In Akron - Part 3 of 4

I was cruising at about 70 mph in my 2002 Volvo, and the ride was going incredibly slow. I couldn’t stop thinking about how our conversation was going to go. I knew that I would have to lie about some things, my relationship with Donna and my research in Columbus. As I passed the highway signs announcing my progress on the trip, Akron 72, Akron 54, and Akron 21, my mind was going crazy. At one point, I even stopped at a rest stop and considered turning around, but I was only 15 miles away and I had come too far to turn back.

We decided to meet at a place called, The Java Experience, to have a few cups of coffee before she would take me to a great pizza place. I know it’s not burgers, but I figured that pizza isn’t exactly Italian so there still wasn’t enough romance to call it an affair. I passed the place and decided to park at the end of the block and walk to the coffee shop. I parked the car and had an intrapersonal conference. I told myself, “Okay whatever you do, avoid relationship details and anything that would lead to complications.”
T
he Java Experience was one of those things you see in the movies. A quite, cozy little shop stuffed between a Chinese food restaurant and a travel agency. Upon entering and having your presence announced by a bell hanging from the top of the glass door, you are overwhelmed with the aroma of freshly ground coffee. The walls are filled with books and antique posters with famous coffee brand advertisements. The front of the store is full of high tables and high chairs. Then on the side there is a row of leather booths. At the last booth, facing the front of the store I saw Susan.

For once in my life I didn’t feel overdressed. I was wearing my normal attire, a business suit with accompanying colored undershirt and powerful tie. She was wearing a floral patterned dress that went down to just below her knees. I was in a trance as I stared at her reading her book, I couldn’t see the title but I could tell from the cover it was probably a New York Times best seller. Her hair was done just like her picture on the web-site, and she was looking beautiful. She had that distinguished look as she flipped the page and brushed the left side of her hair back from her eyes. I approached her.

“Susan?” I knew that it was her. I merely said it as a formality.

“Robert, please sit down.” The sound of her voice was the most pleasant sound I have ever heard.

I sat down and noticed she was reading a John Grisham book. Personally, I never found Grisham that entertaining although I did like, The Runaway Jury.

“How was your dive? Did you find the place okay?

“Yes, I didn’t have any trouble. I have been to Akron before, never to this place, but I came here once to do some research.” It was true. In my college years I wrote sports stories and once I was required to do a special feature on a Philadelphia Eagle who was inducted into the Pro-Football Hall of Fame.

“Oh, that’s good. I was worried that my directions were too confusing or something. I’ve never been that great at giving directions. You would think a teacher who gives directions to a class everyday would at least be decent at giving some simple driving directions, but not me.” She laughed and it was so genuine. A lot of people force a laugh to make conversation seem more comfortable, but she laughed like she meant it.

“No, like I said I didn’t have any troubles.” The waitress came for our order and surprisingly enough Susan ordered exactly what I normally ordered, a dark, house blend with one crème and two sugars. “I’ll have the same.”

“You look very nice.”

That probably was the first time I had ever heard that come from a woman. Donna always wanted me to tell her how nice she looked and she never complimented me on my dress. “Thanks, it’s just my normal office attire. But I must say that you look nice as well.”

“Thanks.”

We continued with a pleasant discussion. I told her about my busy day at work, yeah right. You would think a journalist has a high-stress job, but it is totally different when you are an extremely good one, don’t mean to brag. She told me about her wonderful day of teaching. Apparently, she has this kid in class who constantly picks his nose. The others kids make fun of him and she always tries to discourage him so that he won’t get made fun of. I had a difficult time following her. I couldn’t help staring at her.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She obviously could tell I was in some sort of trance.

After we left the coffee shop, we walked to the pizza place. It was a good, old time pizza parlor where you could watch the pizza being made right there. You know with the tossing of the dough and the incredibly large brick oven that cooked the pizza just right. Our conversation was so great.

“So, she walked up to the principal and just said, ‘You lazy peace of shit. If you think you can do it better than me, you try teaching and not shouting orders behind your desk. I quit!” She was describing a situation that happened months ago. She was given six more students because her colleague quit.

“I had a similar thing happen at the Daily. One of the Arts and Leisure writers was getting hammered by the editor so bad that he took out his lighter and burned his criticized article on fire and threw it at the editor. It was hilarious. Those Arts and Leisure guys sure are eccentric.” She laughed that same laugh again, and it still tingled all the way up my spine.

Well, after burning my mouth on the first bite and finishing a few beers, we both decided to go on a walk. She said she knew this great little park. It was great. “Greenfield’s Park,” as it was called was basically a swing set and a teeter-totter, but with the moon shining so gracefully it made it look like something from a storybook. Right then that was how I felt, I felt that this whole relationship was just too good to be true. We sat on the swings and talked a little.

Now for the record, so far on the date I had been able to detour any questions that involved our relationship. But, right when we sat on the swings, I knew that was where the conversation was going to go.

“I had a lot of fun.”

“Yeah, me too,” I was definitely not lying; this date was probably the greatest thing that has happened to me for a long time.

“So?’

“So, what,” I knew what was coming.

“Where do we go from here?”

At that moment I looked over to her and flashed back to my sophomore year at high school. I remember having the biggest crush on this girl. Well, one thing led to another and we went to a dance at school. I had a blast, but the most fun I had been after the dance. On the way home, as I was driving, I pulled up to this stop sign and the girl jumped out of the car and ran through the snow to this park that looked just like this one. I jumped out and followed her. After a mild snowball fight and a little wrestling in the snow, we sat on the swings and just looked at each other. I know that sounds weird, how can two people just look at each other and not say a word? It was like we were talking through our eyes (man that sounds cheesy, but its true). I lost that girl. After high school, she went to a different college and met a guy and then finally married him. I finally came to a realization that I needed to tell Susan everything.

“Susan, I need to tell you something, but I don’t want you to get mad?”

“Okay.”

“Well, three months ago, before I ever knew you, I became engaged to a woman, Donna.” Susan suddenly became a little restless. I hurried on, “however, after meeting you I have realized that I don’t want to be with Donna anymore. I met you and saw everything that you have that she doesn’t. Susan, I know that you are thinking I’m crazy, and maybe I am, but I let a girl slip through my fingers like you before and I don’t want that to happen again.” She was shocked, and so was I. I didn’t even know what I was saying, but I said it.

“Well, I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

We sat there for about and hour longer. I explained my whole relationship with Donna, how it feels too arranged and too false. I can’t believe it to this day but she understood. After we walked to my car and I dropped her off at her house, I gave Susan a kiss and told her that I would call her. I didn’t have anything else to say. I didn’t say that I wanted to come up to her place and stay the night. All I said was,

“I’ll give you a call, okay.”

To be continued…