Chapter 4: I Hate Surprises

Now and then, I'd stop in at Tricky Dick's, a bar and diner not far from the office. It was a good place to have a beer and a conversation. It wasn't too loud other than when there was live music on Friday or Saturday night. The food was good, so if I got lazy and didn't want to cook, I might have a burger or something from the kitchen. Once in a while I'd run into someone I knew from work or even high school, and yak with them for a while.

Tommy T-Man Farley was an old classmate who hung out with me and Brains Nonis. I have no idea how he got the T-Man moniker, but he still answered to it. He was doing pretty well in the appliance business, he said. Had his own store now and was always looking for an angle to compete with the big boys. He was still single, like me, but was dating some woman I didn't know, but sounded like a cross between Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Lopez. T-Man was known to exaggerate a little.

We got to talking and he asked about my love life, and I mentioned I had been going out with Merilee Jenkins. I saw his eyes go wide when I said that, so immediately, I wanted to know what that was all about.

"Nothin' ... nothin'," he said. "Good looking woman ... for sure,"

It sounded a bit lame, so I decided to chase him a bit for more.

"Come on, T-Man, what do you know that you're not telling?"

He looked a little worried, like he was afraid to tell me something.

"Relax, man," I said. "If I should know something about her, you should be the guy to tell me."

He still looked like he'd rather be somewhere else, but finally he spit it out.

"She's in tight with Harley McDougal. Has been for a while. Didn't you know?"

"Shit no, man. She said she wasn't seeing anyone. You sure about this?"

"Yeah ... unless she broke up with him in the last week."

"Well, I've been seeing her since just after the C of C awards dinner, and that was a month ago. What the fuck?"

"I saw her with Harley on Tuesday at the Catbird Club, over on 4^th Avenue. Unless she's got a double," my friend said with an apologetic shrug.

"Not that I know about. Guess I'll have to change my plans, T-Man. Thanks for letting me know."

"Yeah ... sure. Sorry about that, Duke."

I nodded as I slid off the stool and headed for my truck. I wasn't sure if I was pissed or let down. The air sure as hell was let out of my balloon in a hurry. Only one way to find out what was going on, and that was to call her on it.

As I drove home, I started to think a little better. I decided not to confront her right away. I'd wait until she called me. Lately, I'd been on the phone to her almost every second day for one thing or another. There was never a hint that she was seeing anyone else on the side. If I didn't phone her for a couple more days, five would get you ten that she'd be calling me.

My not calling her gave me time to think, too. This was the last thing I expected from her. She made it plain that she was the one that was interested in me, not the other way around. She was the aggressive one, not me. And what about Harley?

Harley McDougal was a slick, smooth, hot-shot with one of the big brokerage houses. He was salesman, but had a fancy, mean-nothing title to make the saps think he was something special. Investment Consultant, I think it was. Bullshit! He was a peddler, just like me. He just had a nicer suit and a better haircut. Otherwise ... well ... what difference did it make? He was the kind of guy I might have expected Merilee to be going out with.

The last time I had talked to Merilee was Tuesday, and I didn't hear from her until Saturday afternoon.

"Hi, Dieter, I haven't heard from you all week. Are you all right?"

"Yeah ... sure." I didn't add anything after that.

"Are we going out tonight like we planned," she asked, not sounding too sure of herself.

"I don't know. Will Harley be coming too?" I asked, waiting for the reaction.

"Harley?"

"Yeah ... you know ... Harley McDougal. You and him seem to be a regular couple at the Catbird Club, I'm told."

"No ... I mean ... that's not true. Harley is just a friend,"

"Jeeze, Merilee ... that's the oldest line in the book."

"Dieter, please. He's just a friend, nothing more."

"Look, Merilee ... Harley's got a black belt in pussy hound. He doesn't have girlfriends, he has notches on his bedpost. So don't try and bullshit me. If you want to hang out with Harley, fine and dandy. Just don't expect me to play second fiddle. I'll see you around," I said, hanging up the phone.

I half expected her to phone me back right away since I didn't give her any chance to explain, but it didn't happen. Just as well. I knew right from the start I was out of my league, so why should I be surprised? All the same, I was pissed.

