Hollywood on the Danube

Chapter Ten

Ferihegy 1 appeared smaller and dingier than Billy remembered as Jeremy and he hurried into the international waiting area. Billy looked at the arrival board anxiously, surmising the passengers were going through customs, then took a deep breath, since he was concerned about being late. 

He craned his ahead above the crowd to get a better view, when all of a sudden he saw Jeremy approaching a young guy who'd escaped his attention. It was Des. Fairly tall and gangly was the best way to describe him with redheaded shoulder length hair and a skateboard under his arm. He looked older than twenty-five and had a face that might be termed homely were it not for his engaging grin. He wore a short sleeve flowery shirt that looked almost Hawaiian, over black pants best described as pedal pushers 1950's style, since they were three or four inches above his ankles. 

Considering the amount of luggage Billy brought from LA, he was amused to see, along with the skateboard, Des only carried a duffel bag. Billy wondered how he would manage in the space of a year, never imagining perhaps he was the one who'd packed too much. 

"I'm so glad to finally be here and meet you face to face," Des said pretty lively considering his long trip. But then he'd overnighted in Amsterdam -- which Billy still couldn't figure out -- so Des wasn't as fatigued as Billy when he arrived. Indeed his eyes were almost bug-eyed and he was raring to go. 

There was the typical banter in the cab, with Jeremy filling Des in, telling him about the city and how lucky he was to have missed Mollie. "I hear you," Des said chuckling with his thick kiwi accent. But that's all he said. In spite of Jeremy's description of the girl he despised, giving Billy the impression this was a very careful young man. 

Or maybe not too complex. For example, Des wasn't troubled he would be sharing a flat with Jeremy, though Billy knew it would have grossly bothered him. It's difficult enough to move to a foreign environment, but to shack up with a stranger was something Billy wouldn't accept. People do funny things when they share a living space. Even the best of friends can drive each other crazy. 

On the other hand, perhaps they were the perfect combination. Here was young Des, a happy-go-lucky fellow. Plus Jeremy had his long weekends home and would soon take a three-week family holiday. So there would be lots of time for Des to have the place to himself, not to mention he would probably seek out friends quite a bit younger. 

"Gawd, this is bigger than me mum and dad's place," Des said awestruck. "I'd better not tell them." 

As Des took a look at the hallway, Jeremy said, "Don't get any ideas about using that skateboard in the house. I've been getting on well with the neighbors." 

"Not to worry," Des promised. "Though it's such a long corridor. It sure would save time getting to the kitchen." 

At four o'clock Leslie was standing beside the big McDonald's sign in front of Duna Plaza, a trendy mall with restaurants and a movie multiplex. The sort that, irrespective of culture, seems to bind the world closer, as Billy had seen almost exact clones in Tokyo, Paris, Sydney and Santiago. 

He was fifteen minutes late, but she didn't mention it until he did, and in any event it didn't matter because she was delighted to see him. She kissed him on the cheek, which, though casual, surprised him, because they were still at the point of their relationship where they hardly knew each other. 

As they walked inside the complex, she asked, "What do you want to do?" 

"What do you want to do," he said, reciprocating the courtesy, though hoping this would not result in the sort of conversational loop of indecision made famous by Ernest Borgnine in the film Marty. She shrugged and he smiled, and after a few minutes checking out some of the stores on the ground floor, which for Budapest were overpriced, he looked at her and said, "Want to get a cup of coffee?"