No Team To Root For (11) "You were telling me about your mother." Barrett interrupted. "Barrett, I'm not sure I want to continue this conversation." Jodi finished her coffee. "You probably felt responsible for her death." Barrett took a small sip and pushed his cup aside. Jodi sat up straight. "What are you --- a psychologist as well as an optometrist?" Barrett smiled and shrugged. "I've talked to a lot of patients about a lot of things over the years." He leaned in closer. "Some-times you have to be their therapist as well as their eye doctor." She took her napkin and absently wiped the table in front of her. Then she looked at Barrett, her eyes again small and sad. "Of course I felt responsible." "But it wasn't your fault." Barrett continued to play therapist. "You try telling that to a vulnerable and overprotected teenager." She took a deep breath. I didn't find out about it until I was a junior in high school. An aunt told me." "Your father probably didn't want you to --- well --- to feel guilty." "I know. And I never held it against him for that very reason." Barrett nodded sympathetically. Jodi folded her arms and leaned in toward Barrett. "I can't believe I'm telling you all this." "I told you." Barrett smiled. "I have a good ear and a strong shoulder." "I know, but even so --- " They looked at each other for several seconds. "I must admit you're very easy to talk to." Jodi smiled. The stiffness seemed to have disappeared. "Look, Jodi. I know this must be hell to talk about, so if you --- ". "It's okay." She hesitated, then continued evenly. "I was despon-dent for a long time. I remember the term. The doctors said I was --- " She put her dirty napkin in her empty cup. Then she looked at Barrett again. " --- suicidal." Barrett continued to nod sympathetically. Jodi went on quietly. "So to prove they were right, I --- I drank an entire bottle of Ny-quil!" Barrett sat up. "Oh my God!" "Wasn't that stupid?" Barrett had no response. After a long pause, she continued. "It took two years with a psychologist to put my life in the right perspective." "A good therapist can do that." Barrett finished his coffee. "They know how to say 'that's right' and 'okay' at the right times." He dabbed his lips with his napkin and then he too put it inside of his empty cup. "I'm glad things turned around for you." Jodi smiled. "So am I." Then she suddenly asked, "How long have you and Janet been married?" Barrett thought a moment. "Almost ten years. It was a major mis-calculation!" "Barrett --- " "My practice is all I have. And even though I'm burnt out, at least with that, I feel some measure of success." "Barrett, that's a depressing scenario." "Tell me about it!" The waitress came over with her book in one hand and the check in the other. She put the check in front of Barrett and went back to the kitchen. "Jodi, maybe we --- " The lights suddenly dimmed and the busboy began putting the chairs on top of the tables. "We're closing up, folks. It's after ten." called the waitress. Then she yawned, almost choking on her gum. Barrett and Jodi got up from the table. As they turned to leave, Barrett put his hand on the small of her back. He said, "I think they want us to leave." Barrett paid the bill and they left. When they got to Jodi's car, Barrett opened the driver's door. Jodi stopped a moment before she got in. Then she turned to Barrett. "Thanks for listening. I haven't talked about that in quite a while." "I'm glad you could talk to me about it." He got closer. "I enjoyed having coffee with you." He kissed her gently on the lips. They were warm and moist. He made a move to kiss her again. This time she pushed him back. "No, Barrett." She got into the car. It started up at once. "Thanks again. Goodbye." Barrett, frustrated, could only watch as she drove off. * Jodi Bartless was going through a tall stack of overdue books that had recently been returned. She shook her head disgustedly, wondering why people found it so difficult to return a library book on time. "Hello, Jodi." The familiar voice jarred her train of thought. She turned to see Janet Jessop walk up to the counter. Janet was wear-ing an expensive looking straight black dress with black mesh hose that accentuated her slim figure. Her hair was pulled back and Jodi thought her makeup looked perfect. "Hi, Janet." The two smiled at each other. "Jodi, this is Sara Sharkey." Janet indicated the woman next to her. Sara wore very little makeup and Jodi would describe her fea-tures as plain but pleasant. Her short flat black hair was neat but streaked with gray. She had on a red pantsuit that was too tight for her. Sara and Jodi exchanged polite hellos and a cordial handshake. "I stopped to see if you still wanted me to come in from two to six." "Oh yes. Please." Jodi pleaded. "Carl called in sick and it's just me and Maria until two o'clock." "If you like, I can come in earlier." Janet added quickly. Jodi shook her head. "Nah. I can manage. It's not that busy --- " She gestured broadly. " --- as you can see." Janet then asked, "Listen, why don't you join us for a quick lunch? Annie can cover for you." Jodi was taken by surprise. "Oh --- thanks. But I packed my lunch today." Lunch with Janet. Coffee with Barrett. Janet looked dis-appointed. Jodi wondered if she was. But thanks for asking me." "We'll do it another time." Janet said as she and Sara went to the door. Then she added hastily, "See you at two." Sara waved and they left. Jodi absently picked up a stray book as she stared after them. She was starting to have some good feelings about Barrett. He was sen-sitive. He was kind . He was caring. But unfortunately, he was married. And Jodi just happened to like his wife. So even if Janet wasn't aware of the images that flashed in her head regarding her husband, Jodi still felt guilty. She felt like a sneak --- almost a homewrecker! Forget it. They're only thoughts. You've done nothing wrong. You're overreacting! Jodi knew she had to gather her thoughts and put them in the right perspective. She had to deal with one dilemma at a time. Barrett Jessop wasn't her immediate problem. Aaron Claypool was! Jodi thought she could handle Barrett. She wasn't as confident about Aaron! XIII "You know, we have to stop meeting like this." Barrett said jok-ingly as he pushed his shopping cart next to Jodi's. Jodi gave Bar-rett a reprimanding look. He continued, undaunted. "Well you must admit, we do seem to do our shopping on the same day." Canned cat food lined the shelves on one side of the aisle and canned dog food lined the shelves on the other side of the aisle. "So," Jodi asked as she walked up to Barrett. "you're saying this is a coincidence?" Then she cocked her head. "Well --- ?" "Uh --- " Barrett cleared his throat then he nodded. " --- yes. I would consider this to be a coincidence." "Like the first time you came to the library?" "Oh --- " Barrett absently picked up a can of Cycle Four. He looked at it briefly, wondering why someone who hates animals would bother studying a can of dog food. Then he put it back. "Look, Barrett." Jodi came closer and spoke quietly. "I'm not stupid and I'm not naive. You call me with the pretext of an apol-ogy." Barrett started to respond. Jodi went on lightly. "You come to the library ten minutes before closing." She cocked her head again. "And you just happen to be in the mood for coffee." Barrett laughed to himself. "We meet in Alber's --- just by chance. We --- " "Meeting in Alber's was by chance." This time Barrett glanced at the cat food. "Barrett, I know what you're trying to do." She put her hand on his arm. "It simply won't work." "Look, Jodi --- " "I don't have time for this. Right now I'm --- somewhat involved." Barrett started to speak but Jodi went on. "And you're a married man. Let's face it." "I know, but --- " "Barrett, let's change the subject." "Jodi, if you would only --- " "How do you like the Wouk book?" Jodi moved a can of soup to another part of her cart. Barrett took a deep breath. He knew his modus operandi had been thwarted. "The --- Wouk book?" "Yes. This Is My God." "Oh --- that Wouk book. Uh --- most enlightening." "It's supposed to be a keen insight into Judaism." Barrett laughed again, only louder this time. "Someday I'll have to tell you about my religious background." He then picked up two large tomatoes from his cart and turned them over in his hand. He looked at Jodi slyly. She was shaking her head. "Okay. You find me better ones." They both smiled at a woman wearing a large red hat and pushing a cart with an infant inside. Jodi paused a moment then took Barrett's tomatoes to the vege-table section. In less than one minute she brought back two toma-toes that were larger, redder, and more solid. "Now that's how a tomato is supposed to look and feel." Then she laid them gently into his cart. "How do you know so much about vegetables?" She shrugged. "You know geography. I know vegetables." He thought a moment. "I suppose that makes sense. Eventually I'll see the analogy." "Well, Barrett," she turned her cart around. "I have some things to do at home so I'd better get a move on." He called after her as she pushed her cart away. "Jodi --- " Just then an elderly lady bumped her cart into his. "Oh, excuse me," she said. Barrett was ready to yell at her. But when he saw the wrinkled face, the white hair, and the stooped shoulders he changed his mind. Instead, he said meekly, "That's okay." When he turned back, Jodi had disappeared. Barrett finished his grocery shopping quickly and checked out with one bag. When he got outside he saw Jodi standing next to a sign that said NO STOPPING. Barrett thought she looked per-turbed. Her brow was furrowed and her mouth was turned down. She turned to him abruptly. "Oh. hi, Barrett." He walked up to her. "Your bag looks heavy. I have another arm." "It's not heavy." she said and looked at her watch. "I gather the person picking you up is late." "Aaron is always late." She put her groceries in the other arm. "Where's your Malibu?" "In the shop." "Oh." "Nothing major. Just an oil change and a tune-up." They both stood silently for several minutes as it got colder and darker. Shoppers with and without carts were going past them in all directions. Glaring headlights bounced off them as the many cars drove