Free Brooklyn Story by Suzanne Corso

leave it alone.”
    I stared at Richie’s face. Did Janice have the flu or had she fallen down? It was obvious to me that Richie was lying, but I didn’t know why, and it was pretty clear he wasn’t about to tell me. No matter what he said, I’d visit her after Tony brought me home. I turned my attention back to my boyfriend, who made me feel special, like neighborhood royalty. I was the Queen of May as I walked into the restaurant with the coolest guy in Bensonhurst.
    Vin directed us to where Dara was sitting. We joined her and Tony ordered a lemonade for me and a draft beer for himself. I hoped it wouldn’t affect his ability to ride the bike, but I refused to let anything break the spell. I could always walk home if he got too drunk, I reasoned.
    Dara wasn’t in a good mood and said a brusque hello. I was afraid she might do something stupid like Janice told me she did the last time she was crabby. Dara had picked a fight with Vin and ended up sprawled on the floor. She had to limp home that day. I tried to perk her up. “Ya look nice, Dara,” I said. “How’s it goin’?”
    â€œOkay,” Dara said with a blank face as she looked me over. “The ride must have been fun. Too bad your hair got screwed up, though.” I reached up to smooth my windblown mane.
    When the waitress arrived with the drinks, Tony ordered a pizza for the two of us. He hadn’t bothered asking me what I wanted; I would have ordered a plate of baked clams because the establishment near the water was mainly a seafood place and Mom rarely splurged on fish. On the rare occasions whenI ate out with schoolmates, I rarely ordered the hamburgers and fries and Cokes like everyone else did. I’d have salads and salmon and vegetables instead. I had done research on food after reading about proper nutrition in the grown-up magazines I’d peruse in the school library. It confirmed what I’d always suspected about Mom’s Kraft macaroni and cheese, Weaver Chicken, and Rice-A-Roni, which she’d buy when the welfare check came in. Even though it wasn’t my preference, it was still really tasty.
    The pizza arrived and I ate my share of the pie and looked around the family-style restaurant, brightly lit with large tables, as the guys talked. Vincenzio’s was one of the places where Brooklyn Boys took their girls to eat and chat and talk about whoever wasn’t there. I’d been there a couple of times, but never with a guy like Tony. It gave me status to be seen with him and I liked that. His great looks didn’t hurt, either. But those weren’t the main reasons I was into Tony. What turned me on the most was how interested he was in
me.
    I swallowed a bite as the conversation about matters that were foreign to me went on. “It’s all set, then?” Tony asked Vin.
    â€œYeah,” Vin replied, “Tino took care a everythin’.”
    â€œGood,” Tony said. “Weez can make da rounds later.”
    I had no idea what they were referring to and didn’t care. I was looking forward to making my own rounds around town with a new boyfriend, one who excited me. I couldn’t wait to be on his arm everywhere.
    Tony only had one more beer and within an hour we were back on the Harley. I felt like an old pro, except when he popped wheelies again before we sped off. I hoped he wouldn’t do that on my block. I squeezed his midsection as we rode into the wind, inhaling the fresh air and taking in the scenery. We were a unit of two, roaring our way through a world of sensations that rocked my body and mind.
    â€œDidja like it?” Tony asked over his shoulder, his blue eyessparkling, when we stopped at the end of my street. “Sure did, Tony,” I said. I didn’t mention how I had felt about the wheelies. What if he got offended and decided I wasn’t tough enough to be his girl? Then I looked at him with eager anticipation.