14. Missy Prissy
On the Tuesday after the Seminar, Eddie, getting a couple of hours in his lunch break, goes to see Leo Davidoff up in the Bronx and it is agreed Eddie will do Saturday mornings odd-job research for the great Leo. Actually, Davidoff is lonely for an intelligent youth like Eddie to give his wisdom to.
Miss Prissy in outer office stops Eddie as he is leaving.
She does not prefer to use his surname or to call him Eddie, which would be too familiar. As he is in uniform, she says without any idea of joke "Mr. Soldier, remember, you promised to go to lunch and tell about your speed writing?"
Eddie thinks I never promised but recalls she had suggested it at Seminar soiree.
In her quiet, wire-rimmed eyeglasses and formal old Miss garb, he finds Prissy surprisingly sexy. Every time he'd seen her she was dressed as now in severe non-padded business-woman black jacket & skirt to mid calf with shiny thin black belt about her very slim waist, and light brown silky looking shirt that shows not even suggestion of outward breast bulge.
Prissy uses no cosmetic and no perfume. Her stockings, Eddie notes, are clear nylon and lower legs well shown and she wears flat black secretary shoes, well traveled.
All these things go through his mind as he says, "OK."
They go out to his favorite greasy spoon cafeteria, walking down to Jerome Avenue and turning right. They pass the Tuxedo movie theater on the way and Prissy exclaims "The Day the Earth Stood Still! Oh, I'd love to see that!" and Eddie hears himself saying "Howzabout this Saturday? I'd like it too."
15. The Day the Earth Stood Still at the Movie House
Saturday morning, Eddie's first day at Davidoff's office; the great Leo is not there. Prissy shows Eddie his morning chore, which is checking references for Davidoff's chapter in his in-process Textbook of Neurosurgery, and arranging end-of-chapter bibliography. At 12 Noon, Prissy shares vegetable sandwiches and pure water at her desk and he learns she is very attentive to good health and - like his mother - a fan of the radio good health guru Gayelord Hauser.
The Saturday movie at the Tuxedo starts at 1 PM; they get ready to leave the office and she hands Eddie, who is taller than her, a wide colorful umbrella, against the rain that has been falling all morning. As they walk out the hospital rear entrance/exit onto East 210th Street and turn right on the down-slope sidewalk, Eddie sees it is a light rain. "It's just a drizzle, Miss. Shall I open the umbrella?" She spreads her arms, palms up to feel the rain on skin. "No, I love walking in the rain, when it is light like this and no wind."
"Me too. Gee, you're just like Eileen in Stage Door Canteen. She liked the rain too. Did you see the movie?"
"Yes. And I think I know something about it you may not know, Mr. Soldier." Without waiting for his "What?" she continues. "Didn't you know that the great romantic movie director Frank Borzage was having his little joke in Stage Door Canteen with the character Eileen's loving the rain, because eleven years earlier in his movie of Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, he has Nurse Barkley in a similar love scene say she hates the rain because she sees herself dying in it?"
"Wow! Looks like we are both movie experts."
"I like to call our type, movie freeks spelled f-r-e-e-k to show it is different from the ugly type."
Eddie is silently impressed, thinking, Boy, still waters do run deep. And he thinks: Saturday rain on a warm June early afternoon! What a feelinDg! I won't forget.
Out of side of eye he mentally undresses her. Taking off the subdued Missy Prissy clothing down to flesh, he sees an about 5-foot, 5-inch (1.65 meter body height), quite slim - 100 pounds (45 kilograms body weight), if that much, - intelligent face with small nose, brown eyes and rather exquisite jaw structure and small un lipsticked lips, and a body with no outward bumps but small symmetric buttocks.
She too is less immodestly inspecting him. She sees a soldier in the then usual Ike jacket after the great WW2 general.
In Eddie's case, no general's stars, but PFC single stripe on each sleeve. And he wears the standard front visor, army hat.
They buy tickets separately - Dutch treat, he thinks, with a - She ain't like any Bronx girl - and enter rear lobby where, Eddie, following habit, at first thinks to go to the snack & drink stand for hot-dog frankfurters & soda, but quickly corrects himself, recalling Prissy's strict attention to good health. Looking down the aisles at the rows of seating, he notes a not sold-out Saturday movie, possibly because of the rainy day or else the esoteric nature of today's movie and its not having Hollywood stars.
She asks "Will it be OK to sit back there in the rear? I do not like sitting in a crowd." They go to last row, in against the rear wall, she beside on his left.
