Chapter 32
“Keep your motor runnin’.”
Johnnie went back and forth between Sears, the new house, and the hotel just before she moved out of the Savoy. With the money Earl had given her, she bought several bedroom sets, bathroom ornaments, towels, rugs, drapes, and other decorative furnishings. By the time she finished, the house looked like the palace she envisioned. She was especially proud of the king-sized, hand carved cherrywood bed she picked out. The head and foot-boards had winged angels playing trumpets carved into it, and the four bedposts almost reached the ceiling. She also purchased a mirrored bureau that stretched from one end of the wall to the other, with ten-foot armoires at each end. One armoire would be used for clothes and the other housed the portable RCA television.
Johnnie was walking to the front desk of the Savoy to check out. A week passed and Robert Simmons hadn’t had any contact with her. Johnnie stayed out of sight until the day she was ready to check out. This, of course, was all a part of Johnnie’s plan to get him to tell her about her mother and her dealings at the Savoy. She believed if Simmons didn’t see her for a while, he would become even more infatuated with her. She knew Simmons would be more desperate to have her, fearing it would be his last opportunity. When she reached the desk, Simmons was reading the morning mail.
“Robert,” she said softly, “I’ll be checking out this afternoon. I have some errands to run this morning. When I return, I’ll be ready to check out.”
“I see you’ve decided to call me Robert.” He grinned.
“I thought it was the least I could do. You have a wonderful hotel and a great staff. I felt as if I was at home. Thank you.”
Noticing the change in attitude, Simmons fell right into her trap.
“Well, since this is your last day with us, perhaps you’ll have that dinner with me?”
“I cain’t do dinner, but I can do lunch if you like.”
“How about Trudy’s Café?”
“Sounds good, but can we eat on the terrace? It’s such a beautiful day out.”
“Cool. What time should I expect you?”
“One-thirty okay with you, Robert?”
“Fine. I’ll see you then.”
“Until then,” Johnnie said, walking toward the exit.
Myron smiled and opened the door for her. Simmons watched her as she went through the door. He shook his head wantonly and said to himself, “Yeah, I gotta get me some of that.”
Johnnie walked into Glenn and Webster’s amidst the usual stares, wearing a navy skirt, a white blouse and a pair of navy-and-white pumps. She saw Cynthia Lamar sitting at her desk, filing her painted red nails.
“Do you have an appointment, Ms. Wise?” she asked, looking for a fight.
“Are we going to have to do this every time I come to see Martin, Cynthia?”
“Let me tell you something. Martin is mine, and no colored wench is going to change that. No matter how much money you have, you’ll always be a nigger to him.”
“And you’ll always wonder what we have that you don’t that makes your men chase after us with little regard for their own cracker women. Now, are you going to announce me or do I have to barge in like I did last time?”
With a stoic look on her face, she picked up the phone and said, “Your voodoo princess is here.” Then she hung up.
Johnnie was about to say something when Cynthia beat her to the punch.
“I know, my mama, right?”
“That’s right,” Johnnie said and walked into the office grinning.
“How are you today, Johnnie?” Martin asked, extending his hand.
“Wonderful, Martin,” she said, shaking his hand and taking a seat. “I’m moving into my house later this afternoon.”
“Great. You must be elated.”
“Quite elated, actually.”
She didn’t know what elated meant, but went with it anyway. She figured it must mean excited or something.
“So, what can I do for you today?”
“A couple of things, actually, Martin,” Johnnie said, crossing her legs. “I want to diversify my portfolio a little more.”
“What companies are you looking at?”
“Well, I was at Sears quite a bit this week, and I noticed how many people were buying televisions.”
“So, you’re interested in one of the television makers?”
“Not exactly. It’s my opinion that the market for the makers of televisions will be up and down. Some will even go out of business. So, I’m thinking of going to the source.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I’m thinking of investing in the networks. I think they will last regardless of what television is on the market. What do you think?”
“I think you’re on to something,” he said, thinking, I better get some of this before she figures out how easy this shit really is. If I wait too long, she won’t need my advice.
“You really think so?” Johnnie asked, feeling good about herself.
“Yes, but I think you should also go with AT&T Corporation.”
“Why, should I do that?”
“I’ll be glad to explain it to you over dinner at your place. You name the date and time, and I’ll be there, portfolio in hand, ready to chat about the market, among other things.”
“First things first, Martin,” Johnnie said and tossed a wad of money on the table.
“How much is this?”
“Five thousand dollars.”
Martin counted the money and began making out the receipt, thinking, You must be every bit as good as Earl says. I can’t wait to get you in the sack.
“How do you want to spread this out?”
“I’d like to put some in AT&T, but since you won’t explain it to me, I guess I’ll have my dinners with a man who can appreciate my natural talents.”
“If I explain everything now, I won’t have a card left to play later. That is, if I’m going to get the opportunity to appreciate your natural talents up close and personal.”
“The card you hold is your knowledge of the market, Martin. That alone will be your calling card.”
Johnnie watched him to see if her flirtatious words would be enough to get him to divulge his rationale for investing in AT&T. If it worked, she knew she would have no trouble getting the rest of the information out of him.
“So then, if I tell you why you should invest in AT&T, I still get to come to dinner?”
“No. You get to come to dinner because I want you to. You get to explain why I should invest in AT&T because it’s your job.”
“Okay, you got me.” Martin laughed. “AT&T is an innovative company.” Innovative. That’s another word I don’t understand.
“Innovative, huh?” Johnnie repeated, trying not to let on that she didn’t have a clue what he was talking about.
“Just three short years ago, AT&T invented a technological marvel called the transistor. They’re currently working on the first transatlantic telephone cable, and they’re looking into launching the first earth-orbit commercial communication satellite.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Johnnie said. “I’m sold.” I’ve got a lot to learn about this investment business. “Well, Martin, I’m kinda in a hurry. Let me give you my new address so that you can send my dividend check there from now on.”
“Okay, sure. Where do you live?”
“In Ashland Estates.”
“Ashland Estates? It’s pretty expensive out there, isn’t it?”
“For colored folks? Yeah, probably so.”
“What’s the street address?”
“Number 3415 Imagination Drive,” Johnnie said and picked up her purse. “Okay, just so we’re clear, we’re investing in NBC, ABC, CBS, and AT&T, right?”
“Right.”
“I’ll be calling you Martin,” she said with a quick wink of the eye. “Keep your motor runnin’.”