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Estelle and I became very
good friends and we spent a lot of time together because we both loved to
paint canvases of flowers, found objects, landscapes or whatever happened
to be of interest at that moment. Her art club met once a month and she
was always full of information with the goings on of that. My friend would
take pictures of the other women’s paintings and bring them home to show
me. Some of the work was incredibly professional. One of the women was her
closest friend. Estelle told me the woman’s father had been in a banking
business in the old part of town, Oak Cliff. It was now one of the largest
banks in downtown Dallas so I had no doubt the woman was well heeled, as
the saying goes. It was the one with the joke circulated that said, "A
Texan went in to ask for a loan of 60,000. When they asked for collateral,
he replied, 'I'm not accustomed to having a need for collateral for my
pocket change."
She and Estelle often
chatted on the phone while we were working on some of our art work
together.
One topic of conversation
to take priority over everything else was about the man who lived in an
apartment on Estelle’s friend’s, estate. His name was Henry. The two women
were unmerciful with their chit-chat regarding Henry. He wasn’t present
to defend himself so in my mind I had formed an opinion and image of that
one who was someone with a weasel like appearance. I just knew he must
have been shifty eyed and rude with probably, dirty finger nails.
“Henry didn’t come in until
three last night!” Lila reported on the man’s private life and affairs.
Estelle repeated to me what her friend had just told her. As if I cared.
Usually, I never answered aloud but only raised an eyebrow or some such
gesture to let her know I had heard.
“My art club is meeting at
the Harris estate and would like to know if you want to join us for the
evening?” Evidently I was a topic of discussion, too, and I wasn’t sure I
wanted to be. “You will enjoy the ladies. Art is a great hobby of theirs.”
“I’ll see if I can get
Rodney to watch the kids.” I told her but I still wasn’t sure I wanted to
go.
“Go on and go.” Rodney was
okay with the outing. “You will enjoy it.”
Their get together wasn’t
for two weeks so I had plenty of time to get myself ready. I bought a new
red wine colored jumper and put a soft blouse of delicate organza under
it. I worked on my then almost black hair for a good two days, using my
cosmetology skills to pull it all up into barrel curls at the top and back
of my head. A pair of high heeled sandals were the exact color of the
jumper and completed my outfit. When the day arrived I felt my appearance
was good enough for even the pickiest person there.
When we arrived at the
rambling estate house I could see anyone would be impressed with the
appearance of wealth. The parking lot was even landscaped to have groups
of plants and lights under them to show off their night time beauty. The
house was huge, and seemed to ramble on forever. A party was now being
held around what was a dessert table and I don’t believe I’ve ever seen
anything like it before or since. I’ll bet there were two hundred
different desserts and I’m not exaggerating. Any drink a person could
desire was offered from wine, to martinis, margarita’s, shaved ice with
blended fruit laced with vodka, whatever.
Native American people have
to watch the fire water but certainly, I was sampling a bit of this and
that from this lazy Suzan of a table which was big and took up a good
space. A very handsome man walked up to the table. He was tall, extremely
well-groomed with the most expensive suit I had seen in a while. Even his
fingernails looked to be manicured. His demeanor was suave and it was as
if his diction was from some well bred old family whose culture allowed
them to send their son to the best of schools.
We visited for just a
moment and then he said, “Oh! I’m so sorry, I haven’t introduced myself.
I’m Henry......
It would have been so rude
to laugh out loud, so I didn’t, thank heaven. "So this was Henry." I'm
thinking.
“I’m pleased to make your
acquaintance, Henry. I was trying to be casual and praying there wouldn’t
be a giggle forthcoming. I’m a mother and a housewife who likes to do art
work. What is your profession?
“I’m an engineer,” came his
polite answer, “an electronic engineer.” |
