Bruno Meets Maria

Bruno Meets Maria

         It was the end of August and the first day of school when Bruno met Maria. It was toward the end of a typical first day of school--filling out paperwork, receiving forms to take home to the parents to sign and other typical crap that the school passed out in en effort to both organize the students and kill numerous trees. This year was different though. It was his first year at Columbia City High School. He was finally a sophomore. This was both good and bad. Good in the fact that he was now out of junior high; bad in the fact that he was the bottom of the ‘food chain’ once again. It really did not bother him though. There were more people to meet and he had a few of his friends in his classes.

Bruno walked into Ms. Hinkle’s English class. She was there greeting everyone at the door with a syllabus and the number of their seat. It was typical that Bruno found himself sitting in the back row. He was taller than most and teachers liked to place him in the back because they knew he would behave. This teacher was considered to be a bit of a nutcase. Ms. Hinkle was short. About 5 foot 3 inches short to be exact and had a facial tick that caused her mouth to twitch like a rabbit sometimes. How fitting for her nickname among the students be “The Rabbit”, he thought. Bruno took his seat in the back and watched the other students file in. No one that he knew, but that was typical of English classes. Bruno was ahead of the game and in advanced English while most of his friends were not.

While watching the students quickly file in with the bell, he saw a girl with short, curly dark brown hair enter the classroom. She was wearing a white, button-down shirt and jeans. She seemed a bit shy and ill-at-ease with the class. Ms. Hinkle took role and Bruno found out her name was Maria Hunter.

“Bruno Taylor?” Ms. Hinkle announced.
“Here!” he responded, “Right where you put me.”
“Very good. Now stay, boy. That’s a good boy,” quipped Ms. Hinkle.

Great, not only was Ms. Hinkle a twitching rabbit, but also a quick wit. That will make for a fun year, he thought. It was then he saw that Maria was looking right at him. He shifted his eyes toward her and she turned back around to the front. Class went quickly and the bell soon sounded for them to leave. Bruno watched Maria walk out. He liked the way she walked.

A couple of weeks passed and the class needed to pair up to work on joint projects having to do with the novel they were reading. Bruno was not comfortable with choosing someone as he hated to work with others as they usually let him do the work while they took the credit. This would not be the case in Ms. Hinkle’s class. She chose the partners for all projects.

“Bruno Taylor, you are to be paired with Maria Hunter. Okay?”
“Fine with me.”
“Maria?” asked Ms. Hinkle.
“Okay by me,” she said shyly.
         “Now students, pair up and create a map showing the area where the novel takes place. Remember to label the areas of West Egg and East Egg as well as the areas where each scene takes place,” said Ms. Hinkle.

         Maria moved back to the desk next to Bruno. She looked great. Her brown eyes were soft and clear. He felt his heart leap when she sat down next to him.

         “Hi, my name is Bruno.”
         “I know, mine’s Maria.”
         “Come here often?” Bruno joked.
         Maria laughed, “Only when I must.”
         “Same here.”
         “So which end of the egg do you want?”
         “Whichever one you don’t,” he replied. “Actually, I prefer hardboiled.”
         “We need to get to work.”
         “I know. I know.”

         As they worked, Bruno could not help but pay more attention to Maria than to the task at hand. She caught him looking at her more than once and blushed a little more than once. They soon finished the map and called Ms. Hinkle over to check it out. As she headed back toward them, she suddenly ran to the window.

         “Where are you going with my aides?” she yelled out the window at another teacher who was walking with two students. The class began to laugh.

         “Who could have known?” whispered Bruno to Maria, “Our teacher actually wants her AIDS.”

         “Mr. Taylor,” said Ms. Hinkle, “That will earn you 15 minutes with me this afternoon.”
         
         “I can’t, Ms. Hinkle,” Bruno began, “I have band.”

         “Very well, then. You will write an essay of no less than 250 words on respecting your teachers. It is due tomorrow.”

         “No problem. Would you like it typed or handwritten?”

         “Given your handwriting, type it,” shot Ms. Hinkle.

         The class laughed. Bruno knew it was true that his handwriting stunk. It always had been pretty much toward the sloppy side. He never practiced it and his parents never encouraged him to do so. After all, doctors or lawyers never needed good handwriting, only a good mind. This was his parent’s philosophy on handwriting. It made life a bit easier on him overall. Think well, write bad.
         A month passed. By this time, Bruno and Maria had decided to have a relationship. Each day, since English was their last class, Bruno would walk Maria from class to her bus and watched as it headed toward the East side of town and to her parent’s home. Bruno would then await his mother to pick him up and head to their home on the West side. As they headed home, his mother noticed that he seemed to be thinking about something as he was unusually silent.

