Chapter 2

Carolyn spotted as I lifted weights on the bench. She asked, "You look like you were out late last night. Did you have fun?"

"I was out late and I had fun. Are you jealous or interrogating me?" She swatted me gently and I continued, "I went to a party at Carrie's with mostly Juilliard students."

She asked, "And?"

"I took the subway. Carrie's apartment is close to the 125 Street Subway Station. She had told me that the second party would be smaller than the first and that some people wouldn't come back. She was right; it was a smaller group. Carrie's apartment is in the same building complex where Karen was. I've decided to use Karen's old apartment over the summer."

The family had an interest in(owned) a row of apartment buildings near the Columbia University campus. Juilliard was near Columbia on 122nd Street between Claremont Avenue and Broadway. We also owned a number of brownstones between Columbia and Juilliard. We had purchased several apartment buildings around the Lincoln Center, near where Juilliard was planning to build, when Juilliard moved to the Lincoln Performing Arts Center. Renovations in the City were very complicated because of the mob, unions, corrupt city officials, rent control laws, and high land prices. We had been quietly purchasing property around 72nd Street and Central Park West, where Grandfather lived, for a long time. We had purchased several apartment buildings between Grandfather's building and the slum area west of Central Park West, partially as a buffer against the slum encroachment and partially because being next to a bad area had depressed the prices of apartment buildings. When the government announced plans to clear the slums and build Lincoln Center, we already owned several pieces of property along the fringe of the proposed project, and exercised purchase options on a number more. Some of the apartment houses we owned were within walking distance of Juilliard's building site and had potential as high end student and artist housing. We had our own construction company dedicated to apartment renovation and a section in Grandfather's law firm specialized in reality law and construction related issues. It took a sophisticated operation to deal with the myriad of rules and special deals available for purchases and renovations. We entered into some long-term leases with the Lincoln Center, but we avoided rent control and renting to displaced residents of the slum area or participating in any voucher or subsidized housing programs. Carolyn was unaware of the extent of the family's real estate holdings, most of which were held in trusts, established for me by my grandmother.

Carolyn asked, "Was the girl from the Actors Studio there?"

Since Carolyn split with Tom, she's become more interested in my sex life. It's almost as if she's living through me. I'll push it a little for fun.

"No and I was disappointed; but I hooked up with Heather, the good looking blonde who I told you about. She's the voice student who looked like she was straight from the stage of Hair. She and Jules went to Karen's old apartment with me. It's in the same complex as Carrie's. I left them in bed together this morning."

"Heather was the one with the bod you liked? Who's Jules?"

"Heather's bod was even better up close. Jules is a cellist and just graduated from high school. She hadn't gone out much. She may be in shock this morning. I think she was more enamored with Heather than me."

Carolyn laughed, "Welcome to life in the big City Jules. You should be ashamed of yourself; taking advantage of those two poor, helpless women."

"And I thought fraternity parties at Alabama were wild. Outside of creekbanking parties, nothing at Alabama remotely compares to Carrie's parties."

Carolyn asked, "Be careful. Beside the women at this wild orgy, did you meet any interesting people?"

"The trumpet player and the trombonist were there again. They seemed glad that I had enrolled in then jazz seminar. When I told them I had enrolled, they said that was copasetic. I liked them and they seemed very accepting of me. They said the seminar teacher knew all the jazz people and we would be going to a lot of rehearsals; that's why the class is on Mondays. They're going to take me to some of the jazz clubs in Harlem, where whites aren't usually welcome. I'm really looking forward the seminar and going out with them. Juilliard has groups going to all the plays, on and off Broadway. The student newspaper runs reviews of everything."

She said, "You might check with your grandfather to see if you're in the Founders Circle at Lincoln Center. My father bought me two memberships and my sister two. Membership guarantees availability for tickets in the Dress Circle area for opening night at all the Halls. The Metropolitan Opera, the Ballet, and the Symphony will be housed there soon, as will the best of everything eventually, including Juilliard. And we're really close here. It'll be fantastic."

