Page 01 - The Purse - 2013


It really doesn't matter where you place your head on pillow, there is always the seedy side of town. Most commonly referred to as south side of the tracks.

I imagine this is a result of the early railroads which typically ran from East to West or West to East. I don't know how the rails separated Mansfield, Ohio however the seedy side of town is North and East of the main line.

Jeff Bloom, a traveling salesman tired of being alone in a hotel room night after night decided to have a quiet cocktail in the lounge at the Holiday Inn on the south side of Mansfield. Sitting in the empty bar, a local woman Deloris Holmes sat a few stools down from Jeff.

Deloris was avoiding her empty apartment taking advantage of happy hour.

A casual conversation started and Jeff offered Deloris dinner in exchange for companionship at dinner. They picked up their drinks and headed for a table in the restaurant. Jeff was delighted to have company, Deloris was happy to be out for dinner.

Through the conversations, Jeff learned more about Deloris and Deloris learned about Jeff. Jeff mentioned he spent the summer of 1964 living in a small apartment in Haight-Ashbury. It did not take long before the subject of weed, grass, or pot and free love came into the conversation.

Both Jeff and Deloris agreed smoking a joint would top off a wonderful evening. The problem; no pot, weed or grass in sight. Jeff depended upon the knowledge of Deloris to help them place themselves into the right spot to score a small bag. Their desire for joint overtook their common sense as they jumped into Jeff’s car and headed to the Northeast side of Mansfield. The clubs were grouped along a street with dim street lighting accenting the neon glow of the clubs. They agreed, if they could score they would head back to the comfort of the Holiday Inn. They tried a couple of cab rides asking the driver to help them score. One recommended they try one of the ladies walking the street near a local bar. It was around 10 PM when they arrived, found a parking place and stated soliciting some of the ladies with a proposition. They would offer the lady her rate plus the cost of the pot.

It was not long before an older black woman took them up on their offer. She jumped into the back seat and gave the directions to her dealer. The price was $60 an ounce and was quickly agreed to, and paid. Jeff, being of sober mind and not willing to be had, asked their new friend for her driver’s license. Standing next to the driver’s door the stranger told Jeff and Deloris she left her purse on the back seat.  She continued, “it won’t take long, I will be right back.”

Jeff and Deloris watched through the windshield in the dim orange light of street light down the block as the woman disappeared down a walkway between two apartment buildings. They could not see what apartment was entered, if any. It really didn’t matter.

 Jeff and Deloris sat in the car continuing their conversation not paying attention to the lapse time. Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into huge chunks of time. They were eager for the lady’s return with the pot. Jeff looked at his watch and noted the time. Deloris looked hard down the walkway not seeing any movement. “You know, she's been gone a long time.”

“Your right, I think we need to be a little more patient.” Perhaps she knew the drug dealer and wanted to get herself a hit of something. Jeff and Deloris waited and waited for the lady’s return. Finally, they looked at each other with a long stare. In unison, “did we get had?”

“No way Deloris, we have her purse on the backseat.”

After another fifteen minutes passed and the reality was apparent. This just may turn into a bust. Jeff reached into the back seat and grabbed the purse by the hand straps. “Here, you open it.”

Deloris opened the purse. “Wow, that’s a surprise, we just paid sixty dollars for a two dollar purse.”

 

Copyright 2013 – All Rights Reserved – Edwin R. Ellis

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