Saturday morning brought an embarrassment of riches as Drake brought in the morning newspapers to his master as he had been trained to do. First Jerry scanned the pages of the Record, catching his breath as he saw the large colored picture of Eliza Blake that dominated the front page of the “Local” section. He read the article quickly, his heart racing as he realized that Eliza’s house was now only a few miles from his own in Upper Saddle River. Eliza and her young daughter were now his neighbors!
He read the article over and over again before taking a pair of scissors from the drawer and cutting precisely along the black edging that outlined the story. Then he carefully folded the printed paper and slipped it into the drawer of the bedside table.
The New York Times, the paper that was supposed to bring the world to the reader’s door, bored Jerry after what he had read in the Record He turned the pages matter-of-factly, noting that it looked like the Yankees were on their way to the World Series again this year. Jerry used to love playing baseball.
But the Daily News sent him seething.
NEW LOVE FOR ELIZA BLAKE.
He stared at the grainy picture. Eliza couldn’t be interested in that uptight-looking guy who stared like a deer caught in the headlights at her side. Jerry steamed about it all morning and into the afternoon, eating almost an entire box of Devil Dogs. Then, pumped by all the sugar in his system, he spent half an hour lifting his hand weights. Up and down, up and down. The pressure grew as perspiration broke out on his forehead. Finally, at two o’clock, he could contain himself no longer.
He dialed the New York number and waited as he was transferred to Eliza’s office.
“I read about you in the papers today, Eliza. I’m glad that you came to your senses and moved out of the city. You’ll like it much better out here.” Jerry’s voice cracked as he continued. “But you better not be taking up with that stiff. He looks way too boring for you. I can give you the excitement you need, baby. Give me a try.”
He was about to hang up, but there was something else he thought he should add. Something that would make her know for certain that he was not fooling around.
Jerry hissed out his last words, as Drake began to bark in alarm. “Listen to me, Eliza. Listen to me good. Because if you don’t, I’m going to come and take your little girl.”