Silk Stockings - 7

North Station the next day and the next

It was crowded, but particularly North Station with its crowds to the north of the city - it had long been a plan to extend the line to South Station, which was only a few walks away. But nothing had been done, and certainly not by 1957 - things move slowly in Boston.

But that was not my particular problem, I was searching for the girl. If I had to admit anything, she was not particularly attractive in any sort of way, but there was something about her that held me fast, and that kink had an attraction that was more than attractive. Some things do this to you, or at least to me. The beige seats, which were taller than most people could see, did not hold much if one knew what one was looking for - it’s the difference between a town searching for someone, and an out-of-town - the out-of-town grew lost and confused. But I zeroed in on her immediately, and I noticed that she was not quite there but almost - she was part of that clan that worked her as a town - there is something that says it by the way people react. At that point, she recognized me, and walked gently and stately, with tiny footsteps. This was a lady, not just a girl or a sleazy woman.

It was at this point that a surprise created me - she kissed me on the cheeks. Then in an intimate tone of voice, she cooed “So where are we going to, North Station is a bit dull and slightly degraded.”

 “Yeah - it is dying it used to be a snazzier kind of place.”

 “My mom tells stories.”

 “There used to be trained from all over, and that is still true but not as much so.”

 “Out with the old and with the new. So, we are we going to?” squeezing me through the jacket.

 “I thought I would take us to someplace that I knew, though it is a bit of a way away.”

 “So long as you are treating me, I am fine.”

 “Of course, in treating, why wouldn't I?”

 “Just checking, have to be prepared with the sort of boy you could meet in the city.”

 “That is the 1st time you said, 'in the city' which marks you as being out of town.”

 “So sue me, I never lived in Boston.”

 “Boston is a small town, mostly people live outside, and just confirmed that.”

 “I used to live in Lynn, does that count?”

 “Just barely a suppose. At least it is a union town.”

 “GE. Generomous eccentric.”

It was called Generous Eccentric, for the high wages that General Electric paid. Those were the days.

“I was thinking that more downtown.”

 “And in a particular place?”

 “Actually, yes, there is a place I hang out with my friends, I am sure that they will treat me - well us - with a bit of courtesy.” Meaning that they would not charge me anything, on account of the way I took care of people that they did not like. That is to say, black people - there were rules that were enforced back in the 1950s. Only white people rooted for the Boston Red Sox in certain localities - things were different then.

 She looked at me, and there was a new kind of respect, she had not thought that I was anything other than a low-grade office worker. Or at least I did not think she did.

 “Are we walking?”

 “We could if you want, but it is travel far - I was thinking of the subway.”

 “The MTA it is.” And we both hummed Charlie as we walked to the upstairs stairs entrance.

 In those days, there was only one way up to the North Station entrance - and it was a gloomy one that, over above the Causeway entrance was a concrete overpass, that took up the entire block and this it’s way towards Science Park - which was of course on the Green Line. But we were going in the other direction, towards Kenmore and points beyond.

 It was breezy, but not that cold, and though we were up above the platform, it was only for a little while - then down beneath the city lights, through the twisting cobblestones, and into Parkway and beyond. I do not remember what we talked about, I only remembered her dark hair and the way she glanced at other men for turning her eyes back to me.

 Of course, I did everything that I could to entice her, from taking her coat, to gently complementing her hearings - even though they were obviously fake. But then, there were things that were just too obvious to explain. I ordered cheaply because that is how things were supposed to go, and she did not notice, or at least she pretended not to notice, and suede her banter accordingly. I thought it was going rather well.

 “Could we go out tomorrow night?” there was a flirtation about her voice. Naturally, a murmur of yes caressed my lips. “I was hoping that we could be more than just friends.” Now normally, this would then abrupt, but the time it seemed unforced to me.

 Eventually, I got her coat, and there was no bill attached to the evening's proceedings. I was proud of myself for having handled the evenings' events so flexibly. Returned on our way to the MTA, and I deposited her at North Station, and eminently pleased with how things had gone.

