The Perfect Spouse Read online

  She hugged Jason again. “I love you my little man and you are good.” She tucked him under the sheet, walked quietly out and shut the door. Jason hid his head under his pillow so that he could not hear the cries of his mother.

  Chapter Three

  Jason awakened later to find the next door neighbor, Mrs. Irene Silver beside his bed.

  “Well, hello darling. I’m going to stay with you until your grandparents get here. Your daddy took your mother to the hospital. She has a broken wrist and some minor injuries. She said she fell.” Jason said nothing. He knew better, but wasn’t sure what to tell.

  Irene picked Jason up and carried him into the living room where her husband, Matthew, was sitting. They cuddled him between them and soon Grandpa Michael Pistoli and Grandma Terry Pistoli were there. The two couples visited for a few minutes and then Grandpa hurried home with Jason after Grandma had packed him a bag. Grandma stayed for a few days to help her daughter.

  Jason never knew how angry his daddy was to find her there or how angry he was to find Jason gone. Three days later he called Grandpa and angrily demanded the return of his son.

  Rory continued to hit Jason and make him afraid to move out of his room when daddy was home. Mary Margaret was taken to the hospital frequently with broken ribs, twice a broken arm, and other minor, but painful, injuries.

  * * * * *

  Two weeks before his fifth birthday, Jason was devastated to learn of the death of his beloved mother. Rory had said she tripped, in the dark, over some concrete blocks in the back yard. She never regained conscientious and died two days later.

  Dr. Albert Hammond had been suspicious concerning Mary Margaret’s injuries, but could do nothing because she always told him she was careless.

  The Medical Examiner, Dr. Lawrence Backes, was a friend of Dr. Hammond. The two men talked about this death and came to the agreement that proof of broken bones and damaged flesh showed physical abuse.

  The maternal grandparents brought charges against Rory and gained custody of Jason. The medical reports, coupled with the reports of bad attitude at the police department, gave Judge Hiram Weaver grounds to conduct a trial, charging Rory with manslaughter. He was given fifteen years in prison, but during his second year was killed by another inmate during a fight.

  * * * * *

  Jason always thought lovingly of his sweet mother, but loved and appreciated his grandparents. They encouraged him to get the best education possible, to sing as much as he wanted to and to have compassion for other people. He grew up loving Bible study and trying very hard to live as he should.

  * * * * *

  Jason took the papers to Corella, reiterating that he wasn’t sure what he might do in the future.

  “Jason, there’s no pressure on any one. Do you think you’d like to join and get acquainted? Then you could decide what you want to do permanently.”

  “I guess so --- for a few months.”

  “Good. Jenny,” she called to a young woman at another desk. “Please come here. This is Jason McBride. Jason, this is Jenny Carson. She’s our Treasurer and will take care of you.”

  “I shall be delighted to help Jason. Please come down here with me.

  Okay, Jason, I’ll need sixty dollars, but from now on it’ll only be thirty dollars a month. How do you want to pay?”

  “May I write a check? I make it a habit not to carry much money.”

  “Sure. We’ll take your check.” She took the check and gave him a receipt. “We want you to be happy and satisfied, Jason. Please let us know if we can do anything to help you. Now, I want you to meet Dottie Fingar. She’s our membership chairman and will help you make a video and have a still shot.”

  “Hello, Jason. Welcome. I’m glad to meet you. If you’ll come with me, we’ll get a still shot first and then make a short video.”

  “If I make a video, why do I need a still shot?”

  “The still shot goes in these book here on this table with a short paragraph about you. Ladies look through the book and if they like the picture, they’ll ask to see the video. If they’re interested, we’ll notify you and you come in and look at their video. If you, too, are interested, we’ll arrange a meeting here in the club and the two of you will go on from there.”

  “Will I be expected to contact any lady who asks to meet me?”

  “Oh, no. That’s up to you, and the same goes for the ladies. If they are not interested in further contact, they can just ignore the request.”

  “Thank you. May I call you Dottie?”

  “That’s my name,” she laughed. “We’re all first name here.” She proceeded to take a shot of him and then led him into another room to make a video. “I’m going to leave you alone for a few minutes. Here’s a pad and pen. If you wish, you can write what you want to say. It will keep you from getting nervous and giving a less than sterling impression.”

  Jason decided to just give his first name, his height, his hobbies and his likes and dislikes. It only took five minutes to make the video.

  “Very good. Tomorrow your picture will be in the book and your video will be in our collection. You can check on your own efforts any time; keep the video as is or change it.”

  “Thank you, Dottie. I told Corella that I’m not sure about this, but I’m willing to give it a try.”

  “Great. We have a get-together, with refreshments, usually on the second Saturday of each month at seven P M. You’ll meet the staff and members on that night.”

  “Am I required to attend?”

  “No. Not every one attends or some come in once in a while. The owners try to promote a family style atmosphere. They would like everyone to be friends and encourage each other.”

  “Why the name, The Perfect Spouse?”

  “Elaine Harper and Joseph Harper are the owners. She said she has been so happy in her marriage of forty some years, and feels she has a perfect spouse. She wanted others to find someone and be as happy as they are.”

