Chapter IV

IV

 

Reviewing what I’ve written so far, one might get the impression that all my waking moments were spent shadowing Madigan.  On the contrary, most of what I’ve written so far was just a collection of observations or conversations in my journal; and an invite to one of his parties.  My classes were demanding.  My adviser suggested I take some advanced math classes.  That’s a s**t-load of homework.  So I spent most of the day studying.  Then I put in a few hours at the gym, ate, and hit the books again. 

Don’t get me wrong; he did arouse my curiosity.  The way he presented himself on work mornings and then later that day at the gym got my attention.  He color coordinated his gym attire down to the socks, sneakers, and laces�"and always a perfect fit.  And, if by chance you’re wondering whether he went hard�"well, don’t get me started.  Most of his work-out methods I wouldn’t attempt�"though, a few were added to my exercise routine.  Other than some of that training regiment and that invite to his party, though; I had very little interaction with him.  I found that rather odd, but then much of his behavior went beyond my expectations of the guy upstairs.

“You can’t put him in a box,” I texted a friend back home. 

I told her about Madigan’s odd coffee ritual the morning after a party.  Almost every Sunday morning I’d wake up to Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes singing The Love I Lost or the guy that sang Me and Mrs. Jones.  My mom liked that old music and so did Madigan.  He liked it loud as he drank his coffee.

“No one has ever complained,” I texted my friend.

“No one,” repeated Ashley on the way to church.

Her boyfriend didn’t attend.  So she and I walked together and sat next to each other in the worship service; and, spent many a Wednesday evening by the pool discussing our favorite novels.  She was probably the prettiest girl by the pool.  She and Amy were very close friends.  They competed against each other in high school and played volleyball together at Ohio State.

“But Madigan plays it so loud,” I told Todd by the pool.

“That’s because the cleaning crew is there,” he said.

“What cleaning crew?” I asked, putting my suntan lotion in my bag.

“You’ve never seen them?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“Three middle-aged Hispanic ladies,” said Amy, reaching for a bottle of water next to her towel.

“And a couple of boys picking up trash outside,” said Todd.

“Madigan always cleans up after his parties,” said Amy.

“Alright,” I said, “That explains the music.  But why does he play it so loud?”

“I guess he likes loud music,” said Todd.

“A lot of U2,” I said.  “Why hasn’t anyone ever complained?”

“Who are you going to complain to?” asked Amy.

“Mrs. Dinsmore?” I replied

“She goes to his parties,” said Amy.

“So that makes it acceptable?” I asked.

“No,” she said.

I turned to Ashley.  She shared a two-bedroom apartment on the third floor with a girl named Sandy.  Their balcony overlooked the pool.  Sandy, Ashley, and Amy were teachers in the Kettering school system. 

“Do you know anyone that’s been woken up by it?” I asked Ashley.

She shook her head.

“Not even once?” I asked.

She shook her head again.

“He doesn’t play it that early,” she said.

I looked at Amy.   

“Don’t look at me,” she said.  “I like the music.”

“Does he blast that music all year around?” I asked.

“Just up until Labor Day,” replied Todd.  “It ends with his parties.”

“They don’t bother me,” I said.  “I’m talking about the music.”

“They go hand in hand,” said Amy.

“Then there’s a connection,” I said.

“Maybe,” said Todd, “but it’s really none of my business.”

“So you’re alright with it?” I asked.

“You get used to it,” he said.

“Get used to it,” I repeated.

“You will,” said Todd.

“What if I don’t?” I asked.

He pointed to the other side of the pool, “Go over there and tell him.”

I glanced at Madigan. 

“He’s looking this way,” said Amy.

Madigan nudged his female companion.  She raised her head, cupped her hands over her eyes, and looked in our direction.

“You know her?” asked Ashley.

“Other than seeing her by the pool last week,” I replied.  “I’ve never seen her before.”

“Remember me telling you I’ve seen her,” said Amy.

I nodded.

“Well, I couldn’t stop thinking about where I’ve seen her,” she said.

“You mean here by the pool?” I asked.

“No,” she replied, “Even before that.”  

“You’re right,” nodded Todd.

Suddenly, he snapped his finger.

“I remember,” he said.

“Where was it?” asked Amy.

“Do you remember that coffeehouse in the Oregon District?” he asked.

She shook her head.

Ashley asked, “What coffee house?”

“We went there last spring,” he told her.

“That’s right,” said Amy.

“I don’t remember,” said Ashley.

“They were sitting at that corner table,” said Amy.

“And she was at the Labor Day pool party last year,” said Todd.

“She was?” asked Ashley.

Amy snapped her finger, “She was.”

“Change her hair color,” Todd told Ashley. 

She stared across the pool.

“Recognize her?” asked Amy.

Ashley began to shake her head.

“She was wearing that pink bikini,” said Amy.

“Oh, my god,” exclaimed Ashley; her right hand pressed against the side of her face.

“What?” I asked.

Ashley cupped her hand over her mouth and shook her head..

“You had to see it,” Amy told me.

“Actually,” said Todd.  “There wasn’t much to see.”

I looked at the woman with Madigan.  The suit she had on was rather provocative, but I saw no comparison between her and Ashley�"and she was wearing something more modest.

“You like what you see over there?” asked Ashley.

“Now’s your chance,” said Todd, giving me a slight nudge, “Go on over there.”

“I’d rather not,” I told him.

“Then I take it you’ll be getting used to the music,” snickered Todd.

“Guess so,” I said.

“He’s rather intimidating,” said Todd.

“And unfriendly,” said Amy.

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

She looked at Todd.

“He’s done nothing,” he said.

“What do you mean nothing?” I asked.

“Nothing,” he replied.

