Return to Flatbush - Part 8
Jbalancier9@yahoo.com
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Part 8
The everyday movement of people on Flatbush Avenue, to which so many New Yorkers call home, has been playing catch at Asa's heels from the beginning as a young man.
Several fantasy stakes placed along the way directing his naughty movements, lingered in his thoughts, and would do so until the end.
The sun was peeking between the slats in the blinds directing light to Asa's face. He opened one eye and then the other. He rolled over and stared at the wall with his back to the window.
"Ah, such a grand day with the sun shining, but I won't be looking at it," he mumbled peeking at the clock on a dresser. It was digital with large blue numbers, so he had no problem seeing it from his bed. He stretched, farted, and kicked the covers off as an attempt to air the sheets. It was an effort to get up and start another day of nothing.
During the night, he would have to pee several times, which he blamed on the pills prescribed by Dr. Midfielder, controlling his blood pressure.
Things seemed to be wearing out and rightfully so. However, Asa passed it off as time, dragging him to the cemetery. He was having no part of it.
His mind was good. His appetite had not changed and he remembered everything. Sex was still very importin to him, "what's not to like." He would often think, thankful to be around and upright.
He gave up on walking each time, during the night, to the bathroom and instead had a covered urinal container, each morning he would empty, rinse and clean. Old gents learn to be inventive when need be.
Walking would make him weary and kneeling had become a chore, but he would kneel for crotch duty, even if it were painful getting back up. Some things in life are just that important at any age.
Occasionally when `lady luck' was on his shoulder, he would find himself on his knees, doing what comes naturally in a storeroom or in an elevator. Asa could suck like a canister vac.
He had to pee like a runaway horse, so he headed to the bathroom. Asa looked into the bathroom mirror and spoke to it as if it were a person looking back. This oddity he developed by living alone. Some senior folks talk to their cat. Asa would talk to the mirror.
Asa mumbled to the looking glass - "Good morning, good lord, where did this old goat come from? I need to buy smaller light bulbs." Then chuckled briefly, followed by a sigh, before lowering his wobbly frame down for a relaxing morning bath. The morning bath was routine. It seemed to energize him and get him going for the day. After dressing and feeling better, he opened his door to pick up his morning newspaper, but it was not there.
Adam would leave early in the morning, pick up the paper from the downstairs vestibule, and toss it by Asa's door, but, not today.
"Eyye, so what is with no paper? Oy, now I have to go look," he mumbled in his usual manner
He made sure he had his door key with him. Being locked out was something he did not care to go through.
He went downstairs, using the elevator and spotted his newspaper in the vestibule. It was under the row of mailboxes.
His top floor ternate Alice Green, was just coming in caring a small bag of groceries.
"Mr. Asa, good morning – good morning," she said to him. "I was going to bring your paper and save you a trip, but here you are, like Peter Pan, you fly around like a teen ager." She said holding the paper that she picked up from the floor.
"Fly, I don't do so well, but thank you," replied Asa
"Such a long time since we have spoken. You have to get out more and move around," said Alice. I have a big pot of coffee on the stove and raisin toast we can make. Come upstairs and have coffee with me."
"That would be nice," commented Asa My door is open, first let me close and lock it," he said
Alice rented the entire top floor and her apartment was handsomely decorated and spotless clean. She was a member of a Jewish women-knitting circle and they often met upstairs knitting sweaters for Israel and gossiping around the kitchen table.
"Do you want a mug or a cup?" she asked Asa.
"Don't fuss, you pour and I will drink it,"
"Fussing, I am not doing – cup or mug?" she repeated
"Give me a cup."
"See how easy that is," she commented
"Oy vey mumbled Asa, wishing he had declined her invitation.
Alice Green was a wonderful caring woman, but it took effort keeping up with here. She was so exact and right to the point all the time.
"So tell me Asa, what is Adam going to do after the bakery is no more?" she asked.
"He is such a nice young man, and Jewish – just lovely. Andrew is a good man too. He is not a Jew, but nice, very nice," she continued
"What are you talking about?" asked Asa
"The bakery," she answered
"What kind of answer is, `the bakery' what are you saying?" asked Asa
"I just came from the Corner Grocery this morning. You know, next to the bakery and tobacco shop. Well, the owner was talking to Adam about buying the property so he can expand the market and add parking. He also needs the tobacco shop."
"I don't know about that," replied Asa
"Sure, sure, you don't know, but don't you think you should find out? They are persuasive people that own that Grocery. The owner is the brother Carbone related to the Italian mob; and you know how Italians in Brooklyn can be?" she said being quite serious.
"Of course I know – I saw the movie and I will look into it," said Asa finishing his coffee and setting the cup down. Thank you for the coffee and the gossip."
"I don't believe what I heard was gossip" replied Alice
Asa did not reply to that, but instead spoke about the weather. His current objective was getting out of there gracefully.
Alice was a very sweet person. She and Asa had been friends for years, and feared she may have upset him. She did not. Asa seldom worried about such things.
Back at his apartment, Asa made himself comfortable in his favorite chair and sent Adam a text.
He wrote...
"Just stopping by to say hello and ask if anything is new..."
About ten minutes went by before Adam answered.
