Cornelius watched out the bus window as the soot-covered tiled walls of the Lincoln Tunnel passed by. Once he got to the Port Authority terminal, he would take a quick subway ride uptown to the KEY Broadcast Center. He could do what he had to do and get back to Moonachie in time for his shift at the bar.
Meat was tired of watching her on TV. It wasn’t enough anymore. He needed to get a glimpse of Eliza in the flesh. He was prepared to come into the city every day until he got what he wanted.
He had to get a handle on her schedule. When did Eliza arrive in the morning? Did she go out to lunch? The best time to get her had to be after the Evening Headlines, as she left the Broadcast Center. But at seven o’clock Meat had to be at work and he wasn’t ready to give up his hours at the bar. At least not yet.
Dressed in jeans and a blue New York Giants sweatshirt, Meat waited for the A train on the subway platform, looking with disdain at the other straphangers standing around him. Some of the women, dressed in tight pants and short skirts, particularly disgusted him. Sluts.
The train dropped him off at Columbus Circle and he trudged up the steps with the masses to the sunlight above. He bought a hot, salted pretzel and a Coke from a vendor’s steel cart and wolfed it down as he headed west. He glanced at his watch. It was after eleven o’clock. He had gotten a later start than he should have. Eliza was probably already in the office by now.
But as he reached the long brick building that housed the Broadcast Center, he had hopes of spotting Eliza as she went out to lunch. He stationed himself across the street, where he had a clear view of the entrance. He watched carefully as dozens of people went in and left through the heavy revolving door. After half an hour, he walked forty feet up the block to a pizza parlor, went inside and ordered a slice with sausage and pepperoni, keeping his eyes trained out the plate-glass window while he waited for the pizza to heat. He paid for the slice and a can of cream soda and took a seat in one of the white plastic chairs at a bistro table out on the sidewalk.
More people were coming out of the Broadcast Center now.
“You are a miracle worker! I can’t believe you got this organized so quickly.”
Keith smiled sheepishly. “I can’t take all the credit on this one, Eliza. I mentioned the story to my wife and she happens to have a girlfriend who is a literary agent and feels she has to stay in New York while her husband has an opportunity in Dallas he didn’t want to pass up. He left six months ago. It’s been wreaking havoc on their relationship, but they are determined to work things out.”
“You’ve talked to them, of course.”
Keith nodded. “Yeah, and they’re willing for us to do their story. In fact, she’s flying to Texas this weekend. We can accompany her on the plane and then shoot them together in Dallas. I was thinking it would be cool for you to interview her on the plane ride Friday night, get her feelings of anticipation and then get the letdown as she flies back on Sunday.”
He watched Eliza’s face for reaction.
Eliza knew Keith was right. This would be a good way to do the story. She didn’t want to be away for the weekend, though. Yet after killing the New York-to-London idea, she couldn’t be a prima donna now and say no to this plan. That wouldn’t be fair.
Eliza glanced at her watch. “Are you hungry? Let’s go out and grab some lunch and talk about it.”
Meat was accustomed to waiting.
In fact, he enjoyed the anticipation—and the reward for his patience. He waited for his bats to emerge. Now he waited for Eliza.
There she was, coming through the revolving door! A man followed behind her and together they walked onto the street. The man raised his arm to hail a cab
It took awhile for an empty taxi to come. Time for Meat to fume. Eliza still wasn’t listening.
Her brown hair gleamed in the midday sunlight. Her navy business suit, if it could be called that, showed way too much thigh.
She laughed at something the man said as they got into the cab.
Whore.