Meeting Max (5 page)

Rick felt helpless. His mind was filled with questions, and the questions didn’t bring answers, only more questions.

Everything she talked about pointed to her desire for them to meet in Delhi. Sixteen hours in a plane brought them together, or at least that’s what he thought. She’d been so convincing.

Rick called several times the next day. The answer was always the same. There was no Elena Weisz registered.

What happened to her?

He went to the hotel and spoke to the manager, asking if the hotel was part of a chain and if there was more than one in Delhi. The manager assured him there was no other place with that name and the number he called was correct.

Is she in a hospital?

His imagination was drunk with scenarios
.
He went home to Rohit’s house and fell into a deep sleep, then awoke an hour later, startled.

Who was Sudar, the man who had driven her away from the airport? Why didn’t a hotel driver pick her up?

There were no calls for him on his mobile and none the next day. Finding Eric was his reason for being in India. He had to let thoughts of her go. Elena would remain a mystery.

Chapter 5

When Elena expressed her feelings about her first love, it reminded Rick of his bittersweet love for Julie and the reason he was in India. Perhaps Elena was clinging to her memory too hard, never letting go, still searching for another Dan. She was asking for the impossible, and, as a result, found no one. Rick was no different. He’d idealized his time with Julie over the years, forgetting their bouts of anger and frustration.

It was late 1979 when he first met Julie in the library at NYU. They were both nineteen. She was a nursing student and he was a political science major with the intention of working for the Foreign Service for the U.S. Department of State. She sat across from him at a solid oak table, immersed in writing.

She wasn’t beautiful in the popular sense, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her straight golden blonde hair fell behind her like a curtain and came to rest over her shoulders. She wore no makeup and her sparkling blue eyes gave her a wholesome look. He saw her as she was, with an inner smile that lit her face.

It was fall and the air was crisp and sunny. The windows of the library were open a crack to let in the cool fresh air along with the street sounds of busy Greenwich Village. She peeked up at him with a polite grin, and he smiled back.

After a while, she closed her book, leaned back, and stretched.

“What are you reading?” Rick asked.

“Pharmacology. I have an exam coming up in two days.”

“You want to be a pharmacologist?”

“Not really. I’m a nursing student. Pharmacology is one of the pre-reqs.”

“Nursing, that’s a tough course. You have to be really into it. I assume you like to help people.” He extended his hand across the table. “I’m Rick, Rick Newman.”

“I’m Julie Phillips.” Her hand felt soft against his. “Nice to meet you.”

“Same here. What do you like to do for fun?”

Before she could answer, a female student sitting at the end of the table looked up from her book and turned toward them with raised eyebrows, holding her index finger vertically against her lips. Rick held up his hand, acknowledging her implicit request to keep their voices lowered.

Julie went on with barely a whisper. “Don’t have much time for fun, but I read a lot, love movies, dancing, cheeseburgers, and exploring the Village.” She covered her mouth, grinning. “That sounded so silly, but I don’t like to define myself. I might become that person, and it may not be me. I don’t know if that makes sense.” She cocked her head, her eyes tired from long hours of studying.

“I get the idea. I haven’t defined myself either. I’ll keep living my improvised life as I go along. I’m sorry if I interrupted your work. It’s just that, uh…”

“No, it’s okay. I’m getting ready to leave anyway.”

“You have another class?”

“No, I did what I had to do here. It was great meeting you. Maybe we’ll…”

“Hey, it’s a nice day. Sunny, not too cold. How about a walk? Unless you have to be somewhere.”

Julie’s face lit up. “No, sounds good. I would like that. I’ve been cooped up here for the past three hours. I need a break. Let’s do it.”

Soon, they found themselves walking down Minetta Lane, a quaint street in the heart of Greenwich Village. It was a narrow strip, one block long, between a line of small brick houses on one side and empty storefronts on the other.

