No Ordinary Love Read online

“Is she a guest at this hotel?” Jeanie asked.

  “She is a nurse at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital,” Tony said.

  Jeanie squinted at the computer screen. “You have requested a room facing the park.”

  “Yes,” Tony said. “I like parks.”

  “I have just the room.” Jeanie swiped, then handed him two key cards. “Here are your room keys.”

  “They are not keys,” Tony said.

  “They act like keys,” Jeanie said. “You’ll see when you get to your room. Are you hungry?”

  “Yes,” Tony said.

  “We can have your food sent up to your room,” Jeanie said. “What can we get you?”

  “I eat pasta for dinner,” Tony said.

  “We have plenty of that here,” Jeanie said. “We’ll send it up to you with some bread, okay?”

  “Yes,” Tony said. “And Hires Root Beer.”

  “Fine,” Jeanie said. She waved at an elderly bellhop. “Terry, please take Mr. Santangelo and his luggage up to his room.”

  “He has no luggage,” Tino said. “Tony’s traveling light.”

  “I will buy clothes here,” Tony said.

  “You’ve come to the right place for buying clothes,” Jeanie said.

  Tino extended his hand. “Take it easy, Tony.”

  Tony shook his hand. “Thank you, Tino.”

  “Good luck with Trina,” Tino said.

  “Good luck with Lily,” Tony said.

  Tino laughed. “You saw her give me her phone number.”

  “I saw you flirting,” Tony said.

  Tino nodded. “Glad I met you, Tony.”

  Terry appeared beside Tony. “Right this way, sir.”

  “I like your uniform,” Tony said, following Terry to the elevator.

  “Thank you,” Terry said.

  “You are black,” Tony said. “You have no hair. Your head is shiny.”

  Terry pressed the UP button. “I used to have hair.”

  “You have freckles on your head,” Tony said.

  “You’re very observant,” Terry said. The elevator doors opened. “After you, Tony.”

  Tony stepped inside, and the doors closed. “I have an elevator in my house in Brooklyn.”

  “Yeah?” Terry said. “You must have a big house.”

  “It is called the Castle,” Tony said. “The elevator goes up to the roof where I walk Silver.” Tony’s body shook. “I did not walk Silver five times today.”

  “You all right, Tony?” Terry asked.

  “I must tell Angelo to walk Silver.” He pressed the number one and waited. “My phone does not work.”

  The elevator stopped at the eighth floor. “You don’t have a signal. As soon as you get out of the elevator, it should work fine.”

  Tony pressed the number one again. “Hello? Angelo?”

  “It’s me, Aika,” Aika said. “Tony, where are you?”

  “You must walk Silver now,” Tony said.

  “What?”

  “You must walk Silver now,” Tony said.

  “Tony, where are you?” Aika asked.

  “I cannot tell you,” Tony said. “I must go now.” He ended the call.

  “Follow me,” Terry said.

  Tony walked behind Terry to his room.

  “If you give me a key card, I’ll show you how to use it,” Terry said.

  Tony handed Terry a key card and watched him slip it into a slot.

  “When you pull it out, the green light goes on.” Terry pulled out the card.

  “I see a green light.”

  “That means your door is open,” Terry said. “Open it.”

  Tony opened the door and saw two beds, a couch, two chairs, a wide-screen TV, and a desk. “There are two beds.”

  “Yes,” Terry said.

  “I only need one bed,” Tony said.

  “You didn’t request two beds?” Terry asked.

  “I will be okay,” Tony said. He went to the window. “I can see the park.”

  “Yes,” Terry said, moving beside him.

  “I see a fountain,” Tony said.

  “It’s a strange one,” Terry said.

  “Men are holding up a bowl,” Tony said.

  “Naked men,” Terry said.

  “Oh,” Tony said. “I like the red lights.”

  “Will you need anything else, Tony?” Terry asked.

  “No.” Tony extended his hand. “Glad to know you, Terry.”

  Terry shook his hand. “Glad to know you, too. You have a good stay.”

  After Terry left, Tony sat on the first bed. I am here in San Francisco. I am safe. Trina is out there waiting for me.

  He heard a knock on the door.