         “I am here to listen if you want to talk about it,” she said.
         “Talk about what?” he responded.
         “About whatever it is that you are thinking so deeply about.”
          “Mom, would you mind it if I scheduled a date for Saturday night?”
         “Isn’t there a band contest this weekend?”
         “No. It is next weekend over in Hilltown.”
         “I do not see why it would be a problem. Who is she?”
         “A girl I met in school.”
         “I figured that much,” his mom said. “What is her name?”
         “Maria Hunter. She lives over on Monrovia Street.”
         “That is a pretty rough neighborhood.”
         “Isn’t that near where you grew up?”
         “Come to think of it,” his mother replied. “Monrovia is actually in the better section of that part of town. When are we picking her up?”
         “Around 6 o’clock so we can grab a burger and see the 7 o’clock movie.”
         “It is not a problem with me.”
         
         It was set then. Bruno and Maria would now have their first date beyond the walls of high school. He didn’t worry about her meeting his mom half as much as he worried about meeting her parents. Maria had told him they were strict with who she dated. They needed to meet with him and talk to him before she would be allowed to leave the house with him.

         Saturday arrived sooner than they expected. Bruno’s mom drove them over to Maria’s house. It was a rather plain looking two-story house painted a medium blue. The front porch was L-shaped with a swing in the front and a narrow walkway to the front door. Bruno walked up the concrete steps and down that narrow walkway to the front door. He took a deep breath and rang the bell. The door was answered by Maria’s brother Cody.

         “Hey, Maria!” he shouted. “Your boyfriend’s here.”
         
         Behind Cody came a man of around 45 years of age. He was wearing a white t-shirt and workpants. Bruno noticed the faded tattoo on his left arm. He also noticed that the man, while being a little on the short side, was well-muscled. The man took over for Cody at the door.

         “Hello, you must be Bruno,” he said. “ I am Cody Sr., Maria’s dad. Come in.”
         “Thank you, sir.”
         “This is my wife Betty,” Cody Sr. continued.
         “Nice to meet you,” said Bruno.
         “This is Meg, Maria’s older sister, and June, Maria’s little sister.”
         “Nice to meet you,” said Bruno.
         “Have a seat. Maria will be down soon.”

         They talked a couple minutes while Maria got ready. The conversation centered mainly on Bruno’s family and what he did at school. Maria heard most of the conversation via the heat vents. She was relieved that the topic of religion did not arise. Her parents were staunch Christians and held very strict attitudes toward those who were not of their faith. Maria did not know for certain what Bruno was, but also did not want to take any chances. She liked him. He was always kind to her and listened to her problems. He had a way of making jokes that brightened her day when nothing else could. She wanted all to work out between them.
         Maria came down the stairs wearing a blue polo shirt and jeans. Around her neck was a necklace with a cross on it. She sat down on the loveseat next to Bruno, not too close as to cause her parents concern, but close enough to make Bruno feel more comfortable.
         “What time is the movie you two are going to see?” asked Betty.
         “It is at 7 o’clock, ma’am,” replied Bruno. “I thought we would have dinner at the pizza shop that is next to the theatre, then go to the movie.”
         “What time does the movie let out?” asked Cody Sr.
         “I checked with the theatre,” said Bruno, “the man there said it would be over by 9 o’clock.”
         “Sounds good,” said Betty.
         “With driving time, I can have her home around 10, if that is okay with you,” said Bruno.
         “Do you drive?” asked Betty.
         “No, my mom is driving us and picking us up,” replied Bruno.
         “Sounds okay with me,” said Cody Sr. “How about you, dear?”
         “Fine with me as well,” said Betty. “But do not be out past 10, okay?”
         “Fine, mom,” said Maria. “We will be back by 10.”

         Maria got up first and Bruno walked with her to the door. They walked down the steps and to the car. As they were driving off, Maria’s parents watched from the front window. As soon as they turned onto East Central Street, Maria relaxed more. Bruno’s mom began a conversation.

         “So nice to finally meet you, Maria,” she said. “It is not often I get to drive Bruno on a date.”
         “Mom, please don’t get into details on my social life,” said Bruno.
         “What social life?” she joked.