  “Catchy name. Thank you for your help.” He nodded to Dottie and lifted a hand toward Jenny and Corella as he left. He wanted to keep this to himself, for the time being. Not to be secretive, but he felt shy about joining a dating agency when there were several nice ladies in the church. Too, he wasn’t sure how long he would continue to be a member.

  Walking off, Jason did not know that Corella had already called Chief Mason and asked him to check his data base and see if a Jason McBride had an undesirable record. The owners of The Perfect Spouse tried to be very careful as to whom they let in and introduced to other people.

  Chapter Four

  Jason’s clientele grew so rapidly they were all busy Monday through half day Saturday. Jason was grateful for the confidence shown in him by the people in town and in surrounding areas.

  He was so busy that he shoved his joining the dating agency into the back of his mind. He was jolted four days later when Grace called him to say there was a Dottie Fingar on the line, but she didn’t know what she wanted. Jason thanked her and waited until he saw her light go off to start talking to Dottie.

  “Jason, we have a request from a lady to meet you. How soon can you get here to view her video?”

  “This is most unexpected and my office is so busy.” He hesitated. “Maybe I can get there for a few minutes around two. Will that be all right?”

  “Certainly. We’re here for your convenience.”

  Nervous spasms hit Jason’s stomach. Will I like her picture? Will she like me in person? What can we talk about? Should I take flowers this first time? He decided to wait and let nature take its course.

  Jason stayed in the office and let the three go out for lunch. Grace brought him a Ruben, a latte and an apple pie. He ate quickly and donned his overcoat. Walking to the front he told Grace he was going out for a brief time on personal business. He placed a Stetson on his head as he walked out of the door.

  * * * * *

  “Hello, Jason.” Corella greeted him as he came in the door and removed his hat.
“I think Dottie is waiting for you.”

  “Do I have to make a decision now?”

  “No, Jason,” she assured him. “You’ve paid good money to be a member and it’s up to you what you want to do, or how often you want to meet ladies. If you’d rather wait until after your first get together and then decide, that’ll be your privilege.” Dottie walked to them.

  “Let me think about it. Remember I told you how apprehensive I am.”

  Dottie laughed. “I’m familiar with the feeling. You’re not the only one who has been unsure. Put your coat and hat on the rack over there and come with me.”

  He saw a polished copper rack with crooked arms reaching from it. The end of the arms had round copper balls to keep from damaging clothing. He placed his overcoat and hat on the rack and followed Dottie. She took him to the end of the long, open room where two thick books about fourteen inches by ten inches were on a table.

  “The green book has the ladies pictures and the blue book has the gentlemen. Let me see.” She read off a paper in her hand. “Oh, yes. The lady you want to check on is number 4352.”

  She opened the book for him and showed him the picture of a woman, possible in her early thirties. She had strawberry blonde hair, green eyes and a sweet smile. The name under the picture was, Rose, and she stated that she loved the outdoors and music. He read through and then asked to see the video. Out of curiosity he looked for his own picture and smiled to see he was number 4896.

  “May I see her video now?”

  “You certainly may. Come with me to the video room.”

  They walked out into the hall and down two doors where they entered a room with comfortable padded chairs. There was a small table to the right of the door which held water, coffee, sugar, cream and swizzle sticks. There were also a variety of pastries, paper cups and napkins.

  “Jason, if you wish, you may use these little pads and pen to make notes or write questions you might like to ask later. Would you care to get coffee and a Danish first?”

  “No, thank you. I don’t think my stomach would appreciate anything now because I’m nervous about this.”

  She smiled. “Don’t feel badly. You’re just experiencing what the majority of people feel when they start. It is a big step to take and we understand that. All of you are strangers to each other and there has been horrible publicity about other dating agencies. The owners, the Harpers, are extremely careful about whom they allow to participate. You probably were not aware of it, but everyone is checked out by our police chief. If the person has a questionable record, or suspiciously no record at all, that waves a red flag and they are not encouraged to continue.”

  “Really! Was I checked out? Now that was silly. Of course I was.”

  “I’m positive you were. But to ease your mind, the chief hasn’t given any warning about you, so that means you’re A okay. If you attend the party on Saturday week, you’ll meet the owners, staff members and some of the agency members. Not everyone attends.”

  “But it isn’t required to attend.”

  “Oh, no. Please consider it though because you’ll meet new people and have a chance to get acquainted. You may even meet the lady who asked to see your video.”

  “Do we have to tell our names and about ourselves at these parties?”

  “No. We go on first name only unless you wish to tell more.

  “Do the staff personnel ever date the members?”

  “No. It’s against the rules. Now have a seat. Did you get your pen and paper? I have the video and will put it in the machine for you and you may view it as many times as you like. I’ll leave you in here and will return in a few minutes. I hope you enjoy this experience.” She walked quietly out.

  “Hello. My name is Rose. I’m twenty-eight years old and single, meaning I’ve never been married. I’ve been too busy getting an education, working in a bank, caring for elderly, sick parents until their death, and keeping up with a few social obligations. My parents came to Maryland from Hungary in 1927. They proudly became citizens and taught my two older brothers, one older sister, me and one younger brother to take pride in our citizenship and be patriotic Americans.”

