Return to Flatbush Part 18
It is Nifty, who keeps authors writing and keeps you reading. Please help with any amount: https://donate.nifty.org/donate.html.
Part 18
Scores of years have passed, but Flatbush Avenue is as good as it was yesterday. Asa knew enough to stay in the moment because the past always comes along and catches up to you. Asa always had an answer for everything although sometimes, it became an effort to be clever.
Alice's Green's daughter, Gloria, married a successful cardiologist and living in Palm Beach Florida. They have been living there for over two years now and Alice was convinced she also wanted to live in Palm Beach.
Alice Green poured a cup of tea. She invited Asa for tea and he accepted. Occasionally, she did things like this, and Asa knew it was her way of peddling news.
"You want to know something, Asa?" She said, passing him a homemade cookie from the bakery
"You got 20% off on the cookies?"
"No, that is on Friday. Today is Monday and these are fresh." I am not talking about cookies." She continued
"Oy, how did I know that – so talk," said Asa
"I never went to college because I was too busy learning how to get along with people." She said
"Nice" said Asa sipping his tea. "Who do you want to get along with?"
"I don't think I said that right," remarked Alice
"Are you trying to say you have decided to move to Florida?" said Asa
"How did you know?" questioned Alice
"You told me."
"Oh, that's right, I did. All this has me confused."
"I am confused too and the doctor told me to take something; so I will take another cookie," said Asa grinning.
"Such a joker you are. You and Henny Youngman make me laugh," said Alice
Asa knew what she was talking about but did not elaborate. His mind flipped through the words remembering everything but saying nothing. The next few minutes were not about Alice moving away like one would expect. Alice talked instead about Flatbush, the bakery downstairs and of course Adam and Andrew.
She had come to know them well and although she was not privy to their closed-door antics; the part she had become accustom to as a gay couple, she liked a lot.
"Asa,' she said, "The boys need a larger place, so when I am no longer here, let them have this apartment."
"What boys?" replied Asa duping and trying to make her smile?
"The Oakridge boys – who do you, think?" she said
"I know – I know, of course they can have it." Replied Asa
"And don't raise the rent,"
"I will keep that in mind," said Asa
"There you go," she replied
Twenty minutes later Asa was back downstairs sitting on the stone steps of the building. He went to the corner and into the bakery.
Adam was not there and Asa was not the least bit curious as to what he was doing. He never questioned such things and it resulted in a solid friendship.
"G-morn Asa, said Marie, one of Adam's employees. "Do you want some bagels?"
"No, just stick a large plain donut in a bag and give me a bottle of water, if you have one."
"We do and here you go," she said handing the bag and the water to Asa.
Asa paid and went to the park to sit and enjoy the sunshine. He broke apart the donut and tossed pieces to the pigeons. He bought it for the birds.
"It's good you feed our feather friends," said a mature, Jewish man sitting himself down next to Asa.
"They are not my friends, they are dirty and crap all over the sidewalk, but they are hungry, so what are you gonna do." Said Asa
"You feed them, that what you should do," the man said being quite serious
"Good one," commented Asa "I will keep that in mind. "Oy vey what a yutz," he thought.
"Are you from Brooklyn? The man asked Asa
"Oh yes,"
"From Flatbush?" he continued
"Oh yes,"
"How long have you lived here on Flatbush Avenue?" he persisted with more questions
"Since Billy the Kid was in diapers," Good grief, are you always this nosy?" asked Asa showing he got annoyed easily
"Sorry, I just wanted to break the ice and be friendly."
"Okay, so you're friendly, nice – very nice"
"What's wrong? By the way, my name is Nathan from Poughkeepsie
"Hello Nathan from Poughkeepsie, I am Asa from across the street."
"You are a Jew, huh Asa," asked Nathan
"All morning long I have been a Jew. What kind of a question is that?"
"It is a good question from one Jew to another. Your shorts, don't get them in a bundle," said Nathan
"Asa took another sip of his water and rested the bottle between his knees."
"Are you trying to keep the bottle warm?" said Nathan
"I'm a gay old man and maybe I will sit on the damn thing," said Asa. How is that for an answer?"
Nathan started giggling, almost laughing. "Good - that was good. You are not old, you are spirited."
"Think so huh, tell that to the mirror? Replied Asa
"That is the trouble here. If it is not the race card,' it is the old card' because age climbs a little. It is meshuggeneh if you ask me; and I know you did not ask me. I'm a Jew, so you realize that I will give my opinion whether you like it or not," Said Nathan
"We all live in a physical world, so we are all going to age. Am I right or am I wrong?' said Asa,
"What's your point?"
I am saying this is everyday life and the mirror is the proof. Let's leave it at that."
"Okay, I don't like this conversation anyway, it is still meshuggeneh. So tell me Asa from across the street, where can I find a gay bar around here?" asked Nathan
"You are asking the wrong person," said Asa
"Why is that, if you live here, then you know the neighborhood?"
"Good grief." Mumbled Asa
"The place I am looking for is called the "Cat Club"
"It is not the "Cat Club – it is the "Meow Club" and it is six blocks down the street"
"See, that wasn't so difficult, was it?" said Nathan
"It is a girl's bar," said Asa "are you a lesbian?"
"No, no, no, nothing like that. I am interested in the bartender; I met him a couple of nights ago in Times Square. We drank a little, talked a little, and stripped a little."
"This, I would not be surprised. - what other little thing did you do?" asked Asa
"I swallowed, but it was not a little thing. Nothing more am I saying." Remarked Nathan
"Nothing more do I want to hear. You will find the bar six blocks that way." Motioned Asa with his hand.
"Come with me and I will buy you a drink."
"I can buy my own drink"
"Come anyway, I would like the company," said Nathan
Asa thought about it for a moment and declined. Nathan took a cab at the corner and disappeared down the street.
Asa sat back on his bench looking at a pigeon still hunting around looking for food. Everybody is looking for something. Why should you dirty bird be any different.
Asa got up from his bench and journeyed back across the street. In a few hours, Adam would be finishing his day in the bakery and heading upstairs. Andrew would not be far behind.
Asa pushed the elevator button and listened to it rambling down from the top floor. He had a full day of doing nothing. As far as he was concerned, nothing was not worth talking about.
Trying to describe how Asa was feeling was like a big version of mean girls. "Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln...how was the play?"