         Maria laughed a little and looked over at Bruno. She nudged his shoulder a little. Bruno smiled. They all talked about how school was going and Bruno’s mom asked Maria about her family. Maria explained how her dad had been in the Marines and how her family had traveled the U.S. as he was transferred from base to base. He retired a couple of years back and took a job at the local fiberglass plant. Her mom did not work outside the home. They chose to move to Columbia City to be closer to her mom’s parents. Soon, they were at the shopping center where the theatre was located. Bruno’s mom dropped them at the curb.
         “I will see you at 9, right,” asked Mrs. Taylor.
         “Yes, mom,” said Bruno.
         “Have fun,” she said as she drove off.
         
         Bruno and Maria went into the pizza shop and took a seat in the back where it was quieter and more secluded. They held hands across the table and talked.

         “I like your mom,” said Maria. “She seems so nice.”
         “Yeah,” said Bruno. “She likes most anyone as long as they are nice to me.”
         “Not a problem with me,” said Maria.
         “Your parents are not too bad either,” said Bruno.
         “They did not get you talking about religion,” said Maria. “Try not to get them started on that.”
         “Why?”
         “They have their own idea as to how one should believe and all,” said Maria. “If you do not agree with them, then you are destined for Hell.”
         “Oh, okay, then,” said Bruno. “I will avoid the topic should it ever come up.”
         “By the way,” said Maria. “Do you go to church?”
         “I thought you said religion was a taboo topic,” said Bruno.
         “With my parents, yes. With me, I am just curious,” said Maria.
         “I usually go to Mass on Saturday nights at St. John’s Catholic Church,” said Bruno. “If not Saturdays, then I go to the early Mass on Sundays.”
         “St. John’s is down the street from my house,” said Maria.
         “Sure is,” said Bruno. “I usually go there with my aunt and uncle.”
         “So you’re Catholic, right?” asked Maria.
         “Yes.”
         “Okay,” said Maria. “Try not to mention that to my parents, okay?”
         “Why not?” asked Bruno. “What is wrong with being Catholic?”
         “Nothing,” said Maria sensing Bruno getting a little defensive. “I have not problem with that. My parents will.”
         “Why? It is a Christian denomination,” said Bruno.
         “Not according to my parents or our pastor at the Church of God where we go,” said Maria. “He has said more times than not that Catholics are not Christians.”
         “What a jerk,” said Bruno.
         “I feel the same way,” replied Maria. “It should not matter as long as you believe in something.”
         “I believe that you are beautiful, you know that?” said Bruno.
         “You are handsome,” Maria replied. “Do you know that?”
         
         They ate dinner and went to the movie. It was some ‘chick flick’ about a girl who falls in love with her best friend. Bruno let Maria choose to see it. He did not mind because it made her happy. He liked to see her smile. As they left the theatre, Maria took Bruno’s hand. She made certain to interlace their fingers together rather than just hold it lightly. They saw Mrs. Taylor’s car and waived at her as they walked across the parking lot.
         “So how was the movie?” she asked.
         “Not bad,” said Bruno.
         “He didn’t take you to see the action movie, did he?”
         “No, he let me pick,” said Maria. “We saw the other one about the friends who fall in love.”
         “I taught him well, didn’t I?” said Mrs. Taylor.
         “You certainly did,” said Maria. She snuggled closer to Bruno as they drove toward her house. When they turned onto Monrovia, Maria sat up and moved closer to the door. Bruno looked at her.

         “If my parents are watching for me to get home; I cannot let them see me sitting too close to you,” she whispered. “They may jump to a conclusion that something more happened than dinner and a movie.”
         “Okay,” said Bruno. “Sit tight when we get to your house, okay?”
         “Sure,” said Maria.

         They arrived at Maria’s parent’s house and it looked dark except for the porch light and a light from the upstairs bedroom. When the car stopped, Bruno got out and opened Maria’s door for her. He then walked her to the door.

         “I had a great time,” Maria said.
         “So did I,” said Bruno. “I will see you on Monday.”
         “Not so fast,” said Maria.
         
         She checked in the window and saw no one in the living room or the kitchen. She then wrapped her arms around Bruno’s neck and gave him a kiss. It was not just a light peck on the lips. Maria opened her mouth and really gave Bruno a major kiss. He kissed her back. They did not want to stop, but Maria knew they needed to before someone came downstairs.

         “Good night,” she said as she went into the house.
         “Um, uh, good night,” said Bruno as he turned to walk back to the car. He was glad it was night time. He would hate to have to explain certain things to his mom. Maria left him wanting more than a kiss. When he got home, he told his mother that he was tired and went to bed. He lay there in the dark thinking about that kiss. He dreamed of more as he drifted off to sleep.