Chapter 8
Jimmy was terribly upset.
He walked toward his car, got inside, then drove off. As he rode down the street, thoughts began to flood his brain.
At first all he could think about was how distressed he was over Gail's attitude, which he viewed as completely reprehensible.
As he reached a major intersection, he swung his car into a gas station, stopping in front of the pay telephone.
He got out of the car, and still in an agitated mood, entered the telephone booth. What burned him up was the fact that he needed some hot sex, and Gail, the girl from whom he wanted it, was not willing to placate him.
He dropped the coin into the telephone, then dialed the number.
Just as he had hoped, a girl's voice came on the line.
"Hello," she began.
"Is this Alice?"
"Sure. Who's this?"
"Your lover, Jimmy," Jimmy said in as soothing a voice as he could muster.
"Well, it's nice to hear from you. It's been a long time," she said in an irritable tone.
"I'm awfully sorry, honey. I've been real busy."
"I imagine so. Going to bed with other girls."
"Oh no, that wasn't it," Jimmy argued. "I love you, baby. You know I do."
"It's just that you very often have a strange way of showing it."
"No, I've been real busy. I'm trying to win a college scholarship. I've been studying extra hard."
"I just wish I could believe that." She laughed.
"It happens to be the truth."
"Yeah, I'll bet."
"Are you there by yourself?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Because I'd like to drop over."
"I wonder why."
"Come on now, baby. You know damned well why."
"You're panting like a dog in the mating season," she said sarcastically. "It shows, honey, it really does."
"I do love you, Alice."
"You love a good piece of ass, isn't that it? I think the world of you, Jimmy, and you wind up treating me like dirt."
"I haven't kept you waiting that long."
"It's been about a week, and that's too long for me. I'm always being approached by guys at school, and, like a big fool, I turn down sure dates with them for the possibility of a date with you. But then you always disappoint me. I've spent more evenings at home lately, just hoping I'll hear from you. It's really starting to get under my skin."
"I'm getting the studying more under control," Jimmy said. "I look for things to change a little, baby. Believe me they will."
"They'd better, or else I'll get another boyfriend. I might like you, honey, but I'll be damned if I'm going to put up with a lot of crap. I just won't take it."
"I don't expect you to put up with crap. No, honey. I'm going to be spending more time with you. Believe me, I am."
"You'd just better."
"Your mother isn't at home?"
"Naw, she's out with some sonofabitch. I guess that they'll get drunk, then ball over at his place."
"Then what you're saying is that you don't think she'll be back until late?"
"I'd practically guarantee it." She laughed.
"Then can I come over?"
"Yeah, I guess you can. But just remember what I said. I'm not putting up with any more crap from you, Jimmy. I might like you, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to allow myself to be neglected."
"Okay, honey. I'm sorry if I offended you."
"When will you be over?"
"I'll be over right away."
"Good. I'll be waiting for you."
"I'll see you then."
"Okay, make it fast. I get impatient after I've been kept waiting for a while. And a week is much too long."
"Okay, I know what you mean. I'll be right there."
"That's good. Goodbye now."
"See you," he hung up the phone.
Now Jimmy was able to heave a sigh of relief. It had not been easy picking up the phone and calling lovely Alice Ames.
She was a college freshman who lived with her mother, who was a divorcee and spent a lot of time drinking and carousing with her various men.
He remembered how he had met Alice. He had been hitchhiking on a busy street one day when his car was in the garage. She had picked him up, and a close relationship quickly followed. He remembered how he had had sex with her later that same day. As he conjured up thoughts of sexual activity with this beautiful young brunette, he became all the more determined to get over to her house real fast.
He needed something to put the thought of Gail Johnson out of his mind, and maybe this was just the very thing.
As he got back into his car, he thought about what a heel he had been for not paying more attention to lovely Alice lately, and he determined he would do his best to make it up to her in the next few days, and particularly in the time when he would be seeing her tonight.