Chapter 7: One Step At A Time

June 29, 1981, Chicago, Illinois

“Have a good weekend?” Charlotte asked on Monday morning.

I’d actually had a very good weekend, having spent Saturday exploring the Pedway and the Loop, and Sunday exploring the area near my new apartment, finding places I’d need — a laundromat, a grocery store, and the cycle shop which Stuart had recommended. I’d priced the bike and it fit within the budget I’d allocated for it. But that wasn’t what I was going to tell Charlotte.

“Yes. I mostly spent it with my aunt and uncle. How about you?”

“Totally boring! Are you doing anything tonight?”

“I didn’t have plans,” I replied.

“Cool! Dinner at the diner?”

“Sure,” I replied, wondering if we’d make it that far.

“Kane!” Mr. Nelson called out from the doorway.

“Yes, Boss!” I replied, walking over to him.

“Somebody walked off with every legal pad on 35. Run some up right now!”

“Yes, Boss!”

The shelf in the supply closet had been full on Friday, which meant somebody had taken 50 legal pads sometime between 3:00pm on Friday and this morning. I went to the supply room, grabbed two boxes of legal pads, tossed them in my cart and took them up to 35. The shelf was empty, so I broke open both boxes and put the pads on the shelf. I double-checked all the other supplies, and everything looked OK, so I went back downstairs.

“What’s up with that?” I asked Nick.

“Somebody has been stealing office supplies,” he replied. “Whoever it is has been smart enough to spread it out over time, but this has been happening for the past year. If they catch whoever it is, they’ll be skinned alive, rolled in rock salt, then tossed into a vat of acid.”

“Uhm, ouch?”

“Yeah. The Big Boss is livid. He’s talked about installing some closed-circuit TV cameras and VTRs to try to catch the thief.”

“If people know the cameras are there, won’t they stop?”

“Obviously, unless they’re complete morons. Yeah, it doesn’t catch the perpetrator, but it puts a stop to it.”

“That stuff can’t be worth very much,” I replied. “Why risk your job over a few bucks?”

“Beats me. My theory is it’s someone who has a grudge, and for all we know, they’re just dumping the shit in the river.”

“Crazy. I checked the other supplies, and everything looks good.”

“OK. Personnel brought a stack of memos while you were out. They’ll be delivered on your morning rounds.”

“Got it. Anything else?”

“Just keep up the good work.”

“Will do.”

I looked over the memo and suppressed a laugh. It was directed at the thief and while the threatened punishment was immediate termination, reading between the lines told me that skinning, rock salt, and a vat of acid weren’t an idle threat! I did my rounds and saw that there was a young woman at the desk outside Bill Mertens’ office. She wasn’t what I would have called pretty, but she was nice enough looking and had absolutely huge breasts, which I assumed were the primary reason she was hired.

“I see Bill Mertens has a new secretary,” I said to Nick when I got back to the mailroom.

“A temp. He hasn’t found a full-time person, but from what I hear about the temp, I can’t imagine he won’t try to hire her full-time.”

“I’m curious, how can someone with no skills do that job?”

“It’s mostly answering phones, keeping an appointment calendar, opening mail, and that kind of thing. Most of the forms we use are filled in by hand, not typed. And most letters are form letters which are generated by the word processing machines. Those are the ‘Wang’ and ‘Prime’ machines you see. Basically, you press a few keys, the entire form letter pops up, you add the person’s name, account number and maybe one or two sentences, and that’s it.”

“Leaving them plenty of time for other duties,” I replied.

“Exactly. Are her tits as big as the rumor?”

“I don’t know, but they’re huge. Like bigger than Dolly Parton.”

“Damn! I’m going to have to find an excuse to go to 35 and get a look myself!”

“I think the door on the supply closet isn’t locking properly,” I said casually. “You might want to check it.”

“Why, yes, that might be how things are being taken! Cover the phone!”

I laughed softly to myself as he hopped up from his desk and headed out the door towards the elevators. He was back five minutes later.

“Damn! Those ARE impressive!” he replied.

I got up from the desk and went over to my work area and sat on the stool. There would be a lull unless something special came up.

“You guys and boobs,” Charlotte laughed.

“If I recall correctly, you used yours as an enticement,” I replied.

“It worked, didn’t it?”

“Perhaps,” I allowed.

She leaned closer and whispered, “If you want, you can have a tit-fuck later.”

I had no idea what she was talking about, and my face obviously showed it.

Charlotte smirked, “Never done that, huh? It’s when the girl spreads baby oil on her tits, you hold them together, stroke like you’re fucking between them, then cum on her chest or face.”

Suddenly, my slacks felt VERY tight and I shifted a bit, trying to relieve the discomfort.

“And you like that?” I asked.

She shrugged, “Guys do, and if I like a guy enough, I’ll do that for him. Other stuff, too!”