It didn’t look like much at first glance, perhaps not even on second glance, but Minetta Lane had its own magic for Rick. Maybe it was because when people stepped off the noisy adjoining street and onto Minetta Lane, they felt the contrast and discovered the comfort of silence. The tops of skinny leafless trees on the sidewalk arched over the roadway and formed a lacey canopy. The air was fresh, the sunshine full, and the conversation easy as they chatted about school and their lives.

They left Minetta Lane, walked to Washington Square Park, and sat on a bench across from the commanding Fifth Avenue Arch, a short distance from New York University. A musical jazz group nearby played
West End Blues
with a trumpet taking the lead. It was New Orleans style, loud and sexy, right in the groove, as they moved their instruments up and down, keeping time with their feet. A brown hat sat on the ground, inviting donations.

Julie told Rick about her life and how she grew up in upstate Newark, New York, emphasizing the New York part to distinguish it from Newark, New Jersey.

“I didn’t know there was another Newark. Where is it?” Rick asked.

“Not far from Rochester. It’s a small town, a nice town. I loved growing up there, but didn’t want to be stuck in Newark for the rest of my life. I was restless. I knew there was a more exciting life in New York City and I wanted to be part of it, which is why I’m studying nursing here.”

“I like small towns.” Rick pulled up the collar of his jacket to shield his neck from the cool breeze. “People seem happier there with uncrowded streets, small shops, everything cozy.”

“That’s true. People are content in Newark, if that’s where they want to be, but I guess I didn’t want to be a small town girl anymore.” A faraway look manifested on her face, and she frowned, as though recalling something unpleasant. “Besides, it’s always there for me if I want it.”

“Had you been to New York City before you came to NYU?”

“Only once, to visit a friend. There are people in Newark who have
never
been to New York City or any large city, for that matter. I came here not just to get away from small town life, but to get away from my mom too.”

“Is she a problem for you?” Rick inquired.

“She’s as controlling as all hell.” Julie bit her lip, crossing her arms over her chest. “My parents wanted me to stay put in Newark, get married, have lots of kids, and live the rest of my life getting old with nothing happening. It wasn’t easy getting out of there. How about you?”

“I grew up in the Bronx. I have an older brother, David, who graduated from Princeton three years ago. After high school, our family moved to New Rochelle. My dad’s a lawyer, and my mom is an artist. My mother spent most of her time bringing us up. She tried to teach us how to draw, but we just didn’t have it. She never gave up on anyone, but she made an exception in our case.”

Julie laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Rick winked.

“You.” She giggled again. “I’m sure your mother never gave up on you.”

He shrugged, tucking his hands into his pockets, and then glanced at Julie. Their gazes locked, and for a brief moment he’d never felt more content.

“Maybe not,” he said, but he was no longer sure what they’d been talking about.

***

It wasn’t long before Rick and Julie fell in love. It was a first for both of them. During the week, they kept their emphasis on schoolwork, but looked forward to weekends, when they would go to a movie, a coffee house, or visit one of the cafes to listen to poetry readings.

They ate at local restaurants and loved watching live performances at the Cherry Lane Theater. Afterward, they walked the magical streets of the Village, its beat dramatically changing from bustling street activity to hushed quiet lanes. Life was easy. Living in Greenwich Village made it that way.

One afternoon, they came across a small shop on Christopher Street. “Let’s do it!” Julie exclaimed. “Let’s have our palms read.”

“Do you really want to enter the mystical world?” Rick asked, shaking his head.

“I know it’s not true. I know it, Rick, but let’s do it anyway.”

A flamboyant gypsy lady who appeared to be in her sixties guided their venture into the supernatural. She had dark creased skin and wore brightly colored, loose fitting clothing. She went by the name Eeluminada. She prepared to read Julie’s palm as Rick sat nearby.

“What is the month and day you were born?” The woman’s voice was soft as she studied Julie’s face.

“July thirtieth.”

