Nothing Can Come Between Us... (almost nothing)
Previously, Part 17: Would I Be Strong Enough to Be Her Man?
Susan and I spent the entire summer leading up to the wedding dreaming about moving to Florida. She loved the sun and the beach, and I was happy we'd be out of the cold weather and not have to shovel snow. It was disappointing when my father told us he quit his job and failed to keep his word about helping us find jobs in Florida, like he promised. Following him to New York was never in our plans, and I felt horrible about it. I dragged Susan into my father's web of deception, where I'd been trapped for years. I blamed myself. I should've known better…
Despite abandoning our original plans and making a 180-degree turn, Susan and I were extremely happy that I secured a job working for Pandora Industries. Who knew that hitting a three-quarter court shot to tie a Church League championship game and forcing overtime when I was 14 would help me land a job in the garment business nine years later as a 23-year-old married man. But that's exactly what it did. I probably wouldn't have been hired if not for that shot…
Susan and I went apartment hunting and ended up moving into a large, red-brick apartment complex in Fords, New Jersey, that consisted of at least a dozen separate buildings spaced comfortably apart. Our second-floor apartment was supposed to be cleaned before we moved in, but it wasn't. We scrubbed the stove and the wall behind and adjacent to it, removing grease and oil splatters from the garlic and ginger the previous renters used to sauté their food in the small galley kitchen. The whole apartment reeked of Indian cuisine, but wth a bit of elbow grease and some Lysol, we took care of it.
The complex looked eerily like a late 19th-century mental institution to me, each two-story building connected to others via paved walkways. I didn't share that opinion with Susan; there was no need to put that thought in her mind. The complex was less than half a mile from the Woodbridge Mall, the largest mall in New Jersey at the time (1979), and our first experience with a food court. Despite the incredible traffic at the mall's entrance, we thoroughly enjoyed our visits there.
My friends Jay and Chuck, who were from Sharon, Massachusetts, worked in the city and lived a half mile from us in the other direction in Menlo Park, an unincorporated community within Edison, which was named after the "Wizard of Menlo Park", Thomas Edison. To provide a better reference, we were 'exit 10 off the Jersey Turnpike'.
Susan had her associate's degree in Early Childhood, so she found a job quickly. We connected with her cousin, Marty, and his wife, Sheryl, Jersey natives who were our age, and we became fast friends.
Monday through Friday, I took a bus into New York City, and conveniently, there was a bus stop just on the edge of the complex. It was an hour-long ride to the Port Authority, a long and tedious journey, followed by a ten-minute rapid walk to my office. I usually stopped on the way for a cup of coffee, a bagel, and a smear (cream cheese), as New Yorkers refer to it. I'd shuffle in a long line that wrapped around outside the joint until it was my turn to order. Everywhere I looked, Yankee caps!
The showroom I worked in was plush, and a portion of it mirrored. My boss, Shari, and the other women arrived after me, wearing sneakers for the commute and without makeup. It wasn't until they slipped on their heels, stood in front of the mirror, and put on their faces that they became pleasantly recognizable. I was always amazed at the radical transition. Susan never wore makeup.
During the summer of '74, before I headed to Norwich University, I dated a girl from Rehoboth that I met at a dance club in Wrentham called "The El Bollero." It was dark in the club, and Dotty was always dressed to kill, smelled deliciously of perfume, and wore makeup. We always met there, where her older brother, Walt, was a bouncer and could keep an eye on his baby sister. In fact, other than being inside the club and occasionally sneaking out and consummating our relationship in the poorly lit parking lot, I'd never seen her in broad daylight until I invited her to a company picnic while I was working for Reliable Fence in Walpole.
Dotty was a runner, and her gams were quite impressive. When she came out to my car that morning, her hair was still wet, and she wasn't wearing any makeup. In the light of day, I realized what she really looked like, and it wasn't a pretty sight. Fortunately, she flipped down the passenger windshield visor, and using the hidden mirror, she put on her face just moments before I considered turning the car around…
Having a woman as a boss took some getting used to, but Shari was nice and also my mentor. She was in her late thirties, with light brown hair and big brown eyes, standing just a tad over five feet tall. She was easy on the eyes and very personable.
Ronnie was a high-powered salesman who had caffeine-induced energy, a real live wire. He stood five foot seven and barely weighed 130 pounds. He had a horrible toupee that I tried hard not to stare at when we spoke, but it was impossible not to. He commuted from Fairfield, Connecticut, and, not too unlike Sandy, was a big fan of the Yankees, Giants, Knicks, and Rangers. The three of us talked sports all the time.
The receptionist was a very sweet, attractive Puerto Rican girl in her late twenties, who had a Puerto Rican accent but frequently used Yiddish expressions, such as "Oy Vey!" I remember telling Susan, "In New York, even the Puerto Ricans are Jewish."
Sandy was the big boss, and as nice as he was, a big smile on his face at all times, everyone kissed his ass to stay on his good side, including David, the sales manager. David was in his late forties, a veteran of the garment industry. He was tall, six four, with short grey hair, a powerful voice, and he regularly displayed aggressive posture that could be intimidating. He wasn't afraid to get up in your face when he wanted to make a point, and when he did, he was laser-focused and rarely blinked.
It wasn't a bad place to work, but I never felt like I totally fit in. Susan did her best, but she was disappointed that we left Florida for New Jersey, and she missed her family and friends.
There was no turning back, so we had to make the most of it. Trips to the Jersey Shore, Atlantic City, and New York City were etched into our social calendar. We saw a young Billy Crystal perform live in a small club in New York City. It wasn't all bad, but I didn't feel good about the way it happened, and taking Susan along for the ride, well, that's on me…
Susan and I were in love and nothing could come between us, not even my father…
I always hope that you remember
What we have is strong and tender In the middle of the madness Hold onNothing can come between us…
To be continued…