Chapter Three

Suzan liked a neat apartment with some style while Joe, was Joe.

She had grown up in a nice town just outside of the city in a house with a yard and close knit neighbors nearby. There were often large parties thrown by her parents with those wealthy neighbors close at hand.

Tables were often set up quickly at what seemed like the drop of a hat. They were always covered in white, cotton table cloths. Loads of food were soon set up on those tables while the bar-b-cues blazed in a different, large, backyard of those mansions each weekend.

Several of the same families could be depended upon to arrive and join in the, often, extravagant fun. Some came by car from long distances just to be close to her parents who were at the center of politics in New York. Others came from just up the shady, tree lined lane by foot.

Joe came form a very different background and set of circumstances down in the Bronx. “The Bronx” had been a farm many years ago in 1639 and owned by Jonas Bronck. He had been a pioneer from Sweden. Over the years the spelling of of the name of the large area had changed as the land was developed and the mixing of languages and people come to live there.

Joe’s life had been extremely difficult as he came from a a lower station in life and it had been plagued with drunkenes and sadness. Suzan knew that but it didn’t trouble her, at first.

He had gone to school near his apartment in the same neighborhood for years while Suzan had gone to private schools for her entire life. She found his earthy background interesting if not a little tragic, if there can be something, “a little tragic.”

Their different backgrounds had made them bond. The down trodden and the resuer fighting the world together, as it were, much like the city, itself.

Suzan had left now and had no thoughts of returning. She was starting her life over.

Joe was alone in the city and could see little reason to stay. The autumn weather was turning for the worse and offered little comfort to him. Work was all that held him in the city now.

Joe’s father had moved west and they hadn’t remained as close as Joe might have wanted if things had been different. Even a distant and angry father was better than no father at all. His father made it difficult as he was a man of strong opinions and a sharp intellect. Joe often wondered how such a smart man couldn’t control his behavior or his drinking. The had very different views of the world around them and everyone in it.

Joe looked around the small apartment for his phone but couldn’t remember where he had set it down last night. He realized that he was acting like his father and it made him sicker than he already was.

He and Suzan had met for drinks at Dominick’s with friends and had spent some time there after work. Joe thought Suzan had been acting distant lately.

They had left in good spirits or so Joe thought and quickly arrived at Joe’s apartment. Joe had a few more drinks before the fight started and they ended up eventually going to bed angry with each other. That was not how Joe had hoped the night might end. What the fight was over, Joe had no idea.

As more blood reached Joe’s brain, he remembered where the phone was. He walked to the corner of the small kitchenette and reached for it sitting on the bar behind the, expensive toaster.

“I guess the toaster wouldn’t fit in her suitcase,” Joe thought as he saw the appliance sitting in it’s spot on the counter.

He pulled up his contact list and called Charlene Carpenter, his secretary. She answred quickly. Joe liked that about her. She was very efficient.

“Joe Monroe’s office, this is Charlene Carpenter, how may I help you?”

“Hello Charlene, it’s Joe Monroe. I don’t think I’m coming into the office today. I need some personal time.”

“What’s the matter Mr. Monroe, are you ill?” Joe didn’t answer right away. His throat closed just a little as he tried to speak.

“I know I have some personal time left on the calendar.”

“You’re right Mr. Monroe but there’s a meeting you need to attend tomorrow at eleven. The boss and you are meeting Charles Summers about his new book.”

Joe hesitated, cleared the lump form his dry throat and spoke. “I’m finally done with Suzan, Charlene. Or she’s finally done with me, I should say. I guess that’s closer to the truth. It’s for good this time, there’s no going back.” Charlene remained quiet but smilked.

Charlene’s heart raced as the words filtered through her brain and into her soul.

She had helped with all of the arrangements for the pending nuptials and the honeymoon to Africa, including filling out the paperwork for their visas.

She had also filled out the applications for their large life insurance policies. Joe was often too busy to bother with those mundane issues in his life. She was heartsick as she made their wonderful honeymoon plans and some those plans unfold in front of her beautiful, deep, blue eyes.

She knew about the brides maid’s green silk dresses and did much of the planning for the exotic vacation with the travel agent that they were using.

It was Africa that they had finally decided upon after much consideration by both Joe and Suzan, as Joe told Charlene the story of how they made the final deision. “We picked it at random, but she is still fretting about it. It was her idea for Christ’s sake. She is such an over thinker and worrier.

Charlene knew that deciding on the honeymoon destination had been a trying time for the both of them. It had been a trying time for Charlene as well. That’s why Joe and Suzan had finally agreed to let luck intercede. Charlene knew all about that. She had heard it all from the many discussions with Joe.

She was his secretary after all, and who is closer than a boss and his secretary in a small department in a very large, cold, publishing company? She had been trying to help Joe and Suzan plan their trip for several months now.

Well, she had been helping them to to implement the plans, at least. She had even looked up the best travel agency in the city for planning their honeymoon and had even sent in the couples documents for their visas, for crying out loud.

Interestingly, she had sent her own application in as well, for the three countries. Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania sounded as mysterious and exciting to her as they did to Suzan and Joe. She didn’t really know why she had done it but she had. Perhaps part of it was her love fantasy with Joe Monroe. Joe didn’t have a clue that Charlene was in love with him too.

Joe did come into the office the next morning for is meeting. It went well and after an hour and forty minutes he was back in his office pondering his next move.

So was Charlene.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Well, that was interesting.

I call these chapters, but perhaps they are too short. I’m not sure, but this is how they stand at the moment.

Lots more has been accomplished on this book by yours truly.

I’ll put Chapter four up tomorrow after tennis.

I’m also working on a WW ll prequel to “Grandpa Ernie’s Secrets,” now and then.

I have many things to tell you about my trip. I sent an email to myself each day about what I was up to. I will try to put some of that up soon.

Remember that my photos from this recent trip and more are already on TikTok at R.C. Hand22252

Yes, I like to keep busy.

I stayed in the same hotel in Albania as Ernie and “her” while Ruby and Bobby were in Greece on their honeymoon. If you weren’t invited to the wedding, you can read about it in “Grandpa Ernie’s Secrets.”

The Oxford is an ideal hotel for spies and those not wishing to be seen while in Albania. It is close to the main street but down a narrow twisting lane. It isn’t seedy. Just the opposite. But it’s location brings in a certain clientele.

Russian oligarchs and the like are plentiful in Albania where cash is king and can be easily laundered.

But that’s another story for another time.