TERRY'S ADVICE

Terry made his grave and he had to lie in it. If I am unsympathetic it is because Terry’s meanness surpassed any that I had ever known.
Terry had gotten wind that I had given John a letter and it did not take long for him to use it against me. I was working the coatroom one night and having my usual banter with Lil Sal when Terry enter the club and commented on how close we were. Sal excused himself and I laid into Terry to stay out of my life! Terry reminded me how close we used to be and how he only has my happiness on his mind….”The sooner you are happy and out of this bar, the sooner I get my own shows!” When he put it that way it sounded like Terry. “You have my attention.”I listened to what he had to say.
“John feels terrible about the drift between the two of you. He doesn’t know how to approach you, he’s shy. He wishes you never gave him the letter and just told him how you felt.”
I was leery of Terry’s words, but when John came in that night he actually said hi to me! This was May and he hadn’t spoken to me since New Year’s Eve, maybe it was a misunderstanding? I asked John how he was and he smiled and said he was fine. I started to melt. Feelings I had not felt in months resurfaced. I blurred out that I am sorry I had given him the letter and I should have told him to his face how much I loved and needed him to complete my life, as I said the words I saw his face turn white and realized Terry had gotten me again. “Don’t waste your time on me I would never fall for a coat check queen!” He went into the bar.
I could see Lil Sal coming back to the coat room. I had my shoulder. He was cold and distant. “You will never be over that loser, if I thought for one moment…you lost tonight and you will never realize just how much,” was all he said to me and left. I was puzzled until Hank came up to the front door. “What happened up here? Sal just told me he can’t work the door anymore and had to leave.”
Sal left and I did realize what I lost. My heart was so heavy and ached and there was Terry smiling in his glory sharing a drink with John.
How much more did I have to lose? All I wanted was to give my friends their shows back!
Till tomorrow, be kind!