"I'll check with Grandfather about the Founders Circle."

Carolyn said, "Tell me more about the people at the party."

"I saw some Actors Studio people and some dancers. I didn't like that there was a lot of dope smoking, but I know it's a part of the culture. I had a little of the fortified wine punch, which I contributed for the party, and that was all I had. Signing up for the class changed my status from an outsider to one of them. I really liked the jazz students.

"And surprisingly, I don't have any morning after regrets. Heather and Jules seem more attractive this morning, than they did last night. I think I'm going to enjoy the summer around Juilliard and going to plays, concerts, and jazz clubs."

Carolyn said, "Don't overdo it. Moderation in all things; remember that."

I thought, I heard that from Professor McWilliams and Lib too. I smiled and nodded. "It's different enough from the fraternity social scene to be interesting. I'm really not into nightclubbing like Beau. How are you doing?"

"Not as well as you and your friend. I get lonely sometimes."

"I'd be glad..."

"Stop! We're not going there again!" She softened, "I love you too much to go through that again. We can't be friends with benefits and we can't be lovers; agreed?"

I nodded. "I love you too. Last summer was very special for me."

"Me too, but we're not returning to our old relationship. I think I've made the mental transition for you to be the younger brother I wanted, but never had. I'd like for us to have that relationship; I missed you, but I can't go back. I'm hoping to find someone, but I'm picky and don't have to be in a big hurry. I was disappointed when Tom moved to California."

"Okay, I got the message. Would you like to go to some concerts and plays this summer? Maybe we could go to some Off-Broadway or jazz concerts together?" I smiled.

Carolyn responded, "I'd like to go to some Broadway shows, concerts and plays. I'll skip the experimental theatre, Harlem and the jazz clubs. I'd really like to find someone I can enjoy those things with; maybe someone a little older than I am."

I said, "I'm trying to make most of the summer. I'm going to miss the City's best in the world arts when I go back to school. I didn't go to many things in the City before."

Carolyn said, "You can always take a break from school and fly up for events. You're not that far away with your plane. Are you rethinking coming back permanently?"

"There are some things about the Southern people and pace I really like. I'm sure I'll keep a place in the City and come back for the plays and things; and I'll want to visit Will and Brooke, but I don't think I will change my mind about living here."

Beau skipped the basement exercises and just jogged. I wasn't quite ready for heavy jogging, but I felt very good and had gotten a good checkup from my doctors. Beau joined us as we crossed 72nd Street and Central Park West on our return. After exercise, Beau and I ate breakfast with Grandfather and then went with him to work. On the way to work, Beau laid out our weekend party possibilities. I had agreed to go to parties with Beau on the weekends when Grandfather didn't want to go to the Vineyard or when there were no jazz, plays, or some Juilliard activities I wanted to attend.

When Beau saw Will, Will recommended the best parties to attend, and then Beau and I firmed our party plans at lunch. Will and Brooke invited Grandfather, Beau, Thornton, Eunice and me to eat Friday night and stay over with them at Roselawns. Will had tee times for a foursome Saturday morning.

Friday afternoon, Brooke and Nicole met us at the LIRR station in Brooke's station wagon; Eunice had come to Roselawns at noon. Will drove with Brooke in the middle and Grandfather rode shotgun and held Nicole. Beau rode between Thornton and me in the second row of seats.

Roselawns had a heated pool. All of us, except for Grandfather, got in the pool soon after we got to Roselawns. Will's regular golfing partner, Herm, his wife, Jen, and their infant son, Doug, joined us in the pool. Herm was a defense contractor in the electronics industry. They were close in age to Will and Brooke.

