Chapter 8 #5
“Wow.” Frankie didn’t know what else to say, so she said it again.
“Wow. I never had the opportunity to view it without a bunch of heads in the way. Winter was known for the deep rich colors he used. The golden tones, lush greens, and deep reds. I believe it was an Oregon Indian legend that was the inspiration.”
“Well, aren’t you Miss Smarty-Pants?” Randy teased.
“That’s ‘Smarty, Bossy Pants’ to you, buster,” Frankie countered his remark.
“You’ve seen the Crouching Panther in the ladies lounge on the third floor, haven’t you?” he asked.
“Yes! I want that in my apartment!” Frankie exclaimed. “And what were you doing in the ladies lounge, I might ask.”
Randy tsk ed again. “Darling, it’s part of the history of this magnificent building. It’s rather spectacular, isn’t it?” Randy said, and sighed.
“Maybe that’s why they call it the Radio City Christmas Spectacular?” Frankie said, grinning.
“Nothing gets past you, does it,” Randy said with bent elbows, placing his index finger on his cheek.
“Only when you and Rachael get past me,” Frankie nudged him.
“You are never going to let us forget that side trip, are you?” Randy said, and then rolled his eyes.
“You are correct. How many people do you know that went for a spin around Mt. Vesuvius in a Vespa?”
“I’m sure there are plenty,” Randy said defensively.
“And how many of them end up in jail?”
“Detail, details,” he huffed. “Come. Follow me.” Randy sashayed his way toward the main entrance of the theatre. “Ta-da! It is gorgeous, isn’t it?”
“Wow.” Once again Frankie was reduced to a monosyllabic response. Randy went on to give her additional lesser-known facts of the venue.
“The stage is comprised of four elevators, and boy, you gotta be quick and get out of the way when they’re changing scenes.” He then looked up and pointed. “The ceiling is eighty-four feet high.” He stopped to take a breath. “And did you know that thirty-six Rockettes can fit across the stage?”
“Funny. I never counted.”
“There’s also a secret apartment.”
“Have you considered becoming a tour guide?” Frankie asked with a grin.
“Funny-Smarty-Bossy-Pants.” He turned and then asked, “Are you coming to see the show?”
“Are you one of the Rockettes?” Frankie asked with a grin.
“Listen, missy, I can kick as good as the rest of them.”
“I have no doubt,” Frankie replied. “What is your part, exactly?”
“I’m doing a few introductions, a little tap, bow, and thank you.” Randy made an exaggerated curtsy.
Frankie checked her watch. “I have to get going. Need to buy tickets for the matinee on the eighteenth.”
“Come. I know a few people,” he said, and wiggled his eyebrows.
The two went back through the grand lobby, and Randy knocked on the ticket booth door. A round woman with bright pink cheeks opened the door. A pair of glasses on a pearl chain dangled from her neck. “Randy. What do you want now?” she asked, with one hand on her hip.
“This is my friend Frankie. She needs to buy tickets.”
The woman smiled, exited the booth, and clicked the numerical pad lock. “Hello, Frankie. Give me a sec. I don’t want people to start bashing in the window.”
“I can wait,” Frankie was quick to acquiesce.
“How many and for which show?” the woman asked kindly.
“Eight for the eighteenth matinee,” Frankie answered.
“Do you know where you want to sit?”
“My boyfriend’s family is visiting from Italy. I’d like the best seats available, please.”
“Let me have your credit card, and I’ll ring it up for you,” the woman said.
Frankie dug into her purse and handed her card to the woman.
“Quick, Randy. Let’s go shopping,” the woman hooted.
“You won’t get too far with that one,” Frankie said, smiling.
“Don’t believe her,” Randy objected. “She’s a bigshot at Grand Marshall Publishing.”
Frankie twisted her mouth and rolled her eyes. “He exaggerates.”
“Oh, fiddle-lee-dee,” Randy said with his arms akimbo.
“Be back in a jiffy.” She leaned in and said, “Don’t worry, honey, there’s no way I can get out of that booth.
And don’t think I haven’t tried.” The woman went back to the booth, shut the door, and locked it.
A few minutes later, she reappeared with an envelope containing the tickets for the front center row of the mezzanine.
“Don’t faint when you look at the receipt. ” The woman raised her eyebrows.
Frankie calculated the cost would be upwards of 2,000 dollars, and she wasn’t far off.
It was steep, but the memories would live throughout Giovanni’s lifetime.
Giovanni told her he would pay for the tickets, but Frankie decided it was going to be her Christmas present to his family.
But she still wanted to make the memory book for Rosevita, and perhaps another scarf for Lucia.
She’d check her bank account later. For now, she was getting into the Christmas spirit and decided to look at the charge after she got home.
She and Randy linked arms again as Randy walked her toward the door, and out the side entrance. Frankie’s concern over Rachael’s moodiness prompted her to stick her nose in her business. “Randy? Can I ask you something serious?”
“Uh-oh,” Randy said, stopped abruptly, and disengaged his arm from Frankie’s.
“I’d say it’s none of my business, but my friends are my business, including you.”
