Crimson & Clover

Larry

The Starlight Club usually had a band playing but not tonight. For New Year's Eve they had one of the hottest, up and coming disk jockey's spinning records; Wolfman Jack. He didn't have his famous full beard yet, only a goatee. I supposed he was still trying to settle into a permanent style. Either way he was fantastic.

"This is Wolfman Jack," he began with his familiar raspy voice that drove the ladies insane. I was probably the only guy in LA who didn't try to copy that man's voice. Like I always told Tom, "Just be yourself, and if that doesn't work, too bad."

"The Wolfman is going to slow things down with this song from a real cutie. Lulu baby, next time your in LA, the Wolfman expects a big kiss." And with that he began to play To Sir, With Love.

I wasn't the kind of guy to have crushes on stars, but Lulu? She had my heart from the first note I'd ever heard her sing way back when she appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. Lulu had something special that drove me insane; I called it an innocent sexiness. She had a round face with big bright eyes and flowing golden blond hair, a stark contrast to the tall, slender, sultry Betty whose waist my arms were around. I could finally relax. Tom and Julie were now completely out of my mind. Lulu's voice had a way of doing that to me. What's wrong with a harmless crush? Now kissing Julie, there was a different quandary on a completely different level. And then a thought entered my head that absolutely ruined the evening. I wonder what Ma is doing tonight. After a thought like that the night was bound to get worse, and it did as it became Betty's turn to be interrupted.

"Beatrice Beverly Ashford," a man said from behind her as he put his hands over her eyes.

"Larry Causewell?' she replied excitedly as she turned around and gave him a big hug.

Once their much too long embrace, at least from Adam's point of view, had ended Larry stood back and looked Betty up and down. "You are as beautiful as ever," he said to her. "Did you get the flowers I sent you on Thanksgiving?"

So this was the now famous Larry, I thought to myself while sizing him up. He was taller than me, thin and sort of handsome, I suppose; being a guy it's always difficult to judge another man's appearance. The long cashmere coat he was wearing showed that he had money as did the gold Cartier wristwatch that he was so careful to reveal as he pulled up his coat sleeve. The smug look on his face said that any money or success he had was solely due to his family. This guy is a jerk I quickly concluded.

"The flowers were beautiful," she replied.

"I'm glad you liked them. It was my way of saying sorry for everything that happened. I was hoping that the flowers would have led to a return phone call but hey, we're here now right?"

Larry took a step back and looked Betty up and down once again. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?"

"I'm Adam," I said as I put out my hand.

"So when are we going to get together?" he asked her while completely ignoring me.

"We should get together for cof....." There was no way I was going to let this pompous ass get away with this so I put my arm around Betty and gently stroked her back with my fingertips; it always sent chills up her spine and this time was no exception. Larry lost that arrogant look on his face for just a moment but it was enough for me.

"Coffee would be great," he continued, and then he pulled five dollars out of his wallet and looked at me. "Here's a fin. Why don't you go over to the bar and buy yourself a drink so that us two old friends can have some alone time. You can keep the change."

"Adam's my date for the evening," Betty said to Larry. "I'm not going to be rude."

What the hell is she doing? I'm much more than her date. I'm her boyfriend!

"Hey buddy," I said to Larry, "the only way I'm taking a fin from you is to shove it down your throat, although that would be some task considering how it's clogged by all that bullshit."

Betty chuckled. At least I could still make her laugh.

"Hey," he said to me, "aren't you the guy the was making out with that brunette before over by the sofa?"

So Larry had been staking us out. His face glowed from the smell of victory as Betty looked at me inquisitively not knowing what to make of his words. She glanced over to Julie who was now sitting at the bar. I hadn't realized that Julie had never left the club.

"He's insane," I said to Betty. "We just talked. You can ask her." I turned to Larry.  "What the hell are you trying to pull?"

"Betty, you deserve better than this loser," he said to her. "You may have entered this place with him but there's still time to leave here with a real man."

"First of all," began Betty, "Adam is a real man and we are seriously involved. Secondly there's no way that Adam would ever fool around behind my back and thirdly you have become an unbelievable jerk."

Larry seemed unfazed by her remarks. "Wait right here and I'll prove it to you."

He walked over to Julie but not wanting Larry to talk with her alone, I pulled Betty with me over to her as well. Larry tapped Julie on the shoulder.

"You are incredibly beautiful," he said to her. "Are you here with anyone or this my lucky night where I get to spend New Year's with the best looking girl in the place?"

"Get lost," she replied.

"Oh I'm sorry," he continued as he pretended to recognize her, "you were the girl in back making out with that guy" he said as he pointed to me. "Let me prove to you that not all men are rotten. Can I buy you a drink?"

Julie looked at me in disgust and paused. That one second pause in her response felt like an eternity as the past few months with Betty flashed before my eyes. "I wouldn't be caught dead lying next to him in a casket so you can safely assume that kissing him would be out of the question." 

I breathed a sigh of relief as Julie did what she had told me she would do. "Who is this idiot?" Julie asked us. She had quite the mouth when she was upset.

"This is Larry," Betty replied "who I think better leave now."

"They're old friends," I added sarcastically.

"They're both lying to you," he said. "I saw them making out, I swear it."
Julie stood up. "I see what's going on here," she said, "you're a jealous weasel who has nothing to offer a girl so he has to put down every guy she's with to make himself look good. Men like you are as low and pathetic as they come. Believe me I'm no fan of Adam but he never had to belittle someone else to make a girl fall for him."

"And you would know, wouldn't you," Larry replied.

The speed and power of Julie's open hand was impressive as she smacked Larry across the face. This time it was my turn to laugh.

"Is this what Tom's going to become?" Julie asked Betty.

The only good thing about this meeting with Larry was that it would my last one, ever.