When Marla noticed that I wasn't going out Saturday night, she came over and knocked on my door. I opened it, gave her a lame smile, and invited her in.

"You not going out with Merilee tonight?" she asked.

"Nope." I wasn't in the mood for a long discussion.

"Problems?"

"Yup."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really."

"I'm a good listener," she said softly.

I looked at her and saw nothing but sincerity. I let out a deep sigh and could feel my shoulders slump in surrender.

"I found out Merilee was seeing another guy. Has been for some time it sounds like."

"Oh ... that's a surprise. I didn't expect that," she said sadly.

"Me either. Hell, she was the one who came onto me."

"Do you know who the other guy is?"

"Yeah. Harley McDougal. He's a real piece of work. A stock hustler with a big bankroll and an even bigger opinion of himself. Been through half the single women in town, and few of the married ones too."

"Oh ... Dieter ... I'm so sorry to hear that. But ... that just doesn't sound like the Merilee I met. Not the girl I saw making eyes at you."

"Maybe one guy isn't enough for her," I said. "She tried to tell me they were just friends, but the way I heard it, she was seen in a late night club with him on a regular basis, and they looked pretty close."

"Who told you about this?" she asked after a pause.

"Friend of mine. I've known him for a long time. No reason for him to lie to me. Besides, she didn't deny she was out with him ... just that he was only a friend. I told her Harley doesn't go in for just friendly relations with attractive women."

Marla sat there, looking at me, but thinking about something, I was pretty sure. She was a smart lady, but I couldn't see how she could make something good out of this mess. I was coming around to the idea that I was hurting. I had hopes for me and Merilee. This looked like it put a lid on those hopes.

"Just let things cool off for a while, Dieter," she said finally. "You'll get a better idea of how you feel about it and maybe so will Merilee. I can feel for you ... I've been there ... just like your father has too. It's no fun, but sometimes, things work out better in the end. Keep your chin up, kid," she smiled.

I couldn't help but smile back at my step-mother. She was a class lady and I was lucky as hell to have her around. Maybe she was right. Maybe something good might come out of this. I couldn't see what the hell it would be ... but who knows. I gave her a big hug as she started to go.

I put Merilee out of my mind for the next couple of weeks. It wasn't easy, but then she wasn't around me, even when I went into Jenkins Mercedes. Out of sight, out of mind ... well ... almost. I didn't have any hot prospects to replace her with, but I was sure I could find someone to date. I would just have to patrol the usual places and see who turned up.

It was a Wednesday morning when I got a phone call from someone I didn't expect.

"Good morning, Dieter, it's Paulette Jenkins. Do you have a moment?"

"Sure Mrs. Jenkins. What can I do for you?" I was curious what this call was about.

"I wonder if you and I can have lunch tomorrow ... or perhaps Friday. I think it might be worthwhile if we got together."

I didn't know how to respond to that, but it didn't sound like trouble.

"Yeah ... I suppose so. Maybe Friday would be best. Where would you like to meet?"

"How about we meet at the Burnside Country Club. We have a membership there and I hardly ever use it."

I'd never been in the Burnside Country Club, but from the outside, it was a pretty high-class place, with lots of stone and timber.

"Yeah ... okay ... I guess I can. Do I need a tie?"

"No," she chuckled. "It's a golf club and casual wear is normal. Don't dress up ... it isn't necessary. I'll look forward to seeing you Friday noon at the club. Just tell the maitre d' that you're meeting me."

"Okay. Friday at noon. I'll see you then."

I hung up the phone, wondering what in the hell she wanted to see me about. It had to be something about Merilee, but what? She was a nice lady, and it would have been hard to say no to her anyway, so I might as well find out what she wanted.

If I played golf (which I didn't), I would probably wear what I wore on Friday; polo shirt, no-iron khaki slacks, and polished loafers. Not my normal work wear, but not too fancy either. I parked in the big lot and walked up the stone steps to the front entrance. Jeez, the foyer in this place was bigger than most houses. I saw where the dining room was and headed down the hall toward the reception area.