opened his eyes again - she was still there, smiling at him. He took a deep breath and continued. “I’m seventeen years old. I live with my mother in Hanford. I’m Jewish. My father died five years ago and I’ve never had a girlfriend. But I think you are the most beautiful girl I have ever met in my life. And I would very much like to see you again.” Now all he could do was wait.
Bull still had the door open and was listening. Ruben never did stuff like this and this chick was beautiful. “I’ll tell the guys it will be a minute,” and closed the door.
Esther looked at her bother who was staring at Ruben with open hostility. He began to move toward Ruben but Esther stopped him and said, “Ruben, thank you for saying those wonderful things. I am also seventeen and Jewish and I would be very happy to see you again. You go play, and I will be waiting for you at your next break.”
Ruben couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t smiling, he was grinning. “OK. OK.” He opened the door but turned around and came back. “I’ve got to go play, now. Promise you won’t go anywhere.”
She laughed, “I promise I’ll be here.”
“OK. OK.” He knew he was acting stupid but didn’t care. Ruben was absolutely smitten. When they started playing again, she was in the same place. They played, ‘Johnny Be Good,’ ‘Little Old Lady from Pasadena,’ ‘Come a Little Bit Closer,’ ‘Glad All Over,’ ‘Twist and Shout,’ ‘All Day and All of the Night,’ and ‘You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling,’ with only seconds between songs. Ruben saw several guys asked her to dance but she turned them down.
When it was time for the next break he found out where she lived. She said she would not stay for the entire dance because her parents wanted them home at ‘a decent hour.’ She asked if he could see her the next day. The band always took Sundays off unless there was some kind of gig or emergency. There were none so they agreed he would come to her house at three in the afternoon.
After the dance, their manager, Del Santos, walked up and said, “Great job tonight. Everybody loved you.” He distributed one hundred and fifty dollars each and said, “Next weekend, you’re booked at the Rose Garden in Pismo Beach Friday and Saturday so you’ll have to leave right after school. We’re doing two nights for three grand total. Some guy from the Rose Garden was here tonight to check you out. You impressed him. I’ll reserve some motel rooms for you and call Corky with the details. See you later, boys.”
Ruben drove home thinking about Esther. When he got home and opened the door, he waited for his mother to get up as she always did. He sat his guitars down and watched her appear at her bedroom door, her robe pulled tight around her ample form.
“Everything alright, son?
“Everything’s great, Mom. Can I talk to you for a second?”
Holding her robe together with one hand, she walked toward him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Mom, nothing in the world.” He couldn’t hold back any longer. “I met this girl tonight, Mom. I think I’m in love.”
His mother reacted as expected. “Well…ah….eh….what’s her name?”
“Esther Rosenberg. She Jewish and lives in Fresno. She’s a classical musician and I’m going to see her tomorrow at three. I’m going to meet her parents, I guess. I already met her brother. I don’t think he trusts me yet, but with a sister like that, who can blame him?”
When he finally went to bed, he fantasized long into the night. He didn’t even care if she wouldn’t make bacon. He could live without bacon.
The following morning, he ate breakfast with his mother. Of course they talked more about Esther. She asked a thousand questions he couldn’t answer. Her concerns were understandable, but his mother hadn’t met her, hadn’t seen how perfect she was. He took extra care in cleaning up and asked his mother what he should do about the hickey. He got the expected, “You shouldn’t have it in the first place” but she covered it with some make up and offered some credible excuses to tell Esther. Finally, she grilled him on how to act around her parents: be sure to say what a lovely home they have and sit up straight and chew with his mouth closed and compliment anything given him and on and on. He listened. He really did want to make an impression.
On his mother’s advice, he’d found a florist open on Sunday and bought some flowers for Esther’s mother. “Bring her mother some flowers,” she said. “It will make an impression and make her think you’ve got some sense.”
Chapter 3
The house was a big white two-story place with green trim and a colonial front. The yard was immaculate. An older but well kept Cadillac and a new Continental sat in the looped driveway. Ruben checked the address a third time to make sure he was in the right place. He was. Looking at himself in the rear view mirror, he suddenly thought he looked stupid. Well, he thought. Too late now.
He walked up to the house, flowers in hand. As soon as he knocked Esther opened the door. In the afternoon sun, he could see that her hair was indeed black and her eyes were a dark, chocolate brown, contrasting sharply with her very fair complexion.
“Hello, Ruben Barlow. I’m relieved you’re here. My father wondered if you would actually come. He said young men sometimes have second thoughts about meeting parents.”
He smiled. “I have to admit I’m nervous.”
She suddenly seemed concerned. “Didn’t you bring your guitar? My parents are looking forward to hearing you play.”
“It’s in the trunk. I didn’t know if I should bring it in now.”
She stepped through the door. “Let’s get it together.” She put her arm through his and started walking toward his car. The contact made him dizzy.
“I brought some flowers for your mother. My mom said it would make your mother think I had some sense.”
Esther found that delightful. “She is absolutely right. My mother will be very impressed.”
Ruben opened the trunk and got the guitar. Esther took the flowers and smelled them.
“Ummm. They smell wonderful. What a cute car you have. Is it yours?”
“Yes. I’ve always liked these old Chevys.”
“Do you work on it yourself?”
“Good grief, no. I don’t know a thing about cars.”
She moved close and spoke in a low voice. “Neither do my father nor brother, although sometimes they pretend to.”
The inside of the house was as great as the outside. Ruben immediately noticed a grand piano in the spacious living room. “I hope I hear you play.”
“My parents will insist upon it.”
A distinguished, fit-looking man in his late-forties appeared, drying his hands on an apron, and extended his hand.
“Ruben,” said Esther, “this is my father, Dr. Richard Rosenberg.” Ruben put his guitar down and shook his hand. “Father, this is the young man I told you about, Ruben Barlow.”
“I’m honored to meet you, sir.”
“And I you, Ruben.” Esther’s father turned. “Rebecca, come and meet Mr. Barlow.”
A beautiful, dark-haired woman who looked very much like Esther came into the room.
She also extended her hand and smiled. “Hello, Ruben. I’m Rebecca Rosenberg, Esther’s mother.”
“Mother, Ruben brought you some flowers.” She handed the flowers to her mother.
“Oh, how thoughtful of you. Thank you so much. Esther, could you put these in some water?” Esther took the flowers and disappeared. By this time, Ben had entered the room. He looked slightly older than Esther but the family resemblance was obvious. They shook hands and exchanged