What do you think? I got it on
sale!” exclaims Alice Hammer proud of her designer purchase at a bargain rate
as she pretends to walk down a runway at the beginning of spring season.
Crossing her arms, Jennings rolls
her eyes and asks “Do you think there might be a reason it was on sale?”
Determined to defend her choice,
Alice Hammer looks her squarely in the eyes, “Yes, because it was meant for me”
fastening her magenta fussy fur hat more tightly on her head.
“At least they’ll know you’re
coming in the dark when you try to cross the street” remarks Jennings wondering
how many ‘deals’ Alice Hammer brought in her wardrobe.
“Let me grab my coat and then we
can go”, Jennings digs into her hanging bag and pulls out a large lime green
puffy parka with leopard trim and begins to zip up her coat. Then she pulls out
her violet mittens out of her pocket while Alice Hammer stares her down with
disgruntled pierced lips.
“What?” asks Jennings seeing
Alice Hammer’s lack of approval of her personal choice of fashion, “It’s warm
and it works.”
Alice Hammer doesn’t say anything
but glares at her for a few moments while she squeezes into her remaining
magenta boot and gloves that were sold on sale as a matching set. “At least I’m coordinated”.
Jennings looks at herself in the
hallway mirror as Alice Hammer puts on her chapstick standing just behind her. After
a short pause of tension, they both begin to giggle.
“Well, at least we’ll be able to
find each other if we get lost” considers Jennings as they head out of the door
of the guest apartment.
“I told Annie to meet us in the
lobby at 10, we have about twenty minutes to wait” explains Jennings pushing
the letter “L” on the elevator register.
The elevator beeps as the number
3 lights up above the door. An elderly
gentleman walks onto the elevator with the sounds of bells ringing with each
step. Jennings glances at Alice Hammer
sharing a look of understanding while the gentleman politely folds his arms in
front of him and begins to introduce himself asking in a friendly tone “Hello, my name is Alfred. Are you new to the
towers?”
“Hi! This is Brigadier Martha Jennings and my name
is Alice Hammer. We’re visiting from
Crestwood in the Northern Territory for a few days” explains Alice Hammer as
Jennings nods to him and shakes his hand.
“I’ve been living here six years
and it is a wonderful place. You should
move here if you ever have the opportunity” finding that he likes his first
impression of both of the new strangers adds “There are lots of things to
do. The activity director does an
excellent job of planning special events, guest speakers, social clubs, plenty
of activities for a variety of hobbies, and of course the food is quite good in
the dining room. I hardly ever feel like
cooking.”
“Alfred, I’d like to ask you a
question if don’t mind. Why do you have
bells on your socks?” bluntly asks Jennings whose curiosity has overwhelmed
her.
“Oh that. It’s for my dog, Oscar. She can’t see very well and sometimes she
gets out and runs the hallways. So, I came up with this idea that if I wear
bells Oscar can find me wherever she goes” lifting up his pant leg to reveal
Christmas socks of red and green with tiny bells attached, he continues “I
sewed them on myself. Christmas socks
seem more festive and just make you happy while you wear them, also they are
quite warm when it gets cold outside.”
Smiling as her eyes twinkle with
anticipation, Alice Hammer is delighted with his socks and creative thinking,
“Such a clever idea. I may do that for
Peaches when I get home. She’s getting
older, you know. The bells are a good
idea, better than a whistle. I don’t
whistle very well. Some people can use
their fingers and have quite a range. I
whistle softly in monotone.”
By contrast, Jennings stands
beside her with a look of disbelief not sure if she would be willing claim her
as a dear friend if she starts to walk into their weekly painting club with a
new pair of bell socks.
The elevator doors reach the
lobby and open. “Where are you going?”
asks Alice Hammer seeing him turn the corner heading towards the sign that
announces the Chapel is down the hallway with a left arrow.
“I’m going to play the piano for
a while. It’s a beautiful grand piano,
such a lovely sound. They keep it tuned
on a regular basis not like some places that leave it to the elements and then
to hope to sing in key once in a blue moon” explains Alfred almost skipping
with a light step down the hallway “Why don’t you join me while you wait for
your friends?”
“Come on Jennings, let’s go”
orders Alice Hammer tugging at Jennings lime green sleeve looking more like an
green abominable snowman rather than a person.
Jennings waddles slowing behind Alice Hammer with her arm’s stretched
out to the side to accommodate for the three layers of clothing hiding
underneath her coat.
“I like Jazz. Do you like Jazz or the Blues?” asks Alfred
as his fingers lightly touch the keys in patterns of complex music that
joyfully fill the room.
“Yes, my sweet Fred liked to
listen to Miles Davis and Count Basie on Sunday afternoons after church on the
record player” explains Alice Hammer “I use to imagine that I could sing like
Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday. Do you know ‘How Deep is the Ocean’? It’s
one of my favorites.”
“Yes, I do. Why don’t you sing it with me?” as Alfred
begins to play and create a beautiful introduction uniquely his own.
Tenderly closing her eyes, Alice
Hammer begins to sing as memories brighten into the present “How much do I love
you? …. I’ll tell you no lie ….”
Sitting in a pew a few feet from
the piano, Jennings seems quite amazed that her friend is staying in tune after
listening to her the last few weeks in songsters with less than stellular
results. When Alice Hammer finishes
singing, Jennings provides loud applause with sincere appreciation for her effort.
Alfred also joins in admiration
as Alice Hammer curtsies and takes a bow to an imaginary audience. “Let’s do
another one. That was fun!”
“How about this one? Do you know it?” asks Alfred as he begins to
play “My Funny Valentine” with expertise and flair.
Immediately Alice Hammer jumps in
with the lyrics and adds her own dramatic interpretation, making faces and
twirling around a bit in her pink fussy boots and hat. For the grand finale, Alice Hammer leans back
and throws her arm up as if she is Liza Minnelli on stage. This cracks everyone up, but Alice seems a
little stuck before returning to a normal posture, “I think that I might have
moved more than my arms there ….,” while
rubbing her sore back with a bit of awkwardness.
“I didn’t know you were going to
have a concert! I would have come down
earlier!” sincerely states Annie thrilled to know her real friends are in town
and that they will be spending the day together. “I see that you’ve met Alfred. I was going to introduce you tonight, but I’m
glad that you’ve already become acquainted.
He’s been a very good friend to me during my visit and I thought that
you would like him too.”
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