Back in the Day

Back in the Day

It is February 3rd, in the year 1945, in a large American city. Welcome reader! You are inside me—a phone booth! You will be seeing people and hearing noises inside me. Don't worry about infringing on someone's privacy.  You are legally here. This happened so long ago, anyone exposed here will probably be dead by now anyway! This is a well-used street. My average use is about five people a day. Here comes one now.

***

Of course, I know it's 8:30 in the morning! What do you mean where was I? Where else would I be? I fell asleep at my desk! No, I wasn't drinking all night! What do you mean slurring my words? And, no, I didn't pick up some whore off the street like last time! Martha, please come pick me up! Now that's a stupid thing to ask! If I could drive myself, would I be calling you? So! I overdid it a little. It won't happen again! I promise! What appointment can you have at 8:30 in the morning? Martha? Come on! Don't hang up! Please! I promise—I won't—!

Yes, I need a taxi! Where am I? Next to a phone booth at Broadway and sixth avenue. Where am I going?—Oak and Reed, uptown. Half an hour?  You mean I have to—okay, okay I know this is rush hour. Yes, sorry! I'll wait!

***

Hey, Charlie, it's me Eddie. I heard you wanted me to give you a call. What do you mean I owe you a grand? There's no way I—! I know there's interest but— a grand? How in the hell do I owe—! You know I don't have that kind of money! I can give you $300 tomorrow. And I'll give you the rest—what do you mean that’s not good enough? Come on, Charlie, how long have we known each other? Gi’me a break here! You know I'm good for—What? By two o’clock tomorrow or you'll send Rocco! Charlie—come on! Give me a little more time—all I need is a little more—four o’clock tomorrow? Great! Thanks for all that extra time. No, I'm not getting smart with you—I was just kidding around! Where's your sense of humor, Charlie? Your sense of humor will come back when your grand comes back. Yeah, I got it—four o’clock sharp tomorrow! Or it's— Rocco! Yeah, loud and clear! Thanks, for the break, Charlie! I'll scrape it up. You can count on me. You know that! See ya—at four sharp tomorrow! Thanks again, Charlie!

Yes. I need a flight to Los Angeles tomorrow. You have one at 9:00 AM? And the cost? $290.00. Perfect! Thank you.

***

Libby, you got another appointment I could make within half an hour? Sure, I can hold, but hurry, please, I'm double-parked and there's a cop coming down the block just itching to give me a ticket!

Oh, no!

My door opens.

Officer? Please don't—I'll just be another minute—please! Man, is this city really that hard up? What? Uh, no, I wasn't talking to you officer. You can see I'm on the phone here trying to make an appointment. Yes, I can read the sign —no double-parking. Thank you, officer!

My door closes.

Libby? Thanks for trying, kiddo. No, too late! Just got a double-parking ticket again! Yeah, I know, my territory, crowded city streets. Forget it—lost my mind-set—calling it a day!

*** 

A disheveled male, indeterminate age, pushing a homeless person’s grocery store shopping cart filled with all his earthly belongings, limps purposefully into me, doesn't close door, puts the fingers of his right hand into the slot where coins go in case of a faulty call. Pulls out fingers to check for coin or coins. No coin. Limps back outside pushing shopping cart farther down the street to the next phone booth or trash receptacle.

***

Ronnie, what's up, sweetheart? Is something wrong? You sound like you've been crying? I just left my Monday morning audition with Robert Hilton for the main character in his new soap. It went great by the way! His daughter Sandy happened to be there. She told me to call you right away or something. So here I am pulled over to the first phone booth I could find.

Wait a minute—she told you what? Yeah, she did come up to me after my bachelor's party Friday night. She said she had something she wanted to show me. I didn't wanna say no because I didn't wanna mess up my Monday audition with her father. So, when she asked me to take a look in her bedroom at the painting she just finished, I followed her in—didn't want to be rude or anything. By the way—her house—coke everywhere—like in bowls all over the place—including her bedroom! I praised her painting. The next thing I know she wants to snort a couple lines with me! Again, I didn't wanna be rude. We did a couple lines. So I don't know what the big—! She told you what? I seduced her? Are you kidding me! She's lying! She came on to me like—! The next thing I know, she's got most of her clothes off! Ronnie, please, stop crying! Of course, I love you! I'm going to marry you at the end of the month for god's sake! Listen—bachelor party—maybe little too much alcohol—line of coke—and then, uh—yeah, sex! Sex, Ronnie, baby!     Sex, that's all it was, sweetheart! Ronnie, baby, please— that's all it was— sex—please—that's all it was! Ronnie—please—!

Dial tone!

****

Victoria, this is Randolph Billingsley. I have a bone to pick with you! How did Bubbles get my real name? Well, where else would she get it? Are any of my other friends I referred to your establishment going to get a phone call in their office—in my goddam office—Victoria—in my goddam office—a call from Bubbles—she knows my name for god's sake! Are you kidding me? When was the last time you saw an article about me in the newspaper? There is no place I could go where she would hear my name! You better talk to that child! You tell her she better forget my name or both of you will be in real trouble! I don't wanna hear anything else! Just do it, Victoria!

****

A mild-mannered cub reporter comes rushing up to me and slams his way inside me, closing the door quickly. He pays no attention to my telephone as he takes off his glasses.

This looks like a job—

 Begins tearing at his shirt— buttons pop all over the inside of my booth—

An octave lower—

for Superman!