“Ah, Leo. My dear, it is fortunate you’re having this reading while you’re so young. You’re at the beginning of your life and can learn so much. I’ll let you know what my vision tells me about your future. Come, let me see.”

Eeluminada looked at Julie while waving two fingers back and forth. Julie pulled her chair closer and extended her hands. Eeluminada focused on her palms.

“You have soft hands, dear. First, we will look at your four fingers. They represent Mercury, Apollo, Saturn, and Jupiter. The mount on Jupiter tells me that you found someone who will act as your protector.”

“Do I need someone to protect me?”

“Yes. You must walk through life with someone who can do that.”

“Who is that person?” Julie asked.

“It is not to know. Let me look on Saturn.” Eeluminada gazed at the ceiling and chanted in a high pitched voice unlike her own. “
Ashmi Magyar nagul seretlek
. A dramatic event will soon take place in your life. You are holding someone in your arms.” The gypsy lady probed Julie’s fingers further.

“Who is it?”

“It is not to be told. You’re in bed, and you are holding him.”

“Is it someone I know?

“Please, I only tell you my vision. I see you with a deep feeling, you are happy. I see you smiling, radiant.” The gypsy lady shook her head. “Oh, there is more!” She brushed her thumb along a curved wrinkle on Julie’s palm. “Your heart line is right here.” Eeluminada studied it further, her head hovering over Julie’s palm. “I see it clearly. You will find true and lasting love for all eternity.”

“Is there anything bad you see in my life?” Julie asked, leaning forward.

“My dear little girl,” the gypsy lady muttered. “Life is filled with a mixture of good and bad things for everyone and we need both so we can grow. For you, the good will triumph. Be happy for that and for the gift of love you will have in your life.”

A tear dripped along Julie’s cheek.

Afterward, Eeluminada read Rick’s palms.

She traced his palm with her index finger. “You will achieve your noble goals.” The gypsy glanced up at him and their eyes met. “It is written.”

“That’s important to me. Thank you.” Rick hesitated before he spoke again. “And will I find my true love?”

The gypsy looked at him with her knowing eyes and grinned. “You have already found her.”

They left, smiling, and Julie kissed Rick’s cheek.

“See, you get what you pay for,” she said as she wiped her eyes. “Do you think it’s true, Rick?”

“Sure, it could be,” he admitted.

“Yeah, it
could
be true.”

***

Julie’s father presented her with a new car from his dealership and Rick and Julie talked about going to Vermont on the upcoming long weekend to learn to ski. Rick wasn’t sure how he felt about that idea, since his first attempt at skiing had been a year earlier and he’d fallen too many times.

They arrived at Stowe in the early evening, in time for the family style dinner at Mrs. Goetschl’s ski lodge.

Rick and Julie walked in the woods. Big, fluffy snowflakes floated in the night sky and landed on their faces and woolen hats. Rick heard the snow crunch under their boots as they walked down a path surrounded by birch trees dusted with powdered snow.

They didn’t speak. He felt the eloquence of the silence surrounding them as he stared through the bare trees at the full moon hanging low. He turned to kiss her, his cold lips pressed against hers, but their bulky ski parkas prevented them from being closer. He kissed her again, deeper.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Julie asked.

“You mean that we’re like two overstuffed teddy bears?” Rick patted his parka.

“Close. I was thinking of myself as Barbie doll wearing a bulky ski outfit.”

Rick laughed and hugged her.

He watched the moon disappear behind a dark cloud. The night sky darkened, intensifying the brilliance of the stars. It was quiet, except for the sound of the cold breeze as it whipped past them and brushed across Rick’s cheeks. The cloud passed and the moon, once again, cast its beam on them, illuminating Julie as if she were in a spotligh as they walked with their arms around each other.

Soon, there was dead silence. His lips touched hers again, only now he could hear the gentle sounds of their kisses. Rick held her close and, without thinking, whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you too, Rick. Very much.”

They walked back to the lodge and to their room, staying as close to each other as their winter clothing allowed.