Lights go out and the movie begins. He is aware of her left thigh alongside his right hand almost touching it. It does not take much to turn Eddie's attention to female flesh. And this woman beside him in the dark is compelling. Gradually his hand comes to rest against her thigh, first the back of his hand as though inadvertent, and then, finding no discouragement, he boldly touches her knee and goes lower to get under her dress. Just as he touches skin below her knee, Prissy calmly reaches her left hand over his invading hand, pulling it away but saying nothing and clasping his hand in a friendly way. Now they sit holding hands at level of mid thigh. It is not a rebuff, but he also recognizes a technique to control his sexual move.
Eddie's pulsing rod bulging his pants won't allow him to be content. He slowly begins to pull her clasped hand onto the bulge in his front. He is thinking to get an assist to relieve his need.
Prissy who seemed to have been paying attention to the movie, turns her face to Eddie, leans over and whispers "Not here, Mr. Soldier. Let's just watch the movie." And then she does something not expected. She moves face to face and gently, firmly kisses him on the lips. Her lips are not warm or cool, no taste, no lipstick; they transmit an indefinable feeling: It is not frankly sexual. but also not like a sister or mother. For him it gives a promise beyond getting masturbated in a movie. His pulsating need subsides and after a minute he is following the movie action, holding hands with a woman he loves with a love he never before knew but now will never forget.
The Day the Earth Stood Still is the day his world stood still for Eddie. From now, he will divide his life into Before Missy Prissy and After her.
The movie is ending and she turns to him. "It was very moving, very meaningful. Thank you for inviting me to see it. Now, instead of staying for the 2nd feature, would you like to come to my place? I live near the hospital.
16. At Prissy's Flat
They approach a very modern-looking, cream-color brick 6-story apartment building on Mosholu Parkway North, a block east of Jerome Ave. Eddie is impressed by a red awning that extends out onto the street, with the name The Copley under it, and 50 E. Mosholu Parkway North. They walk up 5 steps in the outer lobby and Prissy presses a combination, "Remember 8361 when you visit me." He files it in memory using the system Miss Ali taught him in her Educate Eddie period. Feeling like boasting he says "I remember it as A foamy shad - you know the fish that runs in foamy seas." As they get into the modernistic elevator, she says "Oh, you have a recall memory system? But why for only 4 numbers?" She presses the 6th floor button.
"Even a 4 digit number may get mistaken."
"What is the system?"
"I have a separate sound for each of the first nine single numbers and zero. Eight is F, three is M, six is Sh, one is D. So for 8361 I get fmshd and fill in with any vowels I like. I chose foamy shad because it's memorable, the shad in the foamy sea of The Copley, in my mind."
They get out on the 6th floor.
She says, "I want to learn it."
“You just did.”
They walk down a well lit marble floor corridor to Apt 6D
"It's from Physician's Notebooks by a doctor who gives advice. I'll get a copy for you."
She fits her key in the metallic-green door and they enter an elegant outer foyer, looking like an art deco designer's dream. A sky blue wall-to-wall rug, light green painted walls, an oval hanging mirror with small table before it and more. Walking the foyer, he notes on his right a modern kitchenette with latest white refrigerator and electric cooking ranges and automatic dishwasher. Its floor is easily cleaned dark plastic non slip.
On his right, a short hall past the kitchen leads to a bathroom. He follows her into the living room. "Sit at the round table by the window." she says, taking off her raincoat. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Use the bathroom if you like."
Eddie needs to pee. He follows her, saying, "I'll just use the WC for a minute, Miss." In the bathroom he notes it spotlessly clean with a 6-foot white tub and overhead shower, and the commode has a lever for a bidet spray. He takes a pee and flushes, washes hands and returns to living room.
Looking at her bookshelves he sees Hemingway, Faulkner, Steinbeck and the British Nobel Literature winner John Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga. There is a full collection of Edith Wharton - and he notes Wharton's novel Summer, which Miss Ali had introduced him to.
Prissy returns with a tray that has herbal tea and small mints. They sit by the window at the small round table.
"Gee, Miss, this is such a nice view of the Parkway and from this high up it gives a feeling of top a the world." He sips the tea and takes a mint.
"My real name is Priscilla and I like you to call me Pris. And from now on I call you Edward. But only alone together, you understand?"
"Sure. I like your name. Reminds me of the Pilgrims; you know: John Smith and Priscilla Alden?." She smiles.
He takes in her view. She has changed to a simple light brown half sleeve dress with white frilly edge apron.
She says "I liked The Day the Earth Stood Still because I am in favor of a united world under science. And the British actor Michael Rennie is just my idea of the ideal alien."
