Rude Boy USA Read online

  After John had checked in, he was seated at a table set aside just for Chimera’s arrival. The bunnies added his name to the members-in-attendance wall for the very first time. The wall had each member’s name or company engraved on a sliding card, prominently displayed so everyone could view who was in the crowd for the evening. All of the bunnies’ colorful suits overwhelmed him, and immediately his spirits rose. The club was buzzing that night, as they had a special musical guest. Tom Jones, a tall, handsome, and young Welsh crooner was at the club, and he agreed to sing one song with his band. The bunnies were excited to see and meet Tom Jones, as many of them were new fans of his. As Hugh Hefner took the stage to announce Tom’s performance, the crowd became excited, and the Bunnies and patrons hit the floor to dance. Tom’s band started playing the music and singing “Chills and Fever,” to the delight of the crowd of bunnies and patrons doing the twist, watusi, and boogaloo.

  Instead of getting up, John decided to sit back and enjoy his drink and take in the excitement as he would if he were at his old spot. The Playboy Club was just a short distance away from Clarke’s. As Tom Jones crooned, he noticed the face of one of the bunnies that were dancing provocatively with other bunnies on the dance floor. John could not take his eyes off her; as the only brown bunny there that night, she stood out. With his immaculate facial recognition, he remembered her after only a few seconds. The mystery bunny with the lovely face was the same woman who had saved his life on the street just two months before. “Well, I’ll be damned; it’s her,” He smirked his signature expression, in which one side of his smile went up higher than the other. He had used that same smirk when he first saw her, and it returned as he lit up like a lightbulb. His eyes scanned every curve of her body as she danced and shook her ample chest and fluffy tail. For the first time, his heart skipped a beat. He watched her as the song ended and the crowd offered a thunderous applause. She went back over to the bar to pick up drink orders, including his.

  When Celia made it to John’s table, she greeted him as she would any other keyholder—professionally. She did not recognize him, as his face had mostly healed from his injuries and it was no longer covered in blood. She did make a mental note of how tall and handsome he was. Celia had always had a thing for tall, athletic, full-lipped, tan-colored men. John looked at her with a grin that turned up at the left corner of his mouth. She found him sexy and gorgeous. He could be one of the New York Knicks, she thought. She couldn’t show him her thoughts. She had to remain professional.

  “You’re a bunny,” he said to her. Celia made note of his accent, which had a drawl to it.

  “Yes. What gave it away?” she asked in a sweet but “OK, Captain Obvious” way.

  “So you work here, and you save lives. That’s impressive,” John told her.

  Celia did not immediately recognize what he was saying. “Well, yes, I guess you can say that we bring life to people while they are here.” John continued smirking and stood up to extend his hand to kiss hers and formally introduce himself. He towered over her, all six feet two inches of him. Celia only stood about five feet five inches in midsize heels. She was a petite but shapely woman. Celia reluctantly extended her hand to him, as touching keyholders were restricted; she hoped that no one noticed the exchange.

  “I’m sorry if I seem apprehensive. It’s just that it’s against the rules to physically touch keyholders. I don’t want to get in trouble, and someone is always watching,” Celia told John. He understood.

  He told her, “I just wanted to extend my gratitude and say thank you for saving my life in the street a while ago.” Celia stood there in shock, as she didn’t realize that the man at the table was the same guy from the street.

  “My goodness, you’re OK, and you look different,” she told him. “I’m happy that you’re OK, and you look well.”

  “Can we go somewhere and talk?” he asked her.

  “I can’t. I’m on duty, and you are a keyholder, and if I’m caught, I can get fired. I can’t afford to do that.”

  “I understand,” John told her. “How about a round of pool?” he asked while pointing over to an empty pool table.

  “OK, that’s safe,” she told him. Bunnies did not physically touch keyholders but were allowed routine activities such as dancing (with distance) and playing pool.

  “My name is John, and yours?” he said.

  “I’m Bunny Celia,” she replied as she pointed to her ribbon lapel pinned to the upper thigh on her uniform. They went over to play a couple of rounds of pool. John was determined to get to know her better, as he found her innocence exquisite. This situation differed from any other pickup he had with various women, as the circumstances this time were extraordinary. This woman had a naive innocence he was not accustomed to. He felt that encounters like these happened for a reason. He was incredibly sexually attracted to her, but he also loved her spunk and discipline, a quality he had been trained to look for when recruiting for Chimera. After some small talk and a couple of games of pool, during which some others watched them play, they ended their encounter, and she soon returned to the bar to continue serving the other guests.

