Leaving Home Chapter 9

Leaving Home
Chapter 9



I had purchased three tickets because it wasn’t fair to the other patrons to be squeezed because of the Lady’s presence. Usually, I consider myself polite, well-mannered, and respectful. However, a woman in our row howled about having to sit next to our dog. “Surely,” she said almost at the top of her voice, “you don’t expect me to sit next to that beast!”

“Don’t worry, ma’am. I’m sure she’ll be much better behaved than you’ve been. Why don’t you take the middle seats if it is so objectionable? Then I can put her in the aisle next to me, and there will be an open seat between you and my wife.” I thought I was being perfectly reasonable, but.

“Not! I paid for seats on the aisle, and that’s where I will sit!”

“Okay with me; go ahead, dear.” Jennie stepped into the row, followed by Lady and me. We were seated when a gentleman next to Jennie commented, “I’ll be happy to sit next to your dog.”

“Thank you, sir, but after this woman’s rude behavior.” I let it drop, but I spread a towel from the hotel on the floor before telling Lady to sit.
The bitch continued her tirade even as the overture began. I knew how to shut her up. I gave Lady a command; she turned toward the woman, emitting a low growl and exposing her fangs. She never moved. She didn’t have to. The woman shrank back in fear. I whispered just loud enough for her and our other neighbors to hear. “I suggest you shut up. In addition to being a service dog, Lady is also a guard dog who will react to any perceived aggressive behavior toward either me or my wife.” I backed Lady off and sat back to watch the show. Jennie took my arm and held my hand while I petted Lady with the other.

The woman and her friend got up at the intermission, and a man behind us stood. “She’s not a guard dog, is she?”

“Yeah, she is. I have a lot of money, so I hire bodyguards or have a dog. Having the dog is more fun but not much cheaper. She cost me a fortune.” I returned to Jennie and asked if she wanted a snack or a drink. She looked at me as though I was crazy. After the meal we’d had, I must have been.

I had a pleasant conversation with the people sitting behind us. They were appalled by the woman’s conduct. One man said, “Your dog has better manners than she does. She’s been quiet and still through the entire show.”

“Thank you. She’s extremely well-trained. We spent three days with her and the trainer to learn her commands. If I told her to, she could and would take a mugger’s arm off at the elbow, but with us, she’s as gentle and loving as can be.”

“Are you local or just visiting?”

“I used to work out on the Island.” I pulled a business card from my wallet. “I sold the company last year and retired to North Carolina. It was a great movie; that’s where I met my wife. We’ve been married all of three days. I had business here, so I brought her for a shopping spree.”

“Well, I love her dress and jacket. I hate to ask what it cost. Is that silk? It’s beautiful,” his wife added.

“I’m not concerned about the cost. Nothing’s too good for her. How about joining us for a drink after the show?” They agreed, and we had a date. They were a charming couple in their forties who had taken the train from Jersey. After introducing Jennie and myself to Charlie and Toni Blasi from Hoboken, I returned to my seat. Looking down the row, I noticed that the rude big-mouthed bitch had not returned for the remainder of the show, no significant loss as far as I was concerned.

An hour later, after an extended standing ovation, we exited the theater, and I was on my cell to David. He picked us up a few minutes later, and I asked about a nearby club. “I know just the place, Dr. Preston.”

“You’re a doctor,” Charlie asked.

“No, just a PhD. Essentially, I’m a software engineer. I write software, most of which is quite involved. Ever hear of Software for Idiots?”

“Our daughter used that to study for the SAT last year.”

“I wrote that program. I wrote all of them. Only three people were in the company—me, a secretary, and an accounts clerk. We worked out of my house, but I sold out to a major corporation last year. Mostly, they wanted an unpublished program I had written and used. I can’t give you any more information because the conditions of our contract are secret. All I can tell you is that they paid me more than enough to enable me to retire. What do you do, Charlie?”

“I’m a union plumber, nothing compared to what you do.”

“No, I disagree. I know quite a bit about plumbing. I also know that society as we know it wouldn’t exist without plumbing. Ever stop to think where we’d be without the simple trap? I guess living in caves or huts with a life expectancy of forty. My uncle owned a plumbing business in Suffolk County until he died four years ago. I worked for him during my breaks through high school and my first year in college. Then, I could get work writing code for a software firm in Massachusetts where I went to school.”

