Mel (not you Melanie M, the other Mel!) and Mary were two friends I knew back through the '90s. Unfortunately, due to one misunderstanding and the usual drift in people's lives, I haven't seen either one in decades. Mary and I pissed one another off over what I can't remember now and Mel and I just wandered from one another.
Mel and Mary were friends for the same reason everyone else becomes friends, common views, qualities and each can fill in the other's missing parts. You ever see two people come together and the sum of those two parts is greater than supposed whole? With Mel and Mary, it was the opposite. Those two would come together and degraded till the sum of their particular parts went negative.
Mel, managed in certain people, to have them revert to a younger more immature self. It was what made Mel happy, to return to a time when she was childish and w/o any responsibilities. She was probably the first Peter Pan Girl I ever met, who vowed 'never to grow up.' She managed to get away with it (for a while) as her personality was vivacious, upbeat and quite energetic. Also, like people will do, they allowed her to be that way. We all make concessions to other's personalities as long as the cost isn't too great. We accommodate another's peccadilloes as a manner of course.
Mary 'n' Mel could act like they were 12 year girls at times. The whispering, gossip, giggling, attraction to things that were silly. When I used to drive a convertible, the two of them decided to crawl into the backseat and cover themselves with a blanket I had there, as we were flying down Post Road. At the Airport road redlight, the other drivers shot looks at me, the two hidden girls and then wondered...what I don't know. Mary, was married with a kid and from what I saw, enjoyed the time with Mel as a brief vacation, otherwise, Mary was as dead serious as cancer at times when it came to life at times. But around Mel...she was a different woman then.
I've said it before, I tend(ed) to live life close to the vest as I have seen how it all can go haywire, so keep your shit wired tight. However, show me a girl who didn't live like that, who did run into the street w/o looking, who chased fun at the drop of a hat, and I was immediately attracted. Those women I refereed to as roller coaster rides, not that they were malicious about it or some hidden drug problems in their lives, but addicted to fun and adrenaline rushes.
Mel mainlined adrenaline...and I liked that!
**
Mary,
Mel and I were tooling around downtown Providence one Saturday night.
We were just ambling around on a summer night, seeing what may be
there. We ended up at Waterplace Park at a small event in that
amphitheater. The girls were dressed in 90's girl fashion and I? I was
dressed a bit cheap. I wore white jeans, top siders with a tasteful
(sort of) Hawaiian shirt. I kinda looked like this guy pictured just below. Yes, it was
slightly tacky and vulgar but it gets you attention and I could be a
hog for that if I was in the mood. It's a major reason why I tell
stories so much, you're focused on me! Yes, I am quite aware of myself at times!
The event was chamber music and the crowd attending it were polite, quiet and behaved. We three never climbed into the seats but instead leaned against a security fence in center/front of everyone there and for a bit, watched the musicians saw on their violins and cellos. Of course, the two girls have to start goofing around with one another and I got in between them, wrapping my arms around their shoulders and we started this slow mamba dance to the music. Mary didn't excite me at all but Mel sure did. She knew damn well I liked her and she ground that feline body into mine as we slowly gyrated to the music.
I think we were the only ones there making any noise and it wasn't that loud to begin with.
I then, for some reason, turned around to look at the people sitting in the amphitheater and I noticed half the crowd was looking at us. The closest person gawking at us, about 10 feet away, was Jim Tarricani of New Watch 10. When our eyes met, I could see what his face said. He was disgusted with us..with me. We three were ruining this noble, staid event by my/we acting like a pimp with two harlots on my arms. Jim and I stared at one another for, oh I say, longer than one should because it started to make me uncomfortable. I know disapproval in someone's face when I see it and Tarricani's face said I was an ignorant, uncultured pig. Well, it depends on the setting doesn't it?
I turn to the two girls and tell them it was probably time to leave as we weren't making too many friends there. Mel, who asked why, then said “Oh Fuck them!” a bit too loudly after I told her the reason. With a little push on my arms, I guided we three right back out of the venue. I was sort of surprised with Tarricani's gaze following us out until we passed the support walls till it blocked his view.
Perhaps, just perhaps, Tarricani's front row, center seat was special? Perhaps there were other luminaries from the State and media in the other seats close by? Whatever that event was, there was no security at all. But how many goons do you need to control the gates at a chamber music concert? I would say...none. Leave the door open and we'll come in.