  John took a pen, wrote on the napkin under his drink, and flirtatiously made her promise to call him. He told her that he would patiently wait for her call. He scribbled on the napkin, “You make me smile.—John L.” Below that, he wrote his number. She picked up the big, empty wineglass, folded the napkin, and placed it in her bustier. Celia, for the first time, while working at the club, was tempted to break the rules. A man like that did not come along too often.

  Chapter 3

  Feeling good about himself, John returned to full work at Chimera. He had a new zest in his step while out on the field. He did not seem as aggressive. Like clockwork, John left the marital home again to go back to his apartment. He told Edina that he needed space for the time being. A blowout between the two usually preceded such revelations. He paid the door attendants at the building to keep a watchful eye and make sure that Edina did not show up uninvited. He considered it his only sanctuary, his man cave, and the one place he could call his own without having to share.

  Seeing Celia in the club gave him a spark. For the first time in his life, he had a real crush on a woman. They went on several dates and spent time at his apartment. Celia agreed to meet up with him, but only on the condition that he would keep the meetings discreet. If other bunnies or her shift manager caught her, she could be in a lot of trouble at work. She kept stressing this point. She felt that the risk was worth it, as she was also developing a crush on John. John was breaking his non-attachment rules when it came to Celia. He was different from the rest. Although he was attracted to her, for a number of reasons he did not want to rush into bed with her. Celia and John went out on dates that were either on the outskirts of the city or in the suburbs to keep their relationship quiet. He knew that Celia wanted to see some Broadway shows, and they did watch a couple of them to her delight. They saw the play The Boys in the Band because Celia thought it was music related. She appreciated the consideration and care that John paid to her situation. These were qualities that Celia wanted in a man, right along with him being incredibly handsome looking.

  The two never had full intercourse while they dated, which was a rarity for John. He was still healing from the attack and did not feel confident in his stamina. He did not want his back or ribs to give out in the middle of the act, as his sexual interactions were a source of pride for him. He wanted to heal fully first, which meant John had to use that time actually to get to know her. This was something he had never considered before, not even with his wife of ten years. His penis needed a time-out, as it had been overworked in the last year, and he did not want to risk embarrassment from a poor performance. When Celia visited his apartment, she observed some of the photographic work he had on the walls. When he was bored, he took photos of landmarks, nature, and sites around the city. He used his walls as his personal art gallery. When Celia came over, he pulled out his camer
a and had her pose for photos. He looked at her as his muse and told her that she inspired him. He converted a spare bedroom into a darkroom to develop his pictures.

  John also had a mini wine rack, in which he kept his most expensive wines. He rarely touched that stand except when he felt truly frustrated and needed to reward himself. The wine rack also attached to an elaborate floor console radio and a record player that he’d had custom built. It was about seven feet wide, and he’d had to install it in pieces. The speakers lit up like equalizers as the music played. He used it to entertain guests, mostly women when they visited. He had an impressive record collection. He would pick songs that set the mood, and when Celia visited, it was no different.

  “You are very talented. I would have never guessed. You don’t meet a lot of business guys who are good at creating art. They just buy theirs instead. The ones who are cultured are ones you meet at the museums,” Celia said to John while browsing his walls.

  “Been doing this since I was a kid. I like it,” John responded.

  “Ever thought of selling any of these pieces?” she asked.

  “No. Well, unless I have to. It classes up the place.”

  “And your taste in music…that’s also surprising,” she said as she listened to the Jamaican jazz record John put on his system.

  “I got it like that. Sit,” he responded while directing his hand toward his sofa. Celia and John sat on the couch in front of his television to watch Bonanza, but they did not look at the show. The sound in the background served as mood music. They talked, which was something they ended up doing a lot.

  “I play the piano,” Celia told him. “My mother played in the church, and I watched her. I looked at her fingers as she played, associated the keys with the sound, and was able to remember it that way. Then she started teaching me the basics. I thought it was just nice to know an instrument because I thought it made me stand out from the other kids.”

  “Do you still play?” he asked.