“Here we are, sir.” David pulled the limo over to the curb in front of a club with a trio playing dance tunes. I thought it was perfect.

We had just ordered drinks, and I ensured our guests realized they were our GUESTS. The rest of the evening was on Jennie and me. Our waitress had just left when Toni asked, “How long have you been married?”

“Three days,” Jennie replied. “Three wonderful days, but we’ve lived together since our first meeting.” Charlie and Toni looked shocked, so Jennie continued. “It all had to do with how we met. I ran away from home when I was seventeen. My stepfather was raping me three or four times a week, and my mother was no help at all. She accused me of trying to steal her man—like I’d have any interest in a fifty-year-old fat slob.”

“You couldn’t contact the police?”

“Unfortunately, no—he was the county sheriff. I knew when I left that I’d have to have sex with truck drivers and other men who picked me up.
Over the five years I was on the road, I probably screwed two hundred men. I did it to survive, and that’s all I did. Then, back in January, I got a ride cross-country to Lumberton, North Carolina, and the next day, a Canadian couple gave me a ride to North Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. I slept in a shelter that night and went to a shopping center the next day to beg for money for my next meal.

“I was cold and tired, so I sat against a stop sign post with my homemade sign leaning against my leg. That’s when Doug approached me. He was the kindest man I’d ever met. He took me to Walmart for clothes and his home to clean up. I knew what kind of man he was when he noticed I had lice. He bought some shampoo and carefully and patiently combed the nits out of my hair after I had showered. I couldn’t believe that I could be so lucky. He threw out my old clothes and took me to a restaurant for dinner—the best meal I’d had in years. I stayed overnight in his guest room.

“It was cold that night. Doug told me he’d feel terrible if he read that I’d frozen to death. The next day he took me to buy a warm jacket, and I convinced him that his real motivation was that he wanted to fuck me. He insisted on using a condom, which was good because we went to his doctor and learned I had Chlamydia, which was cleaned up in less than two weeks. I know Chlamydia can cause sterility, but my gynecologist said you have to have it for several months before that happens. We got it in time because I’m pregnant.”

“Is that why you got married?”

“No, Doug is a genius, but he’s a nerd, and sometimes he can be so obtuse that it’s ridiculous. I told him that he was the first and only man I had ever made love to. The others were just sex, where I only lay motionless while they did their thing. Despite that, he never realized I was terribly in love with him. I had to threaten to leave before he admitted that he was in love with me, too. He told me he wanted me to stay and marry him forever. Although I don’t think he got it all out. He had just said ‘marr…’ when I was all over him—hugging and kissing him like there was no tomorrow. That was four days ago. We were married the next day and flew here to New York the following day.”

“That’s some story, Jennie. You are so lucky. I don’t mean you were lucky to have to go through all that—lucky you found Doug.”

“Yes, I agree. Doug is rich, but that means nothing to me. I offered to sign a prenup, but he refused.”

“Sounds like your parents did a wonderful job with you, Doug.”

“Thanks, but it was all on my mom. I haven’t spoken to my father since I was sixteen. I got my driver’s license and drove to Stony Brook University, where he’s a chemistry professor. I walked into his lab to find him banging some coed. My mother knew what I’d seen when I walked into the house. She’d known about his cheating for years. I never spoke to him again or had anything to do with him. I’ve offered to support my mom if she decides to leave him, but she won’t. Enough about us; tell us about you. How did you meet?”

“Ha! There's not much to tell; we lived right next to each other in Brooklyn. We were best friends growing up. I was a tomboy. Everyone knew we would be together.”

“That doesn’t always work, does it?”

“No, I’m sure it doesn’t, but our friendship grew into love while we were in high school. I’ve never dated anyone, but Charlie, and I never wanted to. We were married the day after we graduated from high school. I had a job as a secretary, and Charlie had one as a plumber’s apprentice. We stayed in Brooklyn until I became pregnant and moved to Hoboken. The city has undergone extensive urban renewal and gentrification—is that the right word?”

“Yes, it is,” I replied. “I know of several high-powered executives who live there. It’s just a short train ride to Penn Station.”