Adam wrote
"Hello, yourself grandpa. Nope, just waiting for some bread loaves to come out of the oven. Do you need anything?" Adam asked
"Nope, I'm all set. Are you sure nothing is new?" replied Asa "I saw Alice Green in the Corner Grocery this morning, I guess one could call that new" wrote Adam
"Imagine that, I saw Alice this morning too. We had coffee together," replied Asa
"Then you've heard about the Carbone's wanting to buy the property? I was going to discuss it with you tonight," wrote Adam
"Tonight is good," wrote Asa and ended the conversation.
Asa was not terribly concerned about the property. He did hold title to it and paid the property and school tax. Adam's name was on the Indenture that Asa had set up with his attorney. Adam was family to him, if only in his dreams.
Asa pushed the thoughts aside and opened his morning paper. He was not crazy about reading the daily events, but the obituary page he would turn to first thing.
It became a dumb game with him. He knew so many people around Brooklyn and especially Flatbush, from owning an appliance store years ago.
He was a senior, but a long way from dead. Some of his friends were not so fortunate.
The phone rang.
"Asa – Good morning, Bernie here"
"I know Bernie, I recognize your voice. Irritating I don't forget."
"It's a good thing I know you are kidding or to you I would not be speaking." Said Bernie
"Please, favors I don't need. What's up?" Asked Asa
"I thought I would stop by to see you. What do you think?" asked Bernie
"No"
"Why, what's with the `NO' are you upset over something?" asked Bernie
"I don't have any jelly doughnuts, and you're complaining today, I do not need to hear."
"I was joking, who needs jelly donuts. What do you have?" asked Bernie
"I have bread."
"Good we can make tea and toast." Continued Bernie in his well-known pushy manner
Asa was about to object but Bernie kept talking. "Besides, he said, "I want to tell you about this new bartender at the Meow Club."
"What new bartender?" interjected Asa
"Some Italian closet case who calls himself Johnny. I think he is available"
Asa knew exactly the bartender that Bernie was talking about. He gave him a blowjob in the storeroom only a week earlier, but wanted to keep it away from Bernie's gossiping mouth.
"Asa!!! said Bernie...did you hear me? I said, I think he may be available," shouted Bernie into the phone.
"The whole neighborhood heard you," replied Asa. "If he works there, I'm sure he is available for somebody." Such a big deal you make of everything," followed up Asa.
The downstairs door is open, sure come over and I will put the kettle on for hot water. No complaining, I only have toast or Ritz Crackers, so don't start getting fussy."
"Chill – chill, Asa you are much too serious," said Bernie "Are the Ritz cracker plain or cheese flavored?
"Stop - What's with this talk? Such a putz you are Bernie," said Asa clicking off the phone.
It was not very long before Asa heard the vestibule door open then slam shut. The elevator growled upward stopping by Asa's door. It was Bernie
He came in caring a bag of fresh made bagels and a container of cream cheese. He did not comment on a thing, but set the bag on the kitchen counter and then spoke. He said `enjoy.'
Asa could not help smiling. With all of Bernie's annoying ways, he was still a good friend; a little too much at times, but a friend.
They went after each other verbally, however there was an underlying bond since they were teenagers and for them, it worked. They were senior Brooklyn Jews and their own brand of the odd couple. . The kettle whistled, the cream cheese spread on the bagels and the munching begun.
"Have you been to the Meow club lately?" asked Bernie
"Sure, for a glass of beer; the day was warm and the sun hot. I went to sit and drink one afternoon.' Replied Asa
"Then you have seen the bartender Johnny. Why am I here telling you about him?" Barked Bernie
"I think because you are a schmuck and it was your idea, but who am I to say? So talk, you are here, so talk."
"So now, you want me to tell you about somebody you already know. Ha, who is a putz now? Said Bernie
"Forget about it" said Asa
"Everything with you is – forget about it."
"You think so?" said Asa
"I know so," replied Bernie
"Good, you have learned something," chimed in Asa
"Impossible you are Asa – impossible to have a conversation. Pass me the cream cheese." Said Bernie
"More tea?" asked Asa
"Of course," replied Bernie smiling at his old friend.
The two of them sat at the kitchen table eating and talking. Only the conversation changed to the good old days when they were young and popular.
They kept bringing up stories about their slutty summers and frosty winters seeking sex along the sidewalks and alleys of Flatbush. There was a lot of history logged on the flesh of these two `off again – on again' friends"
"So tell me Asa, when was the last time you got into Adam's pants? He has a remarkable butt and his dick – oy vey what a present God has given him." Said Bernie
"I don't talk about such things."
"You always did," Bernie, reminded him with raised eyebrows
"I'm retired and the sparkle is gone," replied Asa hoping to get him off the subject of Adam
"He is a hot young Jew." Commented Bernie
Who is a hot young Jew?"
"Adam – Asa, you are not listening."
"I am listening but hearing you, I am not," barked Asa getting an annoying feeling once again - more tea? He asked"
"Stop with the damn tea, give me another bagel. Tea I have plenty," said Bernie Asa continued smiling. He was a pal to Bernie. They went after each other verbally, especially when Bernie became obnoxious. However, there was a friendship bond still evident in their conversations.
They stopped speaking about the Meow Club and especially Johnny. Asa was actually happy about that. He was willing to talk about Johnny, but that would be a topic for another day. His mind focused on Adam and not Johnny. They were completely different men.
Bernie left and Asa picked up the teacups and put them in the sink. He wanted to know the news about the demise of the Morris Bakery.
The bakery was the place Adam loved so well. Could it be all or nothing at all? Oy it was always something"
Jbalancier9@yahoo.com – thank you for reading and thank you for Nifty.