 I went whistling away, though the tune was not much to remember. Cross the causeway, towards the small place that I was staying for the time being - times being what they were back in the 1950s, everything was fluid.  But the next night was very different. I was there waiting for her, and 1st I did not expect to see her - I was early, and I think everyone can guess why. But instead of the hippie form of the young girl, an alien small figure out to view - it was Tony - with an expression of grimacing roughness on his voice. There was no reason to believe he had anything other than the determined explanation for any other me. With the expression settled in his mind, he was thinking of a way to explain why he was doing here. It was obvious that the girls' absence and his presence were interlinking in some way - but high as yet did not know what. “Tony, what are you doing here?” In mock surprise.

 “That close to home to the Causeway and speak a little bit - I hope you are not still taking rooms around the corner.”

 “Why, yes I am.”

 “The tenant works for the other side.”

 “Is he mick?”

 “Died in wool - you had better find a better place to rent a room, then I know it is cheaper than anything in the area.”

 “I will say, but I will take your word for it and give notice tonight.”

 “Good idea.”

 “You would not the happening to tell me what the girl I was meeting here?”

 “She is not coming.” Tony hunched over to light a cig in his greyish suit. He pulled the smoke from out of his mouth and into his nostrils.

 “I could guess that, but I assume that we're going out to the Causeway to hear your explanation as to why.”

  He nodded, in a risky way. “How about out some have time after time pizza, they will talk it hold on speaking in.”

  “Anything you want.”

 “Two slices will be about what we can afford.”

 “Around that.”

 We walked out onto the ground floor, with the North Station overhead - but still, he did say a word until we got to the pizza joint across the street.

 We then sat down with our slices, and he took a bite 1st and then began to explain.

 “That girl is not interested in you.”

 “How do you know?”

 “I checked because every person can make eyes at someone specific, but it is obvious that they are not going to act. She just wants to get out of content, which asks for a little bit too much flesh for her liking.”

 “And you notice how?”

 “Again, it is obvious if you are not the person she is flaunting over - her everyone else in the aisle it is fairly obvious.”

 “So, you knew, why else know, is there some sort of pact that you are engaged in?”

  He lowered his voice, “You mean I am a fag?”

  “I was not good at it that way, but that is the obvious idea. It is obvious to me.”

  “I will admit it, though I do not know how you knew.”

 “The signs were obvious. You were burned alive in your innocent flannel suit.”

 A couple of Celtics men squeezed past us, and Tony abruptly changed the conversation to how was Red Auerbach going to use their slot. The conversation drifted away when it was obvious, they were not listening to us.

 As if with one motion, we both got up and then decided underway to the Charles River which was conveniently catered to Charles Street - there was an order in Boston. It was also that there were little holes if one did not want to drink one's - lower class was beer, the middle class was whiskey, with an “e”, and the upper class was some sort of imbibed that I did not know what it was called.

 We traversed our way off of Charles Street and onto the Esplanade – a grand old Hatch Shell surrounded by a leafy green preserve of trees - there were still a few people who were going about their business, including some young people who were smuggling when they thought no one was watching them.

 At this point, Tony looked at me and said: “How did you know that I was a fag, which is true nonetheless but how did you know?” This was a very straightforward way of putting it I had never heard this in that way before.

 “There was one time when you left the party, and I looked outside at the street. At 1st I thought nothing of it because you met what seemed to be a woman. Or at least she looked like a woman, and if I had glanced away, it would not have occurred to me to look any deeper than that.”

 “But you did.”

 “And saw her 5 o'clock shadow.”

 “Did you tell anyone else about this?”

 “Not before or since, because I have secrets to protect, and it seemed to me this was something between you and God.”

  Tony looked into his hands and then looked up again: “I have tried to conceal it, or dismiss it, or tried to like girls, but it is of no use - I like both men and women and the Tang that comes with having a man dressed up as a woman catches me to the core.”

 “Your secret will stay safe with me.”

 “You must promise never to tell, other boys, that we hang out with, I do not know how they will react.”

 “I am not going to tell anyone, because one can give away secrets, or old to one's chest waiting for another secret. I think you know that I think that is the better way, that is giving away secrets is a bad move.” At this point, we hugged each other, in a manly way, and departed. Because I had to find accommodations since Causeway Street was now off-limits. I also did not trust the information on the girl for I felt she had some misinformation that needed to be corrected