"Happy Birthday Daddy!" My Boo Boo Chick is now squeezing the life out of me. "Thank you Boo!" I manage to catch my breath and ask how her day was. Mine was great because I was home but I have not been out of my office all day. Her hug is medicine, her conversation, recuperation. "Mommy said Aunt Kathy put something on the family website about something you should write about in your book." Kathy is my number two sister in order but she is also my God Mother and with the exception of one really bad long sleeve tee shirt with a satin apple tree appliqué she brought when I was eight she always got me the coolest Christmas gifts. The best gift really was not a thing but time. She always listened to my wild stories about rocket ships and robots and mad scientists that were plotting to take over the world. Better yet she compelled and when I say compelled I mean forced all her boyfriends to listen too. It was a test of character. If they couldn't be patient and listen to me how would they shape up as a husband and father? It was, after all, a package deal. Marry her; and we all came along.
I am bound by the thankful kid code to give her whatever she asks for at this point in time, so I swing my chair around and click on my web browser. I loved tabbed browsers. All my favorites are open at once and I click on our family's web site and find the post.
"What does she want you to write?" I am quiet for a minute while I digest it.
"MMM hard to say Boo, but basically she wants me to tell stories about Pop Pop Happy and the Great War."
"Was Gramsey Anna in the Great War too?"
"In a way Boo, everybody was, the entire Country made enormous sacrifices to get through that time." She smiles and says
"Sounds good to me, what are you going to write about first?"
"Oh Boo there are so many stories I'm not sure what to write first. What would like to hear first?"
"How did they meet?"
"Ahhhh the love story! Well that was before the war started. They met in New Jersey."
"More, please…"
"Okay, okay already!" I say as a turn and open a new post.
"DADDY! EMPH!" she says with a stomp of her foot.
"What Boo?..."
"You CAN tell me while you type you know…"
"I know but let me finish this for Aunt Kathy and I will read it to you for a story, okay?"
I really never get an answer but the hug tells me I'm not out of the club yet.
He worked in an Ice Crème Parlor before the war. It was considered a good job. If you played your cards right you could be the manager and raise a family on that wage. It was the slow time of the day, between lunch and when the schools let out. The cleaning was done and the ice crème tubs had been shaved down the sides cleanly so the remaining product looked like delicious clouds of fluffy goodness. He was having a cup of coffee at the far table from the door.
Richie took an old table cloth and spinning it like a matador's cape; he finished with a flourish and tied it around his friends neck. Richie wanted to go to Barber College and as the fabric of the red and white checked cloth floated down, he smiled and thought "The Barber of Seville himself would be proud of that." His self admiration was interrupted by the smirk on his friends face. Richie knew the look. He was gonna say something dumb about getting back to work. Richie cut him off. "Happy m' boy you look positively harried. Haggard even. Let me fix you up. A fresh shave will make you look like the assistant manager you are!" Happy thought about that for a minute, it did have a nice ring to it. But the title was not really his. The title didn't really exist. In the whole Tompkin's Ice Crème chain there were exactly no assistant managers. The manager was sick, that's all. He was only doing now what he would have done if the manager was here. Richie was a little over half way into the shave when the bell on the door announced a customer. "That's all for now Richie, we have a customer." Glancing over his shoulder Richie said "Yes we do, and Freddie will take care of him. Let me finish this you can't have a half a shave."
The gentleman was very distinguished and wore a suit made of fine cloth that had been expertly tailored. He had what amounted to barely a taste of his ice crème when he sat the spoon down on the table and left. The three of them looked at one another in disbelief.
"I'm sure he'll be right back" said Freddy.
"Anything wrong with it Freddie?" asked Hap. Richie was done with the shave and with confidence said "How about a trim? It's pay day and you'll look better than anybody at the picture show. You wearing your gray suit?" With that they all laughed. It was an old joke and like most old jokes it was funny because it was true. Hap's gray suit was his only suit. "Yeah but this time I'm going to wear the one with the cuffed trousers" They all laughed louder this time, as the dust settled Richie began the serious work. The trim would take about an hour as it was harder to do than just a shave. Richie was quick with a shave. It was easy to make all of something disappear. A trim was much harder because only a little bit could go. Richie clipped and snipped, eying each cut like Michelangelo sculpting the Pieta. Hap kept thinking about the customer that just left. "Hey Freddie bus that table will ya? That Ice crème is about to melt out of the dish and we only have one tablecloth in the back and I need it for this table. What did that guy order anyway?"
"Two scoops vanilla ice crème, no toppings just the cup. Why?" Richie stood still, stopped cutting and talking which he rarely did.
"He said it just like that? Two scoops vanilla ice crème, no toppings just the cup?" Richie could feel the shivers in Hap's voice.
"Calm down Happy! That's an old wives' tale anyway. Means Nothing. We're fine. Coincidence. That's all. Fine, we're all fine."