“He doesn’t notice us,” said Amy.  “Ashley’s the only one he looks at and greets.”

“It’s like we don’t exist,” said Todd.

At least, Madigan was aware of me.  Every morning he glanced in my direction.  Usually, he gave me a nod.  On one occasion, he raised a finger and saluted me. 

“We just don’t talk,” I said.

“Not even hello?” asked Ashley.

“Not a word,” I told her.

“Wonder why that is?” she asked.

I shrugged, “I have no idea.”

Then I looked at Todd.

“Do you greet him?” I asked.

“No,” he replied. 

“He always seems so guarded,” said Amy.

“Maybe, we’re too young for him,” said Ashley.

Todd shook his head.

“He’d jump your bones in a heartbeat,” he told her.

Amy frowned at him.

“He talks to Carl,” I said.

“They’re not friends,” said Todd.

“I’m not either,” I told him, “but he invited me to his party.”

“He did what,” blurted out Amy. 

“He invited me to his party last night,” I said.

“Get out of here,” said Amy, slapping me on the knee.

“How did you get an invite?” asked Ashley.

“You crashed it,” said Todd.  “Didn’t you?”

“No,” I replied.  “Heather asked him to invite me.”

“Who’s Heather?” asked Ashley.

“She’s the strawberry blonde,” I replied.

“So she has a name,” said Todd.

“No wonder you wanted to sleep in,” said Ashley.

“It’s not what you think,” I said.  “She left soon after I got there.”

“Was she the one that gave you the invite?” asked Todd.

“No,” I replied.  “Holly�"”

“Holly Henderson,” said Amy.

I nodded, “Why?”

“I’ve heard talk about her and Madigan,” she replied.

“She knocked on my door after I got back from the pool yesterday,” I said.

“You mean after you left us?” asked Amy.

“Within minutes after I got home,” I replied.

”Did you get a written invitation?” asked Ashley

“No,” I replied.

“You just took her word for it?” asked Todd.

“No,” I replied.  “She read it from a post-it.”

“A post-it,” said Amy.

“A yellow one in her hand,” I said.

“She actually read it?” asked Todd.

“Word for word,” I replied.

They laughed; and so did I. 

“Well, lucky you,” said Ashley at last. 

“Not very many people get invited,” said Todd.

“Why didn’t you tell me about it on the way to church this morning?” asked Ashley.

“It didn’t cross my mind,” I replied.

“I know why,” snickered Todd.

Ashley’s face turned red.

“Stop that,” Amy told Todd.

“What gives,” he said to me.  “You’ve only been here a little over a month and you get invited to his party.”

Todd and Amy lived just three-doors down from him.  Todd was a med-student at Wright State.  Amy taught history.  Ashley was an English teacher�"her reading The Last Tycoon by the pool was what led me to talk to her.  Anyway, I told them about Madigan’s party.

“I wish I could’ve gone,” said Amy.

“Me to,” sighed Ashley.  “If you get to bring a date, I’ll go.”

“I don’t think that Heather would like that,” said Amy.

“I’ll bet all three of you could get in,” I said. 

“Not without an invitation,” said Todd.

“I don’t call a post-it an invitation,” I said.

“He wrote it,” said Amy.

“Just some scribbled words Holly read,” I said. 

“He wrote it,” repeated Amy.

“Alright, he wrote it,” I said. “But most of the people there are not invited.”

“They’re not,” said Ashley.

I shook my head.  “I may have been the only one actually invited.”

Todd looked at me in disbelief.

“I’m serious,” I told him.  “They just show up.”

“They probably know him,” he said.

“We couldn’t just barge in,” said Amy. 

I asked, “Why not?”

“We’d never make it past him,” said Todd, indicating the lone sentinel standing behind Madigan.

“You’re a neighbor,” I said.

“And what would he say if saw me?” asked Ashley.  “I’m not a neighbor.”

“You’d get in,” I told her.

“You think so?” she asked.

“He’d hit on you,” said Todd.  “Amy and I would get turned away.”

“I doubt that,” I told them.  “Besides, he wasn’t even there.”

“He wasn’t,” said Amy.

“His Hummer was gone,” I said.

“We’re not crashing his party,” said Todd.

“You had someone arrange your invitation,” said Amy.

“Are you going to see her again?” asked Ashley.

“I don’t know,” I replied.

“Do you like her?” she asked.

“I don’t know her.” I replied.

“She’ll get you another invite,” said Todd.

The following Saturday I stayed in to study.  I didn’t go to the pool.  I went out around noon to get something to eat.  Then I did some writing in my journal.  Holly came around after the Cubs game ended on the cable station. 

“Will I see you there?” I asked her.

She shook her head. 

I asked, “Why not?”

“I’m done,” she cried out.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Tears began to well up in the corner of her eyes; and I knew she wouldn’t be introducing me to Madigan.  She couldn’t even look me in the face.  She was all broken up. 

So I asked Heather at the party, “Will you introduce me?”

“Why you silly boy,” she grinned.  “Of course, I will.”

Reviews

[Srchaud]

Im not sure how you are doing it, but somehow you are making one mans parties interesting. Maybe I am reading to much into it but, there is an air of mystery to Madigan, his parties and even the community around the parties. Like the part in chapter 3 where the guy in the tux said to the MC that the books where meant to be looked through or they would not be out in the open. It struck me as strange, in a good way. Then the talk in this chapter about The MC getting invited over a post it note. It makes me wonder what is going on and why did Madigan take any interest at all.

[William Yasanari Harris]

Appreciate the kind words. I have 12 chapters rewritten--this is my fourth draft of the novel. Hopefully, the last. I will be adding more chapters next week. I will be looking for anything you may have posted.