Back in school it was time for regents, and
once they were
done, all that was left was for the teachers to pack up
their
books and other supplies for the summer break. Bumping into Herb
one
morning in the hall he told me about a teacher that he and
Luis
were helping to store books, and asked me if I wanted to help as
well. For their assistance they were
promised pizza and soda for lunch, and seeing that this
was
indeed a good cause, I joined into the fray.
In between book loads, Herb and I would push the cart
down the
hall, taking turns at riding it. At one point Herb got the
idea
of lying on his stomach on the lowest shelf so that he
could
"fly" like Superman. We did this for a several times, but were
eventually
stopped by one of the teachers on the fourth floor on the
side
of the building where the science classes met.
After picking up the few remaining science and social
studies textbooks, we
rolled the cart back through the fourth floor lunchroom to
the other side of the building and "flew" some more. Once done,
we rolled them to the elevator, and rode down to
the basement. In dropping off our final load of books we
were given our well earned reward: several pizza pies and
numerous two liter bottles of soda. Herb and I mixed
Coke with Orange Slice, and we all had a meal that was
fit for kings. (Of course I was King Conan, and not King Osric.)
At one point during our meal one of the guys
noticed a stack of red, white and blue covered paperback books
titled, "We Reach the Moon." Each volume
proclaimed that they were a "New York Times Special
Edition," and there was no cover price to indicate that they had
ever been for sale.
Skimming through one of the copies I noticed that it was a
book about the first United States moon landing. The
book contained numerous photos of the original astronauts, and
the different stages of our involvement in space exploration.
Mister Ellman, the teacher we were helping, told us we each
could take a copy. Of course, in our boyish exuberance, and
"true" quest for knowledge, we all took several books each. These
extra copies would be passed on to the more
attractive of the female students that we were sure we'd
encounter later as we wandered through the halls after lunch.
Despite the inquisitive looks I got in offering these gifts, it
was somewhat impressive gesture.
After we'd filled ourselves near to bursting, we
left, "thanking" the teacher for the food, and being
thanked for our efforts in return. Later,
after I had handed out several copies of the book,
while Herb and I were passing a second floor classroom, I
noticed the girl I used to see going to her
gymnastics class. During the school year, while we
waited to be let into the weight training room, we'd watch
the girls go by. I had seen this
particular girl several times, yet had never gotten up the
courage, to introduce myself to her. Once
past the classroom I told Herb of my discovery, and before you
could say "Crom" he was in the room. As he walked in and
approached her, he
effortlessly asked (in a tone rivaling that of Thulsa Doom1s) "Do
you collect comic books?" As I looked at
her desk I noticed she had an open issue of the Swamp
Thing comic book in her
hands. I "suavely" laughed at my friend's
(ultimately successful) attempt at humor, and told her
that he was "just kidding." Herb took his cue to split, and
I sat down across from her, in the next row of seats, in order to
complete my newfound mission.
As we talked she told me that her name was Angela
and I discovered that she (gasp!!!) lived a mere block away
from me, on Bainbridge Avenue. She also told me that
she would be moving to a new apartment in a mere three
days. Did the balloon burst right then? Not at all. While I
was barely able to mask my disappointment, I still managed to
carry on my end of the conversation. I offered her a copy
of "We Reach the Moon" playfully, in all mock earnestness,
exhorting it's virtues, and she accepted it. This hurdle
overcome, we talked some more until she decided that it
was time for her to leave for home.
While extremely
disappointed at our conversation being cut short, I was still
somewhat relieved that I could go back to being my calm,
relaxed self, and think this first meeting through. I gallantly
walk offered to walk
her to the bus stop, and she allowed me to. As we walked
downstairs together we
talked, and once at her destination I waited with her until the
bus arrived. We said goodbye to each other, and I
watched the bus recede into the distance. Barely able to
contain myself, I ran back to school to tell Herb of my
conversation with this goddess in human form.
I tracked Herb down and told him of my
all-to-brief talk with Angela. Impressed with the
fact that she had lived so close to my home, yet by some
cruel twist of fate I had never met her up until that time,
he seemed glad that he'd helped me to finally meet this
elusive and extremely beautiful young girl. As we left
school, each of us still in possession of at least one copy
of the sacred "Moon" tome, at the corner we shook hands and went
our
separate ways. Arriving home, still highly elated at my
finally having met with Angela, I vowed that I would see her
again. The only monkey wrench in my plans was her moving in
three days.
In addition, now that school was now out until the
following week's regents, and final, examinations I wasn1t
exactly certain as to how I would see her again. Only time would
tell...