Marlene

Incredibly sad

 

 

 

 

I was so inspired and hopeful of things to come but no illusions. George found a new girlfriend. God help me I can’t remember her name but not important. George was incredibly adept at finding willing partners and would be lovers. He was the Marlon Brando of the time, the James Dean, the secret guy you would never bring home but desired so much.  He was the Bad Boy of Secret Lake, the tough , the brawler , the lawbreaker.

Secret Lake had a seedy reputation. I have no idea why, I loved it there. George was a tough guy and fully capable of dropping you in a heartbeat.  Not many messed with him. He would fight at the drop of a hat.  He had such a gruff exterior and willingly played with people just to get a response. Deep at heart though,he was mushy. Animals were his Achilles heel except for the parrot.

George was eighteen and lived with his grandma. She was very elderly and absolutely incapable of controlling him. That parrot was grandmas and George taught it to say F**k You. The thing you need to remember here is that these birds outlive humans. His grandma cared for him and I have no idea why he did this. It Seemed cruel to me to do this to an elderly woman. He must have had his reasons. Grandma would say Love you and the bird would respond F**k You. Just seemed so wrong!

These girls were from North Hartford. This city was at the time a changing place. I think maybe the North End of Hartford is more appropriate. This was a time filled with racial tension, division and so must chest puffing. The north end was primarily black and Puerto Rican. The south end strictly Italian, the west Jewish and this section where these girls came from was a Jewish neighborhood in retreat.  Drive by at the time meant a great deal of name calling. Every once in awhile ,the cars would stop and lots of angry words thrown about but that was it. Sometimes a brawl ,especially if George was present. Now and then a switch blade was drawn but so rarely used.

I was just sixteen and had a beautiful 1962 Impala convertible. It was black with a red stripe down the side. The top was black and the interior a robust red. This was a car that actually fit six people and the seats were better than the sofa at home. Back when companies manufactured a quality product.

George was between vehicles as he was customarily used to. All the other guys had dates or girlfriends so I was selected. I was set up with Marlene. She was Jewish , blonde and gorgeous. Long hair green eyes and fit as could be. Built like a brick shithouse.

The four of us went out a few times. Every time I would pick her up at her parents’ home but first to pick up George and his girl.

 This was a strange event to me. The front door of Marlene’s home greeted you with a plastic runner, leading to another and on. The furniture was coated in the same unforgiving stuff. Seeming as a museum and not a home. The lamps were wrapped similarly but not as heavy. Statuary around and the yard fenced and well manicured. I don’t believe I ever went past the living room.

As I think of things now, today. There was no honking the horn or texting. You actually went to the door, rang the bell, presented yourself and at that point were determined to be acceptable or not. I miss those days! You would bring her home the same way. Thinking of things now , we are lost!

After four dates or so, I did what guys full of raging hormones do at sixteen.  I tried for second base. To this day I remember the reaction. I remember the entire scene.

Marlene just went completely limp. I did not understand and felt embarrassed. I brought her home .

Several weeks had gone by and I had not called or seen her, not knowing what to say.

It was then I received a phone call from Debby. She was asking after my affections towards Marlene. I was coy and played with her not trusting her for a second. Eventually I told her Marlene was not for me. She would not put out. It was at this point that Debby started to play with me and soon we became a couple. Debby was not afraid of putting out. No sir. We stayed together through good and bad for several years. We remained in contact for many years , through marriages and divorces, lovers and troubles.

It was sometime later she told me that Marlene had been raped .I felt so ashamed . A few years later while listening to the radio I heard the name -----Shot to death. How do you deal with that? I could have saved her? Except for my selfishness.