Thornton was a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor and had been a Red Cross Waterfront Director at the Mountain Brook County Club Pool during his undergraduate summers. His muscular build and athletic grace inspired confidence. He showed Brooke and Jen, how to teach Nicole and Doug to swim. Nicole and Doug were the right age to take to the water naturally. Will and Brooke had put in an alarmed pool cover system that kept heat in and made the pool safer with children around.

Grandfather and I volunteered to watch the infants on Saturday morning to give, Eunice, Brooke, and Jen a chance to go to the Junior League Bazaar. Brooke had given the au pair the weekend off, since she had kept Nicole over Memorial Day Weekend, when Brooke's parents had come in from Philly and they went out at night. Will, Thornton, Beau, and Herm planned to go golfing Saturday morning.

Friday night, we grilled steaks, ate at poolside, and visited. In addition to the greenhouse, the pool area had a really nice eating and cabana area. It was ^ an enjoyable time. Herm and Jen fit well with the group.

When Herm, Jen, and Doug left and Grandfather went to bed, Beau and I went to a party at the home of a Yale DKE out at Riverhead. Thornton and Eunice played bridge with Will and Brooke after we left.

A lot of college age people were at the Riverhead party. Several lived on Long Island and a number were working along the shore during the summer. Several Yale Dekes were at the party. It was more of a mixer than party.

I felt much more comfortable with the Yale Dekes now than when I was in school. Beau and I circulated and got several names and telephone numbers of attractive coeds. The big draw at the party was a gorgeous Penn coed, Candice Bergen, a world class beauty. Beau and I stayed away from her. We picked up a very attractive pair from Radcliff and Holyoke, who didn't take much convincing to get interested in staying the night at the Southampton's house. I asked five of my out of town Yale Dekes pledge brothers, if they wanted to stay over at the house Friday night. They all picked up and we went out to the house. The group made it without having an accident or anyone getting stopped for DWI. There was a nice smuggler's moon and we went to the water's edge. We had plenty of beer and oversized beach towels. We built a fire and most everyone hooked up in the dunes, and then most went skinny dipping in the heated pool. The ocean was beautiful, but the water was cold and swimming at night wasn't smart. There were a lot of available women; mostly because more men passed out than women and I had invited a few unpaired women, who needed a place to stay.

Juilliard wasn't the only place where orgies occurred and the 'seven sisters' were into sex as much as Juilliard musicians. I hooked up with coeds from four of the seven sisters. Beau and I swapped the Radcliff and Holyoke women during the night. None of the women in the pool or uncoupled women in the house turned me away. I wished I could have stored some away for later. Will had talked about the fun times he had at the Southampton's house during the summer. He had practically lived out there on during the holidays and summer weekends from the time he started prep school until he got involved in W & B, while he was at Wharton.

I slipped out of bed early in the morning. 'Warmed over coffee and fresh woke up pussy' weren't supposed to be any good, but Diane, a really good looking Smith junior disproved that. I met her in the upstairs hall when I slipped out of my bedroom early Saturday morning. We showered together and she let me know she was open to try anything. I went down on her and she loved it. After a nice hookup, I thought we were through, but she sucked me hard and said she wanted to go around the world for the first time. I wasn't really that big into anal, but who was I to refuse. The expressions on her face were the most interesting part of anal with Diane.

She said she hoped I would visit her at Smith. I was sorry she was from out of town and only visiting a boyfriend for the weekend. She would have made the summer in Southampton really interesting. We cleaned up and I went to the kitchen to help Erin.

Beau took the car and went to meet Will at the practice tee. I called Roselawns to let them know that I was coming and that Beau was on the way to the club. I got the guests up and Erin fixed them a buffet breakfast. We got them up and out. Erin dropped me at Roselawns in time to see Brooke, Eunice, and Jen off to the bazaar and for me to help with the Nicole and Doug.

I played with Doug, while Grandfather took care of Nicole. We fed them and I changed them once. Grandfather and I enjoyed talking, and we had fun with the babies. Feeding the babies was a lot of fun. After they were fed, changed and rested, I took each one out separately in the pool. The pool activity was great. Nicole and Doug enjoyed the pool and got tired and were ready for a short nap.