Freddie, with a confused look on his face was clearly asking what was going on. "Tell him Richie, he needs to know." Said Hap.
"Know what? What did I do? The ice crème was perfect I swear. I made it just like he asked."
"That might be the problem." Said Hap. "Rumor is that Mr. Tompkins checks up on the stores from time to time and he always orders two scoops vanilla ice crème, no toppings just the cup." Freddie was looking green.
"The key word is rumor Hap" chirped Richie.
"Well here is something that is not a rumor. Tompkins is an older gentleman who wears a different suit every day and is said by all who know him to have a distinguished look. Finish up friend we got work to do. School is almost out and we need to be ready for the rush."
"Rush? You can't rush perfection! Five minutes I swear and you are ready for the picture show." A snip here and there, Richie was liking his work when the door bell jingled again. "Customer, Richie. We are done now? Asked Hap. "Almost, Freddie will get the customer. Lucky devil, she is quite the looker too. Hips like battleships! Freddie, get the Lady whatever her nickel desires."
Hap told his buddies to knock off the jokes and he sat up and began to discretely shake out the table cloth. Despite Richie's protests and Freddie's willingness to serve, Hap could see something the other two had missed. They had been focused on this amazing girl with the ruby red lips and legs that went all... the... way... down to the ground. He had spotted that she was wearing a Tompkin's uniform. She was also wearing a name badge. Only Managers wore badges. Hap was still trying to shush Richie and hide the cloth when she began to speak.
"I am Miss Kelly. Mr Tompkins sent me over with the pay envelopes. Which one of you was getting a shave earlier today?" The group was stunned in silence and no one could move, let alone speak. She cut an impressive cloth. She was younger than the men but Hap could not tell by how much. Her features were very angular and her hair was …well it was just perfect. No one really answered as much as slumped and slinked away; Richie and Freddy a little faster than Hap.
"What is your name?" her tone was very businesslike.
"Harold Ba…" She cut him off
"No buts Mr. Harold, Mr. Tompkins would like you to report to the office immediately." Clearly this was no girl. This was a woman that was not to be trifled with.
"No My last name is Barter. My first name is Harold but my friends call me Happy. What should I call you?" He was in trouble but this woman was extraordinary and he thought he should take his shot. Richie was in awe. That confidence is what made him "Happy" instead of Harold. Freddie was just grateful to be in the clear.
"My mother calls me Anna. You may call me Miss Kelly." With that she turned to the other two and said. "While the cat's away the mice will play! I am going in the freezer to check the inventory and when I get back that table better be dressed and the mess gone or you will all be gone." She held her finger so rigid it was curving slightly backwards and the fire in her eyes was framed by one eyebrow that was raised higher than the other. She walked with precision and confidence. She liked to be in charge, it was obvious. Hap spoke first.
"Jeez I hope she doesn't melt all the ice crème."
"Stay away from that one Happy. A Dame like that will change your whole life."
"Richie, it would be awful boring, a life with no changes."
"Ixnay with the alkingsay! Here she comes!" said Ritchie.
"Mr. Harold…" she intoned.
"Ahem! Barter, Happy… Barter" he corrected her. Richie was rolling his eyes and thinking about kicking him hard in the shins. Freddie was about to faint. She stepped closer, almost nose to nose. She was wearing heels but even so she was tall. And lean. And she smelled intoxicating. "Mr. Harold Happy Barter or whatever your name is Mr Tompkins waiting for you and I was told by him personally to send you directly to the office. Please go now."
"Right away Miss Kelly, but could I have a moment in private. Please just a moment?" Richie was sweeping the floor and could barely contain himself. Freddie had a crooked smile now. This was quite the show.
"Just a moment, and then I'll have to call the office."
"Am I getting fired? Because if I am I would just as soon catch the train to Dover now. If I am at the office late and miss the train it's a long walk and I don't want to tell my father I got fired after that kind of long walk."
"Dover? Did you say Dover? As an Alumna of Morristown High School I shouldn't do this but if you leave right now I will phone the office and put a good word in for you. The store really is in great shape. The freezer is neat and the tubs are all shaved just the way Mr. Tompkins likes them."
"Morristown? The Thanksgiving Day game is coming up would you like to go?" asked Hap.
"Uhhhg!" Said Richie unable to contain himself at the sheer madness of this exchange. Freddie's grin was broad. This was better than the picture show.
"I'll consider your invitation after you meet Mr Tompkins. Now go!"
Hap tipped an imaginary hat and gave the guys a two finger salute as he literally skipped out the door. Anna picked up the phone and asked the operator for LEWis 3645. She looked up and saw that she had an audience. "You with the broom, get that dust in the corner. And you with the Cheshire Cat smile, quit leaning and get cleaning." Richie and Freddie were scurrying like mice when the phone connected and she asked "Miss Kelly for Mr Tompkins please…"
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