  “After they died, I left Maryland and journeyed to Indiana to take some classes at the DeVry University for a Business Degree. I have a Masters in Journalism and have been working for The Blade. I also have sold some news, and my own short stories, and doing freelance work to other papers in other cities. My roommate was from Fayette, so I decided to visit her home, fell in love with the place and people, and have been here for four years.”

  “I’m five-seven and I’m not telling my weight,” she laughed. “Not that I’m overweight, but a girl needs to have a few secrets. As you can see, I’m a strawberry blonde and have hazel-green eyes. My eyes change color according to the color of clothing I’m wearing, although they’re mostly green.”

  “My hobbies are reading, baking, golf, traveling and meeting people. I like people just because they’re people, although I’m sometimes shy or hesitant about meeting new people. I do attend church but haven’t joined one. I dislike too spicy foods, being out in cold weather, people who are often late and loud, rude people.”

  “I would like to meet someone who also likes and accepts people, who is not quick to judge, does not have a temper and likes music. I play a little piano and like to sing, but it’s questionable whether other people like to hear me sing.”

  “I grew up in Maryland in a warm, loving family. My siblings and I keep in touch on a regular basis. My parents expected good behavior, good effort at whatever we were doing, good manners and to accept responsibility for our actions. I hope this tells you enough about me until you want to get better acquainted. Blessings.”

  Jason sighed and looked at the notes he had jotted down. Would he need to see the video a second time? He didn’t think so, but still wasn’t sure what he would do about contacting this lady. She seemed nice and had some of the same likes and dislikes that he had. While he was sitting and thinking, Dottie came back into the room.

  “Do you need to view the video again or do you have any questions?”

  “No, thank you. I think I’ll just go home and ponder what I’ve seen and heard. I’m inclined to wait until the party to make any decisions.”

  “That’s fine, Jason. We start at seven and dismiss at nine. Not everyone stays the full time. Some of our members come from nearby areas and we don’t want to keep them on a winter night. In the spring, when the days are longer, and the time changes, people have a tendency to stay later.”

  “Thank you for helping me. I guess I’ll wait for the party.”

  “That’s your privilege. I’ll see you out. I’m sure there’ll be requests from other ladies to meet you. Why don’t you take the time to look through the book of ladies and see if you’d be interested in asking to meet any of them?”

  He hesitated. “I’d like to do that. They returned to the first room to look through the book out of curiosity. After he had looked through the book, he told everyone goodbye and thanked them for their assistance.

  Jason said nothing to his staff about joining a dating agency. He was a little embarrassed about it and basically was a private person. Not so secretive, just private.

  Chapter Five

  The time passed quickly and the Saturday rolled around for the party. Jason took a shower and laughed at himself for being nervous. He felt as if he was shaking visibly and he was perspiring heavily. He dressed carefully in new jeans in a western cut. The sage-colored turtle neck sweater complimented his eyes and coloring. He drew on white cotton socks and a pair of brown Western boots. He loved those boots.

  He checked his wallet to make sure he had drivers license, insurance cards and some money in the event he wanted to go somewhere after the party. Slipping a watch with a stretchy bank on his left wrist, and a ring that belonged to his grandfather on his finger, he checked himself in a full-length mirror on the back of his bedroom door.

  Taking a deep
breath for courage, he slowly walked out and to a closet in the hall just before entering the living room. He took an overcoat and a Stetson out of the closet and whispered a quiet prayer.

  “Lord, I really don’t know why I’m talking to you. I’ve had to endure so much heartache and cruelty that I’ve, at times, felt that you no longer cared about me. I’ve been taught better by my precious grandparents. They said You never leave us, that it’s we who leave You. I’m trying very hard. If You’re still with me, give me the wisdom to make the right decisions and help me to be the man my grandparents raised me to be.”

  He left the apartment, locking the door behind him. He rode the elevator down to the underground garage and entered his two year old blue Camry. He carefully backed out and started on his journey. At that time of night it didn’t matter where he parked as long as he wasn’t blocking a fire hydrant. He had to sit in the car a few minutes and talk himself into going into The Perfect Spouse when he observed so many cars parked on the street and beside the building in a small lot.

  Slowly climbing out of his car, and touching the button on the remote to lock it, he walked into the building. Bright lights were spilling out on the sidewalk and rousing music could be heard faintly. He opened the door and was hit with music, the cacophony of voices, laughter and the odor of fresh-baked pastries.

  On one of the long tables, near the front, was a thirty-two cup coffee pot, a big pot of hot water and a basket of a variety of tea bags. There was regular sugar, artificial sugar, and cream beside four big trays of a variety of pastries. There were also finger sandwiches and a big bowl of cut fruits.

  Napkins, paper plates, small paper bowls and swizzle sticks were in abundance.

  The room was decorated with Christmas lights, good-smelling greenery and beautiful ornaments. In a corner was an eight feet tree beautifully decorated with gaily wrapped packages on a red velvet skirt under the tree.