“Yes, we know. That’s how we came in tonight. I wonder how long it will take us to walk there tonight.”

“Nonsense, we’ll give you a ride. This time of night, it can’t be more than ten minutes out of our way.”

“Anyway, we have two girls. They tolerate me, but they love their father terribly. Where are you staying while you’re here?”

“We’re staying at the Plaza, Toni. Oh, it’s so beautiful there. We have a suite that overlooks the park. Doug had a meeting today, so he sent me out with a professional shopper. That’s how I got this dress and about a hundred others.”

Toni and Charlie looked at us in awe. “Don’t forget that Jennie had nothing when she came to live with me. I can and do take her shopping, but I’m a guy. I have no idea what’s stylish. I’m good with golf clothes, but that’s about it. Jennie…how about a dance?”

Jennie was in my arms a minute later as we shuffled between the other dancers' bodies. I could see Lady keeping a close eye on us, ensuring we were safe. I was sure she could cross the twenty feet separating us in about a second. We shuffled along for a few minutes when I felt a tap on my shoulder. “Mind if I cut in?”

Jennie was shaking her head, indicating “no.”

“Sorry, but I do. I don’t mean to be rude, but we’re honeymooners. We want to be together. I’m sure you understand.” I turned my back, and we continued our dance until he pulled my shoulder away from Jennie. This guy was younger and more prominent than me, and I was sure he could beat me in a fight. No problem: I pulled a silver whistle from my suit pocket and brought it to my lips. Lady was with us in a flash. Meanwhile, the other dancers had pulled back, leaving us in an empty circle about ten feet wide.

“Listen, pal—we’re not looking for any trouble, but if you want some, my dog here will be happy to oblige. She’s a trained guard dog, and she won’t hesitate if you threaten us in any way. Many women here would be happy to dance with you, but my wife isn’t one of them. So, tell me, want to spend the night in a hospital with your arm hanging by a thread?”

“You can’t fool me. That’s a service dog.” I gave Lady the preliminary command I used in the theater. Her growl was menacing, and she bared her fangs. He stepped back, then turned and melted into the crowd. I led Jennie and Lady back to our table.

“What on earth was that all about, Doug?

“Well, Charlie, it seems some people don’t like to be told, ‘no.’ He wanted to cut in, but I wouldn’t allow it. If I had to guess, he probably thought I’d be intimidated by his size, but I wasn’t about to allow Jennie to be pawed by some stranger.”

Jennie leaned over to kiss me. “Thank you, Doug. I went for five years with men putting their hands all over me, and I never want that again.” Then she petted Lady, thanking her, too.

We had a wonderful time, but I was hungry around midnight. Turning to Charlie, I asked, “What time did you guys eat?”

“I’m not sure, but it was early, like 4:30.”

“Let’s grab a bite,” I asked our waitress for some menus, and fifteen minutes later, we had platters of hot food in front of us. Charlie and Toni had cheeseburgers and fries. Jennie had an open prime rib sandwich with fries. I had a corned beef sandwich with potato chips. Finally, around one, Charlie said they had to go. I settled the bill and listened to Toni thank us as we walked out the door.

Suddenly, I saw a quick motion from the shadows to my right. I couldn’t believe the asshole who tried to cut in would hang around this long. He raised his arm, and that’s when I saw the knife. I managed to block him with my arm, but the blade sliced through the sleeve into my arm. Less than a second later, I heard a scream. It was him reacting to Lady’s teeth clamped into his forearm just above the hand that held the knife.

When dogs capture prey, they grab it by the neck and swing it back and forth to break its neck. Lady’s thrashing broke his arm so severely that I could hear it snap. Lady’s next move would have been to his throat, but I called her back. She’d hold him in place on his back until I released her once the police were on site. Luckily, we had left at the same time as some other patrons. They had returned to the club to tell the staff to call the police and an ambulance.

New York City has a highly efficient police force. The first patrol car was on the scene in less than five minutes. My assailant, Matthew Bradshaw, claimed he was just leaving the club. Fortunately, there were plenty of witnesses who testified that he had attacked me. I also had a bloody arm that required twenty-six stitches, and there was the knife with my blood and his fingerprints on the sidewalk.


To be continued