Slim Novel 12 - http://adventuresofkimi.blogspot.com - See Homepage
4 Clatching with the Prof
4 Clatching with the Prof
Professor Edwardes is in his 40's with a black Thomas Dewey mustache (like a Charlie Chaplin but thicker); and slim in his dark-blue, double-breasted suit, white shirt, and gray bow tie. He dunks his donut, which Ali does not prefer but tolerates as they sit at the small, round, glass-top table in the cafeteria by a window
He quips: “Come wiz me to my Casbah, Miss! Be me wife! Share me life! And we shall pleasure palaces build.”
“Hey, I like the pleasure-palacing,” says Ali, "but I an't givin' m'heart. I'm sehr careful 'bout that part a me.”
He quips: “Come wiz me to my Casbah, Miss! Be me wife! Share me life! And we shall pleasure palaces build.”
“Hey, I like the pleasure-palacing,” says Ali, "but I an't givin' m'heart. I'm sehr careful 'bout that part a me.”
“Well, I know it is hopeless but thanks for the partial acceptance. Now, dear girl, when are you going to join our communist party?"
“I am not political, Professor. I work for a future where there are no parties; just Science and Civilization. Me and m'pals call it Science-Civilization.”
Edwardes grabs one cut half of his tuna-fish sandwich and bites out a large front chunk with such relish that Ali wonders how he keeps his slim 5-ft 8-inch (1.73 meter) figure, which could not have included more than 120 lbs (55 kilograms), if that much. After swallowing, he says “Well, well, there will be time for the Science after comes the Revolution. Anyway, I am at least glad you sit with me and I shall be happy to hear more of your vaunted Science-Civilization, young lady. Did you say you want to organize some seminars?”
“I am not political, Professor. I work for a future where there are no parties; just Science and Civilization. Me and m'pals call it Science-Civilization.”
Edwardes grabs one cut half of his tuna-fish sandwich and bites out a large front chunk with such relish that Ali wonders how he keeps his slim 5-ft 8-inch (1.73 meter) figure, which could not have included more than 120 lbs (55 kilograms), if that much. After swallowing, he says “Well, well, there will be time for the Science after comes the Revolution. Anyway, I am at least glad you sit with me and I shall be happy to hear more of your vaunted Science-Civilization, young lady. Did you say you want to organize some seminars?”
“Yeah, once I get 4 or 5 interested, interesting pals.”
“Consider me one, darling girl.”
“OK, but stop being so familiar; and stop 'girl'. Don't call me anything; just call me on time for dinner.”
“Well, when will be First Seminar and what and with whom?”
“I got old man Dan and maybe wife Margaret and you. Can you arrange a room?”
“Oh, sure, the Sociology Department will be honored to give you one.”
“OK, Professor, I'll dig up one or two more and we'll go from there. Lyeh's set it next Monday at sevenish. A deal?”
“How Kay Kyserish, you sound, Ali, with that 'Lyeh's' for 'Let’s'. Sure; it’s a deal.”
Happy with success, Ali runs off with a “Toodle-loo”
Happy with success, Ali runs off with a “Toodle-loo”
KAY KYSER ORCH.( 1940) -"You'll Find Out ... - YouTube
5: At Alfonze's
Ali walks back, up Jerome Ave, north, to Alfonze's store. It is 2 PM and Alfonze is making Bronx egg-cream sodas for Brenda and boyfriend, Moyshe, both playing afternoon hooky from high school – he from DeWitt Clinton, she from nearby sister school, Walton.
As Ali enters, Alfonze is soda-jerking some bubbly seltzer into round-top glass with chocolate syrup and milk - his Bronx egg-cream. Ali sits down on stool on the left of Brenda and facing Alfonze across counter.
Ali & Brenda make a quick embrace and slight open-mouth kiss, Moyshe looks on curiously, and Alfonze starts on an unasked but understood egg-cream for Ali.
“Hy's, guys!” Ali glances at Moyshe and Alfonze.
“Gi'me skin and where ya been?” says Alfonze, accepting Ali's hand for shake then putting the egg-cream in front of her and dropping in it a clean glass straw.
“Sociology-one with Edwardes lecturing on how rotten the country is.” Ali takes a quick sip. “Well, I agree, but I had enuf a that for the afternoon.” She looks at Brenda and Moyshe. “What are you guys plannin' for now?
Greeted by silence, she says, “Lyeh's go huddle in a corner and leave Alfonze to take care a his customers.”
Greeted by silence, she says, “Lyeh's go huddle in a corner and leave Alfonze to take care a his customers.”
At table by window facing
“Ali, you're older,” Brenda says. “Whatsa world about? Why we born? What's after we die?”
Moyshe interjects. “The Rabbi at Mosholu Synagogue says we Jews go to heaven, a heaven without you goys". Then he adds just as seriously. "But if Brenda can't be in my heaven, I won't go.”
Brenda quietly but quickly reaches with right hand and squeezes Moyshe's left. Ali looks away. Then she faces them and gestures with right arm. “Look! I don't wanna get involved with your Rabbi or other priests but what they are saying is the bunk. Each of us has only one life and we're young and happy and oughta live it to the full with people we love and enjoy. There was a past and will be a future: that's the flow a time, By the way, I plan to give a Seminar on time, about ideas of geniuses like Einstein. In my idea, time is part of consciousness. Where it come from and where it go we don' know?"And when death happens – one's individual consciousness ends forever.”
Brenda says “Gee! Guess it's like black, like nuthin'-ness, like a deep sleep yuh never wake from?”
Ali corrects: “Black is something you are conscious of, baby. Blank or the Spanish nada or nothingness is better for death.”
Moyshe looks confused, not wanting to disagree but not agreeing either.
Ali understanding, looks at him and says, “You are following Wittgenstein: Of what you do not know, you do not speak.” When her subject is serious, she speaks perfect English.
He smiles. “Yeah, I guess you're right, Ali? Anyway, I believe you more than the Rabbi. He just ran off with a housewife. They say he's gonna make a new synagogue in Miami Beach
“Miami Beach!” Exclaims Brenda. “Gosh, me and my folks are gonna be there in 2 weeks.” Turning to Ali. “Ali, I want you to go too. I spoke to Mom and Pop, an' it's 'Okey Dokey'. We are flyin’on the American Airlines – it's only 5 hours and you can be back for classes Tuesday. Ali, please go!”
Ali smiles and grabs Brenda’s hand. “Sorry kid; I'll take a rain check. Moyshe oughta go."
“It's OK”, he says. “My pop and mom don't like me to even go to a movie with Brenda because she's a shiksa - y'know, not a Jewish girl - so better she don't invite me.”
Brenda impulsively kisses him on right cheek.”
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