“MAD MEN” meets the Greeting Card Industry
Excerpts:
|
Exerpted from Chapter Two Manhattans in Manhattan
From the lavishly decorated stores, Christmas music poured out, one song overlaying the next as they passed, and above everything the New York City street chorus of honking horns, rumbling buses, and distant sirens. When they reached 53rd Street, Jack took Mary Beth by the elbow and guided her across Fifth Avenue and up 53rd. “There’s a nice little bar up here. Do you have time for a drink?” Mary Beth looked at her watch, then up at Jack, “Yes.” They crossed the street in the middle of the block and ducked under a green awning and through a dark paneled door into the cheery warmth of an English pub. “Oh, this is neat,” she said, as Jack helped her off with her coat. Mary Beth gazed around the small room; it was dark and cozy, the air filled with the aroma of mulled wine that simmered on a hot plate at one end of the mahogany bar. There were fifteen or twenty others there, and over the buzz of laughter and conversation, Ella Fitzgerald was singing “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas.” A man at the bar moved over a seat so that there would be two bar stools for the newcomers. Mary Beth thanked him and eased herself up onto the stool as Jack watched her in the mirrored panels of the back bar. A few of the patrons turned to look at her and Jack could see that, with that vitality that cold weather gives a woman’s face, Mary Beth was stunning. “What are you going to have?” she asked. “Well, I always say, ‘When in Manhattan, drink a Manhattan.’” He laughed, “In fact I say it when I’m in St. Louis too.” He brushed a clump of hair off his forehead and rubbed his red cheeks. Mary Beth tilted her head, “What’s in it?” “Whiskey and sweet vermouth,” Jack said, “it’s a very sweet drink but it’s kind of strong. How about if I order one and you can taste it.” “No, what the heck, I’ll take the plunge.” The bartender appeared and Jack ordered two Manhattans, straight up. “I like this place,” said Mary Beth. “Did you come here a lot when you lived here?” “Well, not a lot. But I always liked the feeling in here, not too noisy, not too quiet.” “How long did you work in New York?” “Almost four years. For a while, I worked for one of the biggest agencies in town, in the world, for that matter. Then I opened my own agency. It was a little smaller,” he grinned, “three people.” The bartender returned with their drinks and Mary Beth shook her head, “Gosh, they’re so beautiful.” Jack smiled, “I know. I think that’s one reason I drink them. The v-shaped glass on that thin stem, the color, the way the cherry is magnified by the glass, they’re a visual treat.” Mary Beth cautiously lifted her glass, which was filled to the brim. “A toast,” said Jack, raising his glass to hers. “To happiness.” She smiled back at him, “Okay, to happiness.” She took a sip and carefully put the glass back down. “Wow, that is delicious…but I can tell it’s strong.” “Glad you like it. You are now officially hooked.” He laughed, “And it’s my fault.” “I officially forgive you.” Jack noticed for the first time that Mary Beth had a spattering of very pale freckles across her nose. Jesus, he thought, she’s great looking. Also married, he reminded himself, and only a few years older than Suzie. Mary Beth said, “You have children, right?” Jack nodded. She said, “Tell me about your children. If you want to…” “Sure,” he smiled, and took a sip of his drink. “I’ve got two kids, Suzie is fifteen and Andy is nine. They live with their mother in Philadelphia. Suzie’s an artist, although not in the greeting card sense, she’d be more of a colorist or fabric designer type. I can’t see her painting bunnies.” “I paint bunnies,” said Mary Beth, smiling. “I know you do, and your work is just gorgeous. Really.” “You used to work in advertising?” “That’s right.” “So why did you come to Heartland?” “Well, things were not going so well. The job with the big agency turned into a nightmare and I could never make enough money in my own shop.” He shrugged, “And then Clark Parsons called me—Clark and I worked together in Philly years ago. He gave me quite a sales pitch so I went out to St. Louis to have a look. And the rest is history.” He grinned. She said, “When you said the job was a nightmare, what’d you mean?” Jack smiled, “Oh, I had a problem with my boss.” He took a sip of his drink, “He was a real jerk. Of course, he’d probably say I was the jerk.” “You don’t seem like a jerk,” Mary Beth smiled. He shrugged, “Well, company politics drove me nuts. And I have this habit of losing my cool every now and then. I’ve always had a little trouble ‘networking upward’ as they say.” He laughed, “So I decided to get out of politics and I started my own shop.” Mary Beth’s eyes were glued to his. Jack said, “I loved being my own boss, and I liked the few clients I had, I just never could figure out how to make any money at it. When Clark called about a Heartland job I decided a regular paycheck would be nice again.” “Getting back into politics, huh?” she smiled. “Yeah, I guess so,” he laughed. “Although I expect the politics will be a little less crazy in a Midwestern greeting card company.” Mary Beth rolled her eyes and smiled at him, “What do you think so far?” Jack smiled back, “I guess it’s a little early to say, but so far so good.” He finished his drink and said, “How are you doing on time?” Mary Beth looked at her watch, “Omigosh, I’ve got to call her. I’ll be right back.” She hopped off the bar stool and hurried over to the pay phone that hung on the wall. The bartender appeared, “Two more?” “No, we’re leaving,” Jack answered. He slid off the barstool, separated the tip from the pile of bills on the bar and pocketed the rest. A smiling Mary Beth returned. “Did you get her?” Jack asked. “Yes.” She beamed up at him, “I told her I wasn’t coming.”
|
