived. His uniform, open at the collar, revealed the pulse in his neck. "Is she with you?" Slava Stephanov asked. |
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