  He opened the door, and a short woman carried a tray inside. It contained a huge plate of pasta with meat sauce, a small plate of bread sticks, and a glass of ice water.

  “Where would you like this?” she asked.

  He read her name tag. “I do not know, Lu Chu.”

  “I can set it on the coffee table,” Lu said.

  “Okay.”

  Tony followed closely behind her. “You are Japanese.”

  “I am Chinese,” Lu Chu said. She set down the tray.

  “You are very pretty,” Tony said. “My friend Aika is from Japan, but she lives in Brooklyn. She will marry my brother, Angelo. He looks like me. Aika’s name means ‘love song.’ What does your name mean?”

  Lu Chu looked up at Tony and smiled. “Green pearl.”

  “You are not green,” Tony said. “But you are pretty.” He picked up the remote. “My name is Tony. I watch the Weather Channel.” He turned on the television.

  “I can find it for you, Tony,” Lu Chu said.

  “Okay.” He handed the remote to her. “You are short and have brown eyes.”

  Lu Chu laughed as she found the right channel. “I have always been short.” She set the remote on the coffee table. “I’ll put this meal on your bill.”

  “You just put it on the table,” Tony said.

  Lu Chu squinted. “You’re funny.”

  “Thank you,” Tony said.

  “I will put the cost of this meal on your bill,” Lu Chu said.

  “Yes.” Tony sat. He searched the table. “I need Hires Root Beer.”

  “We didn’t have any, sir,” Lu Chu said.

  “Do you have Doc’s Root Beer?” Tony asked.

  “I couldn’t find any root beer down there,” Lu Chu said. “I could get you a Coke.”

  “It is okay,” Tony said. “I already had too much root beer today.” He picked up his fork and started eating. “This is good.”

  “I’ll tell the cook,” Lu Chu said. “Enjoy your meal, sir.”

  Tony shot out his hand. “Thank you, Lu Chu.”

  Lu Chu shook his hand. “You’re welcome, Tony.”

  He ate most of his pasta and all of the breadsticks while watching an Alberta Clipper speeding across the country toward the Northeast.

  His phone rang. “Hello?”

  “Tony, where the hell are you?”

  “Hello, Angelo,” Tony said. “You will have eight to twelve inches of snow in two days.”

  “I’ve heard,” Angelo said. “Now, where are you?”

  “You are angry with me,” Tony said.

  “I’m not angry,” Angelo said. “I’m concerned. I’ve been worried to death. It’s nearly two o’clock in the morning, and you’re not home.”

  “I am safe,” Tony said. “Do not worry about me.”

  “Well, where are you?” Angelo asked. “I’ll come get you.”

  “You cannot come get me,” Tony said. “I am meeting Trina tomorrow morning.”

  “Right,” Angelo said. “Just tell me where you are.”

  “I am in San Francisco,” Tony said. “I ate some pasta. It was not the same as Delores makes. They did not have root beer. I drank ice water.”

  “You’re at a restaurant?” Angelo asked.

  “No, I am in San Francisco,” Tony s
aid. “I can see a fountain from my window. Naked men are holding up a big bowl.”

  “Are you on something?” Angelo asked.

  “I am on a couch,” Tony said.

  “I meant . . .” Angelo sighed. “Look. I called Angela, and she said you left her shop around three. Where have you been for the last eleven hours? Did you go over to Mama and Poppa’s old house or something?”

  “No,” Tony said. “I am in San Francisco. I flew in an airplane. I went to Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, but Trina was not there. She works during the day. I will see her in the morning. I am in a hotel. It is very hilly here. The city looks like Christmas.”

  “Why are you lying to me?” Angelo asked.

  “I am not lying,” Tony said. “I do not lie.”

  “Well, then you’re pulling my leg or something,” Angelo said.

  “I cannot reach your leg to pull it,” Tony said. “I am over three thousand miles away. I would need very long arms to pull your leg.”

  “Look,” Angelo said, “if you don’t tell me where you are, I’m going to call the police.”

  “They will not help,” Tony said. “I am not in Brooklyn, Angelo. I am in San Francisco.”

  “You expect me to believe that you flew on an airplane all by yourself all the way to San Francisco.”