by, then stopped to pick up the shoppers. "Is this --- Aaron the same guy you were with the last time we came here?" She turned toward the entrance ramp. "Yes, Barrett." Then she looked at her watch again. "The guy in the Ford Galaxy?" Now Barrett put his bag in the other arm. Jodi turned toward him and sighed. "Yes, Barrett. That's the one." Now her gaze began to systematically alternate between her watch and the entrance ramp. "You don't have to stay here. He'll be along pretty soon --- I hope." Barrett shrugged. "I got nothing else to do." "My car is --- " He pointed with his head. " --- right over there. The blue Olds." Jodi didn't respond. She continued to stare at the ramp. "It would serve him right if you left. I think it stinks making you wait like this." Again there was no response. His bag seemed to be gaining weight. He knew Jodi's must weigh a ton. "You sure you don't want me to hold that for you?" She shook her head as Barrett looked at his watch. They continued to wait silently. "Jodi. We've been standing here for forty-five minutes. It's getting cold as hell!" "Well --- " She bit her lower lip. " --- it really did cool off." "It's past 9:30. I can't believe you don't feel like an icicle." Who is this prick? She gave him her small sad look. "Maybe I will take that ride." Now it began to drizzle. They walked the short distance to Bar-rett's Olds and Jodi looked over her shoulder the entire time. Bar-rett put his groceries in the back seat and took Jodi's. She took one final look at the NO STOPPING area before she slid into the front seat. Then he put her groceries on her lap, got in the driver's side and drove off. Jodi gave him directions to her apartment and they drove in si-lence. Then Barrett asked, "Has he stood you up before?" "It doesn't happen often." "It shouldn't happen at all! Why do you hold still for it?" Jodi didn't answer. They drove in silence again listening to the rhythmic banging of the windshield wipers. Then she asked unex-pectedly, "Is that Old Spice?" "As a matter of fact it is. You have a good nose." Jodi smiled. "My father used it. I love the smell." The rain slowed and the heater kicked in. "All these years later and I still remember the fragrance." Barrett laughed. "I guess I'll have to throw out my Brut." "Turn left at the next light." Jodi said as she shifted the grocery bag on her lap. Then she pointed her finger. "That's it over there." Barrett pulled up in front of a large brick building with oversized aluminum windows. Scattered concrete walks jutted out in all directions leading to various apartments. "What a maze" Barrett said as he got out of the Oldsmobile. "I know. If you don't live here it can be quite confusing." Barrett opened Jodi's door and took her grocery bag. "I'll walk you to your apartment." "Oh, Barrett. That isn't necessary. It's only the second door on the right." "I don't mind." Barrett said stubbornly. All the doors to all the apartments looked alike in the artificial lighting. After a brief zigzag stroll, they stopped in front of a large oak door. He was certain daylight would offer no further help. Jodi took a key from the purse that hung over her shoulder. She opened the door and started to take the grocery bag from Barrett. They looked at each other for several seconds. "Aren't you going to invite me in?" Barrett held the bag tighter. Jodi paused and looked around. The grounds were empty. "I'm not sure that's such a hot idea." "I think it's a great idea." Barrett produced a giant grin. "Well, I don't. You --- " He put his forefinger to her lips as he continued to look her in the eye. "Don't say 'you're married'." "But you are!" The grin faded. "That is going to change soon." "I don't want to hear it." She stopped in the doorway. "I honestly think it would be better if you --- " "Can I just come in for a glass of water?" The grin returned. "You're stalling, Barrett." ""I'm thirsty." They continued to stare at each other. "No." Jodi tried to close the door. Barrett's foot was in the way. She took a deep breath. "Barrett, what am I going to do with you?" She opened the door all the way. Barrett moved his foot. "You have your drink of water and then you go. Understood?" Barrett entered quickly. Jodi turned on the light then closed the door. The entry way was small with black and white tiled floors and off white wallpaper. "Not exactly like your entry way, is it?" she asked. Barrett followed her into the kitchen and put the bag of groceries on the counter. The kitchen was all in white, fully equipped and larger then most apartments he'd been in. There was a separate eat-ing area with a dinette and four small chrome chairs. The counters were all Formica and there was plenty of cupboard space. Jodi took a glass from a top cupboard and filled it with water from the tap. "So who is this --- Aaron?" Barrett asked. Jodi took some ice cubes from the freezer and put them in the glass. "I told you. He's a friend." She handed the glass to Barrett. "Some friend." Barrett took a sip as Jodi began to empty the gro-cery bag. "What kind of a friend would --- ?"
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