Pencil Skirt
By Chris Pirsias
“I know.”
“I...know...”
The grey haired cab driver glances at the woman through the rear-view mirror.
“Can’t you get your mother to pick her up?”
“Bill what the hell do you want me to do? I’m in a cab in New York.” The cabbie subtly shakes his head.
“Right...fine.” She piles down on the ‘End’ button of her Blackberry, then tosses it in her purse. It lands beside her wedding ring.
“Oh, cabbie, pull over up here. I’m just going to run in for a coffee, I won’t be long.”
The cab pulls over to the curb and the woman has the door open before it stops moving. She steps out, adjusts her pencil skirt and then lights up a cigarette. The cabbie rolls his eyes. She takes two deep drags, drops the remaining cigarette to the ground, then grinds it under the toe of her Stiletto.
She walks into the coffee shop and sees an attractive man standing at the counter. Her eyebrows raise as a look of surprise comes across her face and she blurts out “Oh my god, Roberto Peters!” Her face aglow, “You were amazing in ‘Tomorrow Never Knows,’ I cried all the way through.”
The actor smiles in a mechanical, yet warm manner, “Thank you, you are very kind, I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“Oh my god, my friends won’t believe this,” the woman fumbles through her purse, then thrusts her Blackberry at the actor’s friend, “Can I get a picture?” He smirks as he takes the phone.
The woman steps to Peters and presses against his side. He puts his arm around her
and smiles long enough for the photo to be taken.
“Thank you so much.” she snatches her phone back.
“Enjoy your coffee.” Peters smiles then heads towards a booth.
She steps up to the counter and gets a coffee to go, then dials her phone and glances back at the actor as she leaves the shop.
“Dianne, Dianne, you’ll never guess who I just met.” Her heels click against the concrete as she strides to the cab. She opens the door and eases in.
“Roberto Peters... Yeah in a coffee shop... No with some guy, I got him to take a picture of us...” The cabbie turns and looks at her, she nods her head, motioning for him to drive on.
“I’m on my way there now... I don’t know, I’m nervous about it, what if he’s ugly?... No just emails and a couple of phone calls; we’ve been flirting like crazy... I know: don’t judge me I really need this account...Grey jacket, white blouse, black skirt and Stilettos...” She takes a sip of her coffee and adjusts herself in the seat. “If he doesn’t he’s either gay or blind.” She laughs nervously.
“He’s fine I guess, I talked to him a few minutes ago, we fought again... The usual: the kids, money, work... Non-existent; either he’s too tired or I’m too tired. It’s been a few weeks... I know eh? I could use some fun; I mean I deserve some excitement in my life, don’t I? I start the day as mom, work all day at the office, go home and finish the day as mom. Where’s my me time?... Yeah we should.” A mischievous grin comes over the woman’s face, “Remember that trip to Miami Beach just before I met Bill?... Yeah I could use some of that again...” She takes a long slow drink of her coffee, savouring a memory while staring out of the window. “The traffic here is brutal... Ok D., I’ll call you tomorrow...Thanks, I will, bye.” She ends her call then scrolls through her emails.
She leans forward, “Is traffic here always this bad?”
The cabbie nods, “Oh yeah, supper time in the city is always jammed. Where are you from? "
“I’m in from Winnipeg for a dinner meeting with a potential client.” Their eyes meet via the mirror and she quickly looks away. “How much longer?”
He shakes his head, “with this traffic about half an hour.”
“Ok, thanks.” She sits back in her seat, sips her coffee then dials her phone.
“Hi mom... Nothing... Yeah everyone is fine... Why does there have to be something wrong? I just wanted to hear your voice and say hi... I know it has... Yes mom... No there isn’t, I have an important meeting and I’m nervous about it, that’s all... I know... I... know...”
The woman rolls her eyes in exasperation while taking the phone away from her ear. She holds it at arms length from her head, the faint murmur of her mother’s voice can still be heard. She sees the cabbie looking at her in the mirror over his bifocals, she shakes her head and smiles. He gives her an understanding nod and smiles back. She looks at the phone, exhales deeply, gives it a silent scowl then presses it back against her ear and abruptly says, “Hey mom I met Roberto Peters... The actor...Yes you do, we saw his last movie together... Two years ago I think... I know it has... I know, we will... Italian... Well I don’t think it’s his real name... I don’t know, legal reasons I guess...” She shakes her head and gulps down the remainder of her coffee. “How can you say that? You cried just as much as I did... Yes you did... No not that movie, you are thinking of someone else... The one where he is a vet and he is supposed to get married but his fiancée dies in a car crash a week before the wedding... not a veteran, a vet, an animal doctor...” Her head tilts back, “Yesssss him... Ok mom I gotta go... Ok I will...Yeah they’re fine... I really gotta go now...Ok I love you too. Bye.” She slumps down in her seat, closes her eyes and takes a few slow, deep breaths.
The cab stops at a light, the driver turns and slings his right arm around the passenger seat head rest, “Back in the seventies when I first started driving a cab, my mom would call the station and insist that Margy the dispatcher relay her messages to me over the radio. Margy got pretty good at imitating my mom’s nasally whine: ‘Joseph did you have some fruit today? Joseph it’s damp out, don’t be like your father, put a sweater on.’ All the hacks loved it. I was embarrassed at first but eventually accepted that my mom was who she was.”
The woman nods her head and chuckles, “Humph. Yeah I guess. Green light.” Joseph turns and continues driving. The woman picks up her phone and dials.
“Hi babe... I’m fine... No, still in the cab, there is a lot of traffic. Babe sorry about earlier, I’m just nervous about this meeting... Thanks... Did your mom pick up Emily?... But what about your game?... Oh Bill I’m sorry, I’ll make it up to you. How is Em?... Oh that’s funny, take a picture... Ok put her on, I’ll call you later... Hi honey how are you?... Daddy told me you are having a tea party with Bailey... Well I don’t think dogs like tea honey, what’s your brother doing?... Yes let me talk to him, I love you honey... Hi big boy... No she isn’t, daddy’s the boss when I’m not there... No you don’t have to drink tea if you don’t want to. Marcus did you feed Bailey?... Ok she must be hungry you better go take care of her... I love you too big boy.” She ends the call, puts the phone into her purse then stares down into it.
The cab pulls over in front of the restaurant and the interior light comes on. “Here you go. That’s thirty one please.” Joseph unclips a pen and writes into a log book.
The woman leans forward and hands him some bills: “Keep it.”
He turns, makes eye contact, and takes the money. “Thanks. I hope you have a good meeting, but whatever you are thinking of doing, don’t. You’re not the type.”
She studies his face, “Thanks Joseph,” then turns and gets out of the cab. On the sidewalk she straightens her jacket and skirt then runs her fingers through her hair. She steps towards the restaurant and before walking through the door, she pauses and reaches into her purse.
Chris Pirsias |