Fortunately, the blood returned to where it belonged before I had to move from my stool, and the shelf between Charlotte’s area and mine meant she hadn’t seen what had to be an obvious bulge in my pants. Although the erection had gone away, the vision she had put into my head sure hadn’t, and I was tempted to change my mind about her. But then the memory of that last kiss returned, and overwhelmed the desire.

At lunch I went down to the plaza, hoping to perhaps see Anala, but she wasn’t there. I ate my lunch, took a short walk, and then went back to the office. The afternoon was normal, and at 5:00pm, Charlotte and I hung up our purple jackets and headed to the elevator. I’d come up with what to tell her, and it was only a matter of timing. I decided the time to do it was once we were on Grand, walking towards the subway.

“I met someone,” I said.

“So? We aren’t a couple; we’re just having some fun.”

“True, but I’m going to be spending time with her in the future.”

“If you just met her, it can’t be THAT serious! I told you I’m not looking for any commitments.”

“I just think it’s better not to be fooling around with someone else if I’m going to be dating someone.”

“Hang on! You said you were with your aunt and uncle! You didn’t meet anyone this weekend, did you? It’s all about those kisses!”

“I actually met her before, and I didn’t see her this weekend, but I think I’d rather spend time with her.”

“I’m calling bullshit! You were so freaked out by that kiss in the shower, you’re afraid to be with me again! I should have known better than to think some hick from Ohio would be a fun playmate!”

“You didn’t complain about it last Monday,” I protested, weakly.

“I thought you’d be more fun! But I guess you’re just boring and conventional. Have you ever done anything except have regular sex? I seriously doubt it!”

She was right, and despite having read through the Kama Sutra, I didn’t know much more than what I’d discovered with Bev or had learned in Sex Ed, which wasn’t a whole lot. But Bev never complained, and neither had Gudia, despite us only having done it once. It seemed as if Charlotte was trying to goad me into being with her, and despite the images she’d put in my head earlier, I didn’t want to.

“I thought it was fun and you had orgasms, so I’m not sure what your complaint is.”

“That gets boring after a while! You have to spice it up!”

“Maybe that’s true,” I allowed, “but it’s also true I met someone I prefer being with.”

“Then go be with her, if she really exists!”

That was the end of the conversation, and when we reached the subway, she went to the south platform and I went to the north platform, and we caught trains going opposite directions. I knew my aunt and uncle were out for the evening at some fundraiser, which meant Lisa would be home. Avoiding her was my primary goal, so I’d make a sandwich, grab a Coke, and take them to my room.

When I arrived home, I saw Lisa and a very cute blonde girl who appeared to be a few years older, sitting on the couch, close together, giggling up a storm.

“What are YOU doing home?” Lisa spat, moving quickly to hide something.

“I decided not to go out. I’m going to grab a sandwich then go to my room.”

“Just leave us alone, you pervert!”

I shook my head, and went into the kitchen. I quickly made a roast beef sandwich, got a pickle from the jar in the fridge, opened a bottle of Coke, and took them to my room, walking past the whispering girls. I sat down at the desk in my room, and reached up to take down the red binder, and noticed something odd — the Kama Sutra was upside down. I instantly knew what the girls had been giggling about. I didn’t really care about them looking at the book, but I DID care about Lisa being in my room.

I got up, and walked back to the living room.

“Stay out of my room!” I said firmly. “I mean it.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Lisa replied primly. “In fact, I think you’ve been in MY room!”

“Lisa,” the other girl whispered, “don’t!”

“I haven’t, and I have evidence you’ve been in mine. I think I’ll have a word with your mom when she gets home.”

I turned and went back to my room and shut the door. I wasn’t sure if I SHOULD say anything, because Lisa could easily make the same false claim to her parents that she’d made to me. I had just over a month before I could move, and maybe it was just better to let it slide. That said, it meant I would have ZERO privacy and who knew what Lisa might get up to or what she might claim next.

I ate my sandwich while I reviewed the section of the binder which covered ‘clearing’ and ‘settlement’ wondering at just how big the computers which handled all the trades had to be. I imagined they had to fill rooms and have hundreds of those reel-to-reel tape devices they always showed in movies when they showed big computers.

When I finished eating the sandwich and the pickle, and drank the last swig of Coke, I took the plate and bottle to the kitchen. I didn’t see Lisa and her friend in the living room, but I heard voices down the hall. I rinsed my plate, put it in the dishwasher — a luxury we hadn’t had at home — and then put the Coke bottle with the empties for return. I got another Coke and went back to my room and shut the door. A couple of minutes later, there was a tentative knock.

“Yes?” I called out.

The door opened and the cute blonde, who I guessed was about fifteen, took a half step into my room.

“I’m sorry,” she said timidly.

I shrugged, “I’m not blaming you. It’s Lisa.”

“I know. But I wanted to say I was sorry anyway. I’m Jeri; Jeri Lundgren.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jonathan Kane. Where’s Lisa?”

“In the bathroom,” she said, nervously looking over her shoulder. “I need to get back to her room before she comes out.”

