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Chapter Four
The bell on the clock tower was signaling 3:00 when Bo ascended the library steps. He stood awkwardly behind one of the large pillars waiting. When the clock on the tower showed the time as 3:10, Bo started getting concerned.
Maybe she changed her mind, he thought. Maybe I teased her too much. Maybe I got her into trouble with her boss...
But just as these thoughts were going through his mind, the big doors swung open and she appeared. He quickly recovered from his worried state.
“Miss Hanen...fancy meeting you here!” he quipped.
“Mr. Buchanan, isn’t it? You aren’t loitering here are you? Seems to me you got your eye blackened the other night when you were loitering…”
“I didn’t get this black eye loitering. I got it defending a damsel in distress.”
She laughed. “That’s right...and the distressed damsel appreciates it,” she said.
“Ready for that soda, Miss Hanen?” he asked.
“Yes, I am,” she replied as they made their way down the steps, “and...can we be a little less formal? My name is Nora.”
“Nora. You look like a Nora... I’m Bo.”
She gave him a sideways glance, “It’s nice to meet you, Bo.”
“Same here.”
It was just a short walk from the library to the soda shop. A bell jangled as they walked in the door.
They seated themselves at a small table in an out-of-the-way corner, and a waitress took their order. Nora ordered a chocolate malted and Bo a root beer float. They were making small talk and enjoying their ice cream when they heard a voice calling, “Bo!”
Bo turned to see Mick hurrying toward their table pulling a woman by the hand.
“Hey, wondered where you were today. Is this the girl you were telling me about?” Mick asked.
Bo shot daggers at him with his eyes. “Mick, I’d like you to meet Nora,” he said.
“Nora huh? Well at least now you’re getting somewhere...you know her name. Oh!” He pulled the brunette he was with to his side. “This is Lena.”
“Nice to meet you, Lena,” Bo said. “What’s a nice girl like you doing with a guy like Mick?”
Mick and Lena laughed. “She knows a good thing when she sees it, don’t you honey?” Before Lena could answer Mick asked, “Mind if we join you?” while pulling over two chairs.
More daggers were shot, but once again Mick missed them. He made Lena and himself comfortable and started in talking. Thirty minutes later, Mick was still talking. Nora reached across the table touching Bo’s hand.
“I need to be going,” she whispered.
As she and Bo pushed back their chairs to stand, Mick said, “You have to go? I was hoping we could all play some cards or something…”
“I’m sorry,” Nora said, “but I have family plans this evening.”
“Well, maybe some other time then.” Then to Bo he whispered, “You’re right, she’s very pretty.” Nora couldn’t help but overhear.
They put on their jackets and went out into the night air. The wind had finally calmed down, but the March evening was chilly.
Bo spoke first, “I’m sorry our plans were interrupted like that. Do you really have ‘family plans’ or was that an excuse to get away from Mick?”
“No excuse...I really have plans. We’re going to my grandparents for the last night of Passover.”
“Really? So your family is Jewish then?”
“Yes. Is that a problem for you?”
“No...not at all,” Bo said. Then, after a few moments of silence he added, “I’m almost afraid to ask this next question, but…do you have any overseas relatives that have been affected by the war?”
“None that I know of...I am a fourth generation American Jew. My great grandparents immigrated to America in the late 1860’s.”
“I see,” Bo responded.
“So...tell me about your family,” Nora said.
As they continued their walk to the subway station, Bo told her about growing up on a Texas ranch. Nora, having never been to Texas, found everything he said fascinating.
It was just after five when they got on the train so it was very crowded...standing room only. Bo unconsciously put his hand on Nora’s waist and pulled her closer saying, “Better move over here so your feet don’t get trompled.” She liked his gentleness and protective ways, and he was so easy to talk to...she was very comfortable with him although she had only met him yesterday. It was a little unsettling.
“This is my stop,” she said as they approached the next station. Instead of saying his goodbyes, she was surprised to find him following her off the train.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Walking you home,” he answered.
“Oh…no, you can’t do that…” she started.
Bo was puzzled. “Why not? I’m just trying to be a gentleman…”
“I know,” Nora began again, “but….if you walk me home, my Dad is going to want to meet you...and with that black eye, he’s going to think you’re part of the mob...and then he’s going to question why you have the black eye,” she went on nervously, “and if you tell him you were defending me, he will question my work at the Aragon. You see...he thinks I’m giving dance lessons to fine, upstanding gentlemen...he doesn’t know that I have to work my way up in the system...so...it would save me a lot of trouble if you don’t walk me home...please…” she ended.
He shook his head grinning. “Fine...I’ll just walk you to the corner of your street, if that’s alright. Besides...I have something to ask you…”
“What’s that?” she asked as they began walking.
“I know that we only met last night, but...I feel very comfortable with you. I enjoy your company and I wondered if I can call on you next time we get a weekend furlough.”
Nora smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Good. Let me write down your number then.” Bo pulled a pen from the inside pocket of his coat.
“Oooo...You have a ballpoint pen?” The ballpoint pen was a new invention Nora hadn’t had the opportunity to try yet.
Bo laughed at her fascination. “Here. Why don’t you try it out? I don’t have any paper, so you’ll have to write your phone number on my hand. Push that little button at the top and the ink ball drops down. Careful, they leak sometimes.”
Nora held his hand and wrote her number on his palm. “I love this! So much easier than the fountain pen. What will they think of next?” she asked handing it back to Bo.
He shook his head. “Keep it. I have others. My Pa bought quite a few for the business.”
“Thanks! And whatever you do, don't wash your hand or let that smear...I really do want to see you again. She smiled and waved her fingers at him. “Goodnight, Bo.”
“Goodnight, Red.” As he watched her walk down the street to her house, it was all he could do to keep from dancing on the street corner.
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