Randy anticipated a but , so said it before Frankie had the opportunity to do so: “But?”
“But Rachael is feeling rather abandoned this year. I know you and Jordan don’t get a lot of time together, but with Salvatore going to Italy and …”
Randy interrupted with, “And he didn’t discuss it with her. Yes, I got the whole enchilada. With hot sauce.”
“I had a tête-à-tête with her,” Frankie said, and moved out of the way of people bustling along the sidewalk. “I suggested she back off and give Salvatore some space. Play nice.”
Randy snorted. “I love Rachael, but I’m not sure if she knows how to play nice.”
Frankie gave him a backhanded swat on the arm. “She can. When she wants to. My point is, she needs a little TLC right now.”
Randy rolled his eyes. “Ugh. Please don’t try to make me feel guilty. Rachael already had her go at it with me.”
“What I was trying to say is that I think my conversation with her might have struck a chord. A good one,” she said, and paused.
“But?” Randy anticipated another one.
“This may sound mean, but, if her good behavior gets rewarded, perhaps she may continue on a more chill path.”
Randy squinted. “What do you mean?”
“Have the two of you kissed and made up?”
“Not exactly. She’s giving me the cold shoulder,” Randy said, and feigned a shiver.
“All I am saying is to go easy on her. Make a plan. It doesn’t have to be when Jordan is here.”
“But I have eight shows a week between now and Christmas,” Randy whined.
“Invite her to one. Give her a tour. A little kindness can go a long way, especially since she’s feeling a little wounded.”
Randy cocked his head. “You are a genius! We have family day when the cast can bring a guest to a performance. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of that!”
“There’s a reason why we bumped into each other today,” Frankie said, and smiled.
“Speaking of today. Isn’t it your day off?”
“It’s supposed to be, but I started my own tradition watching the FDNY secure the tree.”
“Ah, the cupcake thingy,” Randy said, nodding.
“I thought I’d get a jump on a few things in the office. I want to make a memory book for Giovanni’s mother.”
“That’s so sweet,” Randy said, and sighed. “Sometimes I wish I had kept track of all my meanderings, but then again, it would be an X-rated book!” He snorted.
“You are such a card,” Frankie said, grinning.
“The Queen of Hearts,” Randy said, and batted his eyes.
“And a wit.” Frankie laughed. “I better get moving. I have to place my orders for Thanksgiving. I’m cooking. I figured I’d give Giovanni a break. Marco, Anita, and the kids are going to her parents’ in Westchester.”
“Are they closing the restaurant?” Randy asked.
“They decided to let the sous chef and the staff decide. They settled on a prix fixe menu from noon until three. This way, they could still get home to be with family.”
“That sounds nice,” Randy mused.
“I’m glad the two brothers are managing their time between work and play.”
“And what about you, missy?” Randy said, eyeing her curiously.
“What about me?” Frankie asked innocently.
“Puh-lease, girlfriend. You are a workaholic.” Randy shook his finger at her. “You need to downshift.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Frankie said. “I’m learning. I know it’s about balancing your life. Funny thing, their culture seems to be able to do it better than us, but now that Marco and Giovanni have been ensconced in New York, they’re in overdrive a lot of the time.”
“Running a business in New York can be excruciating, especially the restaurant business.”
“That’s for sure. But I think they’ve developed a good staff and a good rhythm. Ever since Anita had the kids, and they moved to Tenafly, Marco has been doing a much better job with his balancing act.”
“And I am sure you have been a big influence on Giovanni.”
“We’re working on it. We’re both a bit obsessive.”
“That’s an understatement,” Randy said, and laughed out loud.
“Okay, Mr. Wise Guy. You need to get to work, and I need to work on one of my many lists,” Frankie said, smiling.
“See? You always have a list,” Randy scolded her.
“Blah. Blah. Blah,” Frankie said, and then stuck out her tongue. “Okay, champ. You have your marching orders! We’ll chat soon!” Frankie gave Randy a big hug.
“Tootles!” Randy said, and hugged her back.
Frankie decided to walk back to Rock Center and then stroll down Fifth Avenue. As she entered the promenade area, she peered over the marble walls that surrounded the famous ice-skating rink. That, too, was in the process of being adorned in holiday décor.
Located on the lower level of the center, the gilded bronze statue of Prometheus glistened in the sunlight, overseeing the rink below.
Frankie recalled one of her art history classes where she learned the great statue was created by the sculptor Paul Manship and was installed during the Great Depression.
The heroic Greek figure represented the advancement of knowledge and human resilience.
As she made her way toward the promenade between the rink and the avenue, she noticed two women dressed in the traditional Salvation Army uniforms standing on the promenade.
Frankie recognized them from the year before, and the year before that.
She wondered if everyone had a permanent spot from one Christmas to the next.
She decided she would ask them when she went back to work on Monday.
Meanwhile, she was on her way to Albanese Meats & Poultry to order her turkey.
She insisted that she do all the planning, ordering, and cooking so Giovanni could focus on the restaurant.
It was her turn to nourish the people she loved.