“OK.”

She left and I wondered if she might back me up if I complained. I didn’t know how close she and Lisa were, but the fact she’d apologized made me think she was a heck of a lot nicer, though she had seemed shy and nervous. And that meant I likely couldn’t count on her to back me up against Lisa. The fact that she had snuck to talk to me reinforced that idea.

A few hours later, I heard my aunt and uncle come in, and decided I wasn’t going to say anything. A couple of minutes later there was a knock at my door.

“Yes?” I called out.

“It’s Wendy; OK to come in?”

“Sure.”

She opened the door and stepped in.

“I just wanted to let you know we’re home. Well, I am. Alec is driving Jeri home to Kenwood, which is by UofC. Lisa went with them.”

At that moment, I changed my mind.

“Aunt Wendy, when I came home, earlier than expected, Lisa and Jeri were sitting on the couch giggling about something. I went to the kitchen to get something to eat, and when I came back to my room, I noticed a book upside down. I think Lisa came into my room and got it.”

“What book?”

“A Hindu philosophy book a friend of mine recommended.”

Aunt Wendy laughed, “And you just read the articles in Playboy, right?”

I blushed, “Uh, it IS that book, but it’s mostly text talking about relationships. You know I’m seeing an Indian girl and a mutual friend suggested reading the parts about relationships, so I’d understand how Gudia thought. Her family is traditional, but not religious.”

“So it’s not just a sex position manual?” Aunt Wendy asked lightly, with a smile.

“Uhm, no. I mean, those pictures are there, but that’s not the point of the book. You can look it if you want. My concern is that she was in here snooping.”

“Something she shouldn’t be doing. And MY concern is that she’s going to get herself in serious trouble.”

I nodded, “Her friend seems nice.”

“Jeri? If she said more than two words to you, you’re lucky. She’s about the shyest, quietest girl I’ve ever met. Her mom runs a huge charitable foundation and is very domineering.”

“She actually said about a dozen words,” I replied. “Including apologizing.”

“She would. And if she said that many words, then she was really worried about Lisa doing something wrong.”

“I probably shouldn’t have brought that book into the house.”

“Why? You’re an adult, and she had no business being in your room. Let me take care of it.”

“Uncle Alec pretty much lets her get away with murder,” I replied with resignation.

“I know. And someday, that’s going to get her into more trouble than he can get her out of. Did you have enough to eat?”

“Yes. I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

“Then I’ll leave you. Good night.”

“Good night.”

She shut the door and I returned to studying.

June 30, 1981, Chicago, Illinois

“I’ll get you for that!” Lisa growled when I went into the kitchen for breakfast.

I shrugged, “You’re the one who went into my room.”

“That’s enough, Lisa!” Aunt Wendy said, coming into the kitchen right behind me.

Lisa glared at me, and I considered whether I’d done the right thing the night before. Only time would tell, and really, it would depend on what my uncle said, more than anything. I only had to survive a month, but the month could be hell. I wondered, briefly, if Stuart might have a couch I could crash on for the next four weeks.

I got my breakfast, ate in silence, then went back to my room to put on my tie and my shoes, then left the house. I walked to the L and as I waited for the train, I wondered how Charlotte was going to treat me. If things were bad at my uncle’s house, it was one thing; if they were bad at work, it was a very different thing. I could avoid Lisa, for the most part, but avoiding Charlotte would be impossible.

When I arrived at the office, I put on my purple jacket and went to the mailroom. Charlotte arrived about a minute later, and simply rolled her eyes, saying nothing. I felt, at the moment, that was the best that I could expect. And if all she did was ignore me or roll her eyes, then I’d just go about my work and not worry about it.

And that was, indeed, how the day went. Charlotte didn’t say a single word to me, simply rolling her eyes or shaking her head. When quitting time came, I delayed a bit so that she would take the elevator down without me, and I could then avoid walking with her to the train. My plan worked, and I didn’t see her until I reached the opposite platform. The train arrived almost immediately, and I got on without even looking at her.

At home, I got the cold-shoulder treatment from Lisa, though it was glares rather than eye rolls. Just before dinner, the phone rang and Aunt Wendy answered, then called me to the phone.

“This is Jonathan,” I said when I took the handset from my aunt.

“Hi! It’s Gudia! Did you miss me?”

“I did!”

“I missed you too! For Saturday, I can pick you up anytime you want. We’ll spend the day together, then go to the fireworks display in Naperville. I know a place where we can see both the Naperville and Aurora fireworks.”

“That sounds good,” I replied. “I’m happy for you to pick me up as early as possible.”

“8:00am?”

“Sure.”

“Do you have Friday off work?”

“Yes. It’s a trading holiday, so Spurgeon is closed.”

“Would you like to go to the Chicago Botanic Garden? It’s a nice place to walk around and spend a day. It’s in Glencoe, which is north of the city. I could pick you up in the morning and we could spend the day together there. It’s free admission; I just need to pay a small fee to park the car.”