  “Yes, but on occasion. They have a piano at the club, and on off hours, when it isn’t open, I take requests from the girls and play a few songs. It’s my way of practicing free. I can say that I am pretty good at it, but I don’t brag. I submitted a tape for admission to Juilliard. I’m hoping to get in. Rose, my roommate, also sent in her tape, but she plays something different, the violin. The problem is that I can’t pay for it. It’s expensive,” she said. “Too much of my money is divided into other places. When I can save enough, I will get me one of those new portable piano players so that I can practice at home.”

  “Will you play for me one day?” John asked.

  “I will, I promise,” she said.

  “The money thing, I understand you on that. I have that problem too,” he added.

  “I want to be the first black female classical pianist headliner at the new Lincoln Center. That would be big,” she added.

  “Oh, I get that. I wish you luck,” John responded. “Lemme ask you this. Why on earth is a lady like you still single?” he asked her.

  “Guys flirt, but I don’t respond to them. Most of them are jerks,” she said.

  “Yeah, a lot of us are.” John grinned. “You have never met anyone that you even considered going out with?”

  “No,” she said. “Well, there was this one guy, a doctor who goes to the club a lot. I don’t like him, but he sent me a dozen long-stem roses. I didn’t want him to think he had a real chance with me, so I told them to send those roses right back to him.”

  “Oh, damn, that’s brutal,” he said. “That’s it?”

  “Because I work all the time. It’s hard to meet people when you have to work all the time. I work at a place that I can’t even touch the clientele, not even small talk,” she said.

  “But you are touching me.”

  “Well, OK, you got a point. This is different. I didn’t meet you in the club. I met you on the street,” she responded flirtatiously. “I don’t pick up street people, so don’t get that idea from me. I like helping others,” she added.

  John grinned. “I’m your first street person.”

  Celia inquired about why someone was beating him up in the street. He gave her the same explanation he had given his wife, saying that he had been robbed. He told her that the police caught the man and that everything was taken care of, much to Celia’s relief.

  “I’m gonna say, I remember you clearly from that night, but man, I saw you in the club and thought you were the finest thing I’ve ever seen,” he told her. “That costume looks beautiful on you. Everybody had the same thing, but you stood out. Can I call you Bunny? You don’t mind if I call you Bunny?” Celia asked him why he did not want to call her by her real name. He told her that he liked the endearment. It was the first thing he thought of when he saw her. It made him feel good on the inside. He assured her that he meant no disrespect when he said it.

  “That’s the sweetest thing. Thank you, and yes, you can call me Bunny. I see you like that,” she replied. Celia thought the name was cute. It stuck, so she accepted it, and he called her Bunny from then on. “Now my turn,” she said.

  “Uh-oh,” he replied, anticipating something he was not quite ready for.

  “Now, why are you by yourself? Why hasn’t a lady tied you down by now?” she asked.

  John paused. The silence was on the verge of becoming awkward, but he started talking. “It’s complicated. There are a lot of things going on that I can’t even explain myself. I don’t know why I am even in this situation or how I got here in the first place. I know where I want to go now.” John quickly changed the subject and kissed her.

  “I have to go to work in the morning, so I can’t stay here all night,” Bunny told him.

  “Why not? I’ll make sure you get there,” he responded.

  “I can’t. But you can dream of me,” she told him.

  “You mean that?” he asked.

  “I do,” Bunny answered. She got up and dialed a taxi. They both went down to the lobby of his building. When the taxi arrived, she went to give him a peck. “If you do dream of me, remember, I like it rough,” she said as she sashayed to the door. She got in the cab, and it drove off. John stood there and stared at her, feeling an intoxicating tactile euphoria in his whole body. His eyes lit up, and the corner of his mouth turned up again. The surprise of little, innocent Bunny having a dirty mouth gave him dirty thoughts.

  The next day, John went on about his routine activities in anticipation of his daily phone call from Bunny, among other things. He knew that if she did not call him, he would have the opportunity to see her again at the club, so he never worried. John thanked Bernie for the key to the club. He raved about the atmosphere and recommended highly that the rest of the guys go and visit as soon as possible. Bernie seemed pleased that John had enjoyed the experience, as he had hoped it would boost his spirits. A successful leader was a leader who brought in lots of money. John finished the day at work seemingly pleased with his productivity. When he went back to his apartment for the night, he retired in front of the television. The phone often rang. Most times, on the other line, was Bunny, much to John’s delight.

  When John felt comfortable enough to start talking, he told Jerome and Ben about the new club and informed them