The walk to the employee exit, getting his time card, punching out and giving back his time card was all becoming routine and regular now. He did it same as always, said good night and stepped out into the fall night time.
It was still warm enough not to be needing a jacket or sweater, even in Cleveland, even at night in the early fall. As he approached his car, he saw a car parked next to his that was running. Rosie was inside.
After she’d opened the window she said, “get in.”
Bill heard music from the radio. He was surprised seeing her there, but he didn’t hesitate. He walked around to the passenger side, opened the door and slid in beside her.
Rosie had an old American car that didn’t have bucket seats. It had the old straight-across seat in both front and back. So when he slid in, Rosie was able to get close to him if she wanted, but she didn’t. She stayed behind the steering wheel.
“Edelgarde wanted to be here too,” Rosie said. “We wanted to thank you for doing such a good job.”
“No thanks necessary,” Bill said.
Rosie was wearing a mini skirt, but that was nothing new for Bill to see since he saw Rosie in one all night long every night. She was also wearing a tank top, low cut, and that was nothing new either.
“Well, we do have a deal, kind of,” Rosie said. “I tell you about Millie the other day and you tell me your in with the chefs.”
“You’d be disappointed,” Bill said.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t really have an in. They just want me to be in charge of the food operation for The Falstaff Room. They want Caesar out of that loop.”
“Really,” Rosie said.
“Yup. So that means if he gives you a hard time, I can intervene, not directly but through the up-aboves.”
“Good to know,” Rosie said. “What do I owe you?”
“Nothing. Just keep it to yourself.”
“Aw, and I thought you were gonna take advantage of me.”
“Want me to?”
“You bet I do. Like I said, anything and everything.”
“And I told you I’m married.”
“Well we’re not going to be going out or even having a love affair. All we’d be doing is having some fun.”
“Seems to me everyone’s having fun around here.”
“Seems to me no one’s been having any fun,” Rosie said. “Seems to me it’s about time I had some and Eddie too.”
“Well,” Bill said, “I got to be in in the morning.”
“How’s about you follow me a little ways where we can park for a few minutes and no one from here will have any chance of seeing us. Just for a few minutes.”
“It’s late.”
“Just a few minutes. Want me to beg?”
“Like a dog,” Bill said.
Rosie put her hands up like a dog begging and said “Please? Pretty please?”
“I was only kidding,” Bill said. “Really.”
“Come on,” Rosie said. It’s close by and on your way home too.”
“Okay,” Bill said.
He got out of Rosie’s car and went into his own. A moment later he was following her on what were the first few steps of his drive home. That drive included getting through the city streets and onto the highway that led up to where he had to go. Just before the highway entrance, about two blocks, Rosie made a right turn at a school and headed down the street. Past the school was a schoolyard with basketball courts and all the things a school’s schoolyard should have. Past that schoolyard was a park, not all that different from the park Alfreda had taken Bill to in the Suburban van down in Columbus.
Rosie parked. Bill parked right on her tail.
