T he limo sped along Fourth Avenue. Max’s gift to me. I was gonna take the subway to opening night, but Max said, “Don’t you dare!” And he rented this beautiful black car with a sweet young driver in a black suit. I sat back, my hands feeling the softness of the leather, watching the lighted Christmas trees go by one after another along the Fourth Avenue median. They’ve been there every Christmas since the end of the war in memorial for the soldiers who died.
We turned onto Christopher Street to pick up Janet. We both had to be there a coupla hours early to set up for the champagne reception that was taking place after the show. We’d decided for the opening we’d only run the ten pm show. We’d add the twelve and two am in the following days. Our ads had created quite a stir which meant that lots of critics would be there. We were expecting Earl Wilson, Walter Winchell and we hoped Dorothy Kilgallen. At times, Kilgallen could be undependable. Our reservation list was filled, and we’d begun selling extra floor space; we had to run out at the last minute to buy extra throw rugs. Selling the costly special balcony seats had been easier than even I expected. They were gone the first day. I hoped we had enough champagne. It was the really good and expensive stuff. Max said we couldn’t go cheap on the champagne. You had to look successful if you wanted to be successful. That sounded like something he might’ve gotten out of Norman Vincent Peale’s book. I thought Max should be in charge of choosing the champagne and he agreed. We bought lots of the less expensive stuff too to give out once everyone was drunk enough not to notice.
Apartment windows along Christopher Street were decorated with crooked snowmen, upside down Christmas trees and other artistic endeavors pasted there by inexpert hands. As we neared the apartment building where Janet, Freddie and Deb lived, kids fat with winter coats stopped to stare at the car as it went by; older, hipper ones whistled at it.
I wore a silk dress of blue, orange and green. It made me feel festive. My heels weren’t too high so I shouldn’t be my usual clumsy tonight. The mink jacket would keep me warm till I got inside The Haven.
“It’s right over there on the right, Rodrigo,” I said, leaning toward the front seat. He pulled the car to the curb and jumped out. He put a black hat on his head and started around the car, but before he could open my door, Freddie came running down the front steps of her apartment in blue jeans and white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, no coat and leaned against the window. Rodrigo stood nearby, not sure what to do. I rolled the window down. “Janet’ll be out in a minute,” she said. “I tried hurrying her along, but you know Janet.”
Freddie leaned on the car and bent over to see through the window. “This car is boss!”
“Get in. You must be freezing. See what you think of the inside.”
“Can I?” She was sitting next to me before I could answer. She ran her hand over the seat. “Man, this leather is razzin’ my berries!”
“Nice isn’t it?”
Kids, all sizes, boys, girls as soon as they saw Freddie get in were all over the car, touching it, looking under it, making faces in the side mirrors. They swarmed around the driver asking questions. He did his best to answer.
“Hey! You kids!” Freddie yelled, leaning out the open door. Stop getting your dirty mitts all over this fine finish. This is an expensive machine!”
“Let them play. The rental place can clean it.”
“So, of course, Janet’s late,” Freddie said, pulling the door and herself back inside.
“Al! Al! It’s beautiful,” Deb ran down the steps and leaned against the car. Freddie rolled down the window.
“Freddie, are you going somewhere in this ?” Deb asked.
“You kiddin’? I’m not even dressed! And to go anywhere in this I think ya gotta be dressed like Al.”
“I can’t wait to see you in the show, Freddie,” Deb said, jumping up and down. “And I’m going to wear a fancy dress and a stole. I can’t wait to see you tap dancing across that stage, Freddie. And you sing in it too, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but don’t expect too much. But I have been practicin’ Al. Every night in the apartment.”
“It shows. You’ve really been improving. Johnny said so too.”
“Did he? Well, that’s somethin,’ ain’t it? He’s a real professional. Oh! Sorry, Al. You are too. I didn’t mean…”
“It’s okay. I know. Men seem more like professionals than women do. That’s okay.”
“The neighbors underneath my floor aren’t all that appreciative of my new skill,” Freddie said.
We both laughed. Deb went to examine the grill work on the front of the car. She had the weirdest interests.”
“Where is that sister of mine?” Freddie said lighting a cigarette. She shouldn’t be keepin’ you waitin.’ Not after all you did for her.” She opened the door. “I’ll go light a fire under her.”
“You wanna ride with us?” I asked Freddie. “You can just grab your outfit upstairs and put it on at the theater.”
“Nah. I’ll take the subway.” She signaled me to come close to the window and whispered, “This is Janet’s night.”
“Sure,” I said.
“Hey! You two!” Janet yelled from the steps. “Don’t leave without me!”
She came charging toward the car in a green, lacy gown with the fox stole I’d leant her wrapped around her neck.
“Come on, hurry up, Janet,” Freddie yelled leaning on the limo door. This limo can’t wait for you forever.”
“I’m tryin,’ she yelled back.
She looked like she’d lost a little weight. She bounced on to the sidewalk her eyes roaming over the surface of the limo. She whistled through her teeth and followed it up with a definitive, “Wow!”
“Hey, Al, I’ll see you soon for the show,” Freddie said, “I’m scared outta my mind, but I’ll be there.”
“You’re gonna do fine,” I told her.
“I’m gonna be all decked out in my renta tux.” She did a quick, slightly clumsy soft-shoe on the sidewalk. “Oh, well, I’ll do lots better tonight. I been practicin’ hours and hours. I got lotsa friends comin’ to watch me be the coolest, hippest singin’ waiter anybody ever did see.”
She didn’t a little tap on the sidewalk up the stairs, with a few damns! thrown in.”
The driver held the door open for Janet and she slid into the seat next to me. She looked out the window at Freddie, standing in front of the door to the building. “So, what ya been sayin’ about me?” Janet yelled to Freddie.
“Nothin’!” Freddie yelled. “You think I got nothin’ better to talk about than you? Damn, it’s freezin’ out here.” She wrapped her arms around herself. "See you twirp real soon.” And she disappeared into the building.
“Hey! Wait for me,” Deb yelled and ran up the steps and inside.
“Wow!” Janet said, “This car…” The driver started the motor. “It’s so big. And our very own driver. Do you live like this all the time?”
“No. Not all the time.” A fleeting image of my bills piled up on my desk swept passed my inner eyes. I dropped it quickly remembering I would be able to pay most of them as soon as this show started to bring in a profit.
“Did you notice the weather,” Janet asked.
“Yeah. It’s perfect.”
“Perfect,” Janet repeated.
“Cold, though.”
“Of course, it’s cold. It’s December, but nothin’ will take away how beautiful it is.”
“Or you.”
“Me?”
“You look very nice, Janet.” She looked down at the car seat, embarrassed.
“Thank you,” she said to the window on her side.
As we turned off Christopher, Janet’s hand touched mine and she left it there. “It’s all too beautiful. Isn’t it?” she said.