  “Yes,” Tony said. “I am very tired. I must go to sleep now. I will see Trina in the morning.”

  “Tony?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you really in San Francisco?”

  “Yes.”

  “I can’t believe this!” Angelo shouted. “Who helped you get there?”

  “Angela, Matthew, Maggie, Katie, Marie, Tino, Jeanie, Terry, and Lu Chu.”

  “I know the first two, but who are all the rest?” Angelo asked.

  “Angela helped me buy the plane tickets and make a reservation at this hotel,” Tony said. “Matthew rode with me in the taxi, and Maggie made sure I got on the airplane okay. Katie was on the plane. She brought me root beer and cookies. She smelled like strawberries. I listened to Naomi with headphones. Marie took me to the taxi. Tino drove me in a taxi. He is very round. He is Latino. He likes Lily. She is brown and has an Afro. Jeanie gave me my room keys. But they are not keys. They are like credit cards. Jeanie had no smell. Terry took me to my room and shook my hand. He had freckles and a bald head. Terry is black. Lu Chu brought me my food. She is Chinese. She is short. Her name means ‘green pearl.’ She is not green. She is very pretty. She reminds me of Aika.”

  “You have to be making this up,” Angelo said.

  “I am not making this up,” Tony said. He yawned loudly. “I have to go to sleep now. Say good-night to Aika for me. I will miss saying good-night to her. Good-night, Angelo.” He turned off his phone and went to the window.

  “Good-night, Trina. I will see you in the morning.”

  17

  Tony awoke at 9:00 AM without an alarm clock and realized he couldn’t shave.

  I forgot my electric shaver, he thought. I cannot shave without my electric shaver.

  He called the front desk.

  “Good morning, this is Delia,” a woman said. “How may I help you?”

  “I need Jeanie,” Tony said.

  “She worked last night,” Delia said. “I can help you . . . Mr. Santangelo. Am I saying that right?”

  “Yes,” Tony said. “You said it right. I need to shave. I forgot my electric shaver.”

  “We can give you a razor and some shaving cream, sir,” Delia said.

  “Angelo does not trust me with a razor,” Tony said. “I need an electric shaver, a Remington WetTech Rotary shaver.”

  “I wish I could help you, sir, but we don’t—”

  “I must shave,” Tony interrupted. “I am meeting Trina today.”

  “Will one day without shaving be that much of a problem?” Delia asked. “You could always go out and buy an electric shaver, couldn’t you?”

  “I must shave,” Tony said. “I must have a smooth face for Trina.”

  “You know,” Delia said, “lots of women like a man with a little beard on his face.”

  Tony blinked rapidly. “Women like beards.”

  “I do,” Delia said.

  “Okay.” Tony hung up.

  A minute later he called the front desk. “Delia, I am sorry I hung up. Thank you for helping me.”

  “It’s my pleasure, Mr. Santangelo,” Delia said.

  “I am hanging up now,” Tony said. “Bye.”

  He showered, using most of the little bar of soap, and washed his hair, using all of the shampoo in the little bottle. He brushed his teeth for ten minutes. He put on clean socks, underwear, a T-shirt, and the clothes he wore the day before. He took the notepads and a pen from his laptop case and put them into the pockets of his Brooklyn Dodgers jacket. He put on the jacket. He turned on his phone but turned off the ringer. He then stared around himself in the mirror.

  I need a haircut, he thought. He felt his coarse beard. Women like beards. Trina is a woman. Trina will like my beard.

  He put one key card into his back pocket, turned off all the lights, and left his room. He took the elevator to the lobby and walked by the front desk.

  “Have a great day, sir,” a woman said.

  Tony turned slightly. “Thank you.”

  “I’m Delia, Mr. Santangelo,” she said. “The beard looks good.”

  “Thank you, Delia.”

  Tony stepped outside as a cable car rolled by. He saw a map of Nob Hill in his mind, strode through Huntington Park, and arrived at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital at ten-thirty. He walked around to the emergency room entrance on Bush Street and sat in the waiting area, watching every door and several hallways for Trina.

  The man snoring next to him had a shaggy beard. “You have a beard,” Tony said. “Women like beards.”

  The man didn’t stir.

