Chapter 24 Maria

Maria worked as a secretary in the Nurse Service Agency. We talked. It was such a pleasure to have some young adult companionship, especially female companionship. I wearied of Colin’s cloying cheeriness and ebullience.

Miss Harding and Mrs. Toby were not pleased with my flirting. Miss Harding was in her seventies. She was being paid as a secretary to do the work preciously done by a male with the title, Director, who had been paid accordingly. She had initially been hired as his secretary. When he left, the board took so long finding a replacement they discovered Miss Harding didn’t need a boss. So she became the de facto Director, without the title or the salary. She did not have a lot to say, but she made it clear she did not approve of my getting romantically involved with a Puerto Rican girl. Someone like me should stick to white girls.

Mrs. Toby’s concerns were more sophisticated. Maria was a moody, lonely woman with no particular educational or career goals. She just wanted a man in her life. A minister needed a different kind of woman in his life. I found her moodiness intriguing. Her neediness was attractive. I laughed Mrs. Toby’s concerns. After all Maria and I were just friends.

Maria invited me for a meal at her mother’s place in the Bronx. Her mother was very pleased to meet me. She spoke her slight English to me. I tried my meager Spanish on her. Then she disappeared into the back of the apartment leaving Maria and me to ourselves in the kitchen. I sat on the vinyl covered, cushion-topped chair while Maria set the Formica-topped table. The fried rice had bits of chicken in it. She apologized. I brushed off her concerns and ate it anyway, the first time in my life I knowingly ate meat.

When Mrs. Toby found out Maria had served me meat, she was indignant. Maria knew better. Whatever her own personal habits, she should not have fed a ministerial student meat! What was she thinking?

I didn’t know what she was thinking. I certainly suspected Maria was interested in more than mere friendship, but I was happy for her company. True, she was a bit older than I was, but not by much. I was just happy to have some young adult, especially female, companionship. It was good to escape the Center for an afternoon. But the next time she invited me to her place, I declined.