Grandfather asked, "Do you think you'll want children?"

"When I find someone that's makes me feel the way Will does about Brooke, I'm sure I will. I'm not nearly there now."

He asked, "Do you know if they're planning another?"

"Brooke said they want two to three years between the children. I'm not sure how many they want. I think it will depend on how many Brooke wants. I'm glad to see Will's so crazy about Nicole."

Grandfather said, "Me too. Brooke's a good mother. Will and Nicole come first with her."

I bathed and shampooed the infants. I wanted to get all the pool chlorine off their skin and out of their hair. Then I put lotion on them and dressed them. They were so tired that they went right to sleep in the baby beds. Brooke and Jen came in as I was cleaning up and putting things away. I said, "I put them down about twenty minutes ago. They've been changed, fed, and given a bath. They had twenty minute swims. I have the intercom on in the nursery."

Of course, Brooke and Jen got them and showed them to some of Brooke's Junior League friends, who had followed them back to Brooke's after the bazaar. While the women met Grandfather and saw the babies, I fixed soft drinks for everyone.

A woman teased Brooke as I served the drinks, "Cute and trained; can he go home with me?"

Brooke said, "I'd like to keep him, but I think he's a Southerner now."

One of the two women, I had given a card to at Brooke's open house said, "I remember; he wore a Southern Gentleman's white suit at your open house."

Brooke said, "Rob is a real sweetheart. I can't imagine a better brother-in-law."

The two women slipped me cards with times when they could meet. They were careful when they did it. From their nervousness, I suspected they were new at it. My only reaction was to give their hands a little extra squeeze and a nice smile as they left. I didn't say anything about them to Brooke.

When the guys came in from golfing, Herm, Jen and Doug went home, Grandfather, Thornton and Eunice went back to the City, and Beau and I went out to the Southampton's house. We ate and dressed for a party, Will recommended, at a house in West Hampton Dunes.

The West Hampton Dunes house was a beautiful large modern house that looked right onto the ocean. A valet took our car. Something about the party looked odd to me from the start.

Most of the men looked older than Will and were semi-formally or formally dressed. Beau and I were much younger than the other men and most of the women. Most of the men were in their forties or fifties. It looked like a pledge swap with alcohol. The men and women didn't fit together. Beau and I were in sport coats and knit shirts. We were the most casually dressed men.

I asked Beau, "This is strange. What do you think is going on?"

Beau said, "I'm not sure, but it's almost like the women are high-priced call girls."

Almost all the women looked around thirty. They were all very attractive, but most were ill at ease. They looked as if they had been spread around the room; some were standing by themselves. Their clothes didn't look of the quality of Brooks'. Beau and I separated and went in different directions.

I went to an attractive woman standing near the window. I said, "Breathtaking view."

She responded, "Yes it is."

I offered my hand. "Rob Jenkins"

"Francine" She gave me a forced smile.

Strange response. Maybe she is a high priced call girl. I don't think she's interested in me.

"Nice meeting you." I walked toward the bar.

As I walked away from Francine, a woman who did seem to fit, walked to me. She said, "You're either very wealthy or in the wrong place?"

I smiled, "Maybe both; maybe neither. I sure feel out of place."

"Marion Weatherbe, this is my home."

"Rob Jenkins; I think my brother, Will, received an invitation and got us invited."

"Of course, Will Jenkins; even Will is young for this party. I must have missed you were his younger brother."

"And Will is happily married; or at least I thought so. Do you mind telling me what's going on?"

"I didn't know Will was married. I heard he had moved back and was taking over Jenkins Bank. He was one of the most eligible bachelors on the Island." She paused, "What's going on is matchmaking."

I still looked puzzled.

Marion almost whispered. "Some people would call it trophy brides. Beautiful women and wealthy, older men; very busy men."