"I'm not political, Miss - I mean Pris - but I'm all in favor of the UN. And I been reading science fiction since I was eight. I remember the original."
“Really, you are a remarkable fellow. That's why Dr Davidoff likes you so much. Well, now, do you know the radio show Let's Pretend?"
"Sure, the kids show. I used to hear it every week Sunday."
"Well, let's pretend you are my close friend." She gets up and leads him. "Come sit on the sofa."
"He enthusiastically sits on her left.
"And don't think this is a license to try and get fresh, like you tried in the movie."
He reddens. She reaches to the sofa table and picks up an oval hand piece. "This is the latest." She presses buttons and the curtains pull closed, and the overhead electric light dims so they are sitting in semi darkness.
She turns to him, head back on the sofa. "So what do you think?"
"I think I'm gonna like you here." Her lips are warmer than in the movie. He controls his impulse to handle her sexually. This is class, he thinks.
Their mouths separate. and he asks "And whatta you think?"
"I don't think, I know! I like you much, Mr. Soldier, I mean Edward."
They continue the kissing and do light petting. She allows him, at the end to take her hand and put it inside his pants. Before he comes, she hands him a tissue. He guesses this is the start of something very good that enters a guy's life once or twice if he is very lucky. But he does not want to test his luck so he controls himself.
Read next for its development. Click 14.17 At Pris's Place
"It's from Physician's Notebooks by a doctor who gives advice. I'll get a copy for you."
She fits her key in the metallic-green door and they enter an elegant outer foyer, looking like an art deco designer's dream. A sky blue wall-to-wall rug, light green painted walls, an oval hanging mirror with small table before it and more. Walking the foyer, he notes on his right a modern kitchenette with latest white refrigerator and electric cooking ranges and automatic dishwasher. Its floor is easily cleaned dark plastic non slip.
On his right, a short hall past the kitchen leads to a bathroom. He follows her into the living room. "Sit at the round table by the window." she says, taking off her raincoat. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Use the bathroom if you like."
Eddie needs to pee. He follows her, saying, "I'll just use the WC for a minute, Miss." In the bathroom he notes it spotlessly clean with a 6-foot white tub and overhead shower, and the commode has a lever for a bidet spray. He takes a pee and flushes, washes hands and returns to living room.
Looking at her bookshelves he sees Hemingway, Faulkner, Steinbeck and the British Nobel Literature winner John Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga. There is a full collection of Edith Wharton - and he notes Wharton's novel Summer, which Miss Ali had introduced him to.
Prissy returns with a tray that has herbal tea and small mints. They sit by the window at the small round table.
"Gee, Miss, this is such a nice view of the Parkway and from this high up it gives a feeling of top a the world." He sips the tea and takes a mint.
"My real name is Priscilla and I like you to call me Pris. And from now on I call you Edward. But only alone together, you understand?"
"Sure. I like your name. Reminds me of the Pilgrims; you know: John Smith and Priscilla Alden?." She smiles.
He takes in her view. She has changed to a simple light brown half sleeve dress with white frilly edge apron.
She says "I liked The Day the Earth Stood Still because I am in favor of a united world under science. And the British actor Michael Rennie is just my idea of the ideal alien."
"I'm not political, Miss - I mean Pris - but I'm all in favor of the UN. And I been reading science fiction since I was eight. I remember the original."
“Really, you are a remarkable fellow. That's why Dr Davidoff likes you so much. Well, now, do you know the radio show Let's Pretend?"
"Sure, the kids show. I used to hear it every week Sunday."
"Well, let's pretend you are my close friend." She gets up and leads him. "Come sit on the sofa."
"He enthusiastically sits on her left.
"And don't think this is a license to try and get fresh, like you tried in the movie."
He reddens. She reaches to the sofa table and picks up an oval hand piece. "This is the latest." She presses buttons and the curtains pull closed, and the overhead electric light dims so they are sitting in semi darkness.
She turns to him, head back on the sofa. "So what do you think?"
"I think I'm gonna like you here." Her lips are warmer than in the movie. He controls his impulse to handle her sexually. This is class, he thinks.
Their mouths separate. and he asks "And whatta you think?"
"I don't think, I know! I like you much, Mr. Soldier, I mean Edward."
They continue the kissing and do light petting. She allows him, at the end to take her hand and put it inside his pants. Before he comes, she hands him a tissue. He guesses this is the start of something very good that enters a guy's life once or twice if he is very lucky. But he does not want to test his luck so he controls himself.
Read next for its development. Click 14.17 At Pris's Place
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