  “You do not have shoelaces,” Tony said. He pointed at his hiking boots. “I have shoelaces.”

  The man shook himself awake. “You talking to me?”

  “Yes,” Tony said. “You smell like beer.”

  The man wiped his eyes. “Had a late night.”

  “You should not drink beer,” Tony said. “You should drink root beer.”

  The man smiled with stained yellow teeth. “I’ll try to remember that.”

  “You should brush your teeth, too,” Tony said.

  At 11:25 AM, Trina walked by the admission desk carrying a paper bag.

  She is going outside to eat her lunch, but I am frozen, Tony thought. I cannot speak. He cleared his throat and whispered, “Trina.”

  Trina left the hospital and walked outside.

  Tony stood.

  “Have a good one,” the shaggy man said.

  “Thank you,” Tony said.

  Heart beating wildly, hands sweating, and knees weak, Tony attempted to keep pace with Trina, who strolled fifty feet ahead of him. He pulled out a notepad and scribbled as he weaved his way around other pedestrians on the sidewalk: “Aqua pants and white shoes so fast so strong the hills are steep I have good hiking boots she’s in the park I’m in the park she’s sitting on a bench on the other side of the naked man fountain I can see the window to my room I should go there to watch her from a safe distance I will buy binoculars.”

  He glanced at Trina. She is so pretty. I need to be close to her. I will sit.

  He sat on a bench on the other side of the fountain, occasionally looking around the shooting and spilling water at Trina. He continued to scribble: “People walk dogs and collect their poop in this park. They do not always do this in Brooklyn. Some Chinese people do slow dances on a hill like slow-motion kung fu. Seagulls drift overhead. They look like Brooklyn seagulls. Trina looks Spanish, French, Cajun, African, and Native American. Bambi is not the all-American girl. Trina is the all-American girl.” He looked around the fountain then down to his notes. “Trina has sharp cheekbones. She needs to eat. I am hungry. I need to eat, too. I did not e
at breakfast. She is eating a sandwich. It looks like ham and cheese. I like ham and cheese. She is reading a book. It is not the book about me. I am glad. If she reads it, she will not like me.”

  Trina turned up her face and smiled at the sun making a brief but glorious appearance.

  Tony wrote furiously: “I will never forget the way the sun made her face glow as long as I live that was beauty I have seen beauty Trina is beauty.” He slowed his breathing and saw the words dancing with notes in his mind. If you ask me what is beauty, it won’t be a woman’s booty, it won’t be a color or race—it’s sunlight’s lace on Trina’s face. He wrote down the words. I have a song, and I have just met her. He wrote: “I like this park. It is green. The clang of the cable car makes the fountain water dance. Trina’s bookmark is a napkin. She rests her feet up on the bench. She reads two pages. She closes her eyes. She is tired. She takes off her white shoes and rubs her feet. Her face is a frown. Her feet hurt. I will get her new shoes.”

  He widened his thumb and pinkie. “Her foot is nine inches long. She looks my way. I look away. I should have a book to read. I should not be writing. I should get closer to her. I should sit next to her. I should talk to her. I cannot move. She is looking directly at me. I look at the statue of naked men. I should not stare at statues of naked men.”

  Trina rose and left the park.

  Tony saw her aqua legs flashing up a hill and out of sight.

  He could not move.

  He could not speak.

  He wrote: “I have found her. I have not found my voice.”

  Tony stood and walked over to where Trina was sitting and sat, putting his feet up on the bench as she had. He felt the sun on his face and looked up. This is what she felt. He looked past the fountain to where he was sitting before. She was not staring at me. She was staring at the pretty stained glass of that cathedral. It reminds me of St. Paul’s in Cobble Hill. I liked going to Mass. The colors and incense there always whispered soft music to me.

  He took out his phone and called Angela.

  “Angela’s Sweet Treats and Coffee, Angela speaking,” Angela said.

  “Angela, I have found Trina,” Tony said.

  “That’s wonderful, Tony,” Angela said. “Did you speak to her?”

  “No,” Tony said. “I followed her from the hospital to the park. She ate a ham and cheese sandwich and read a book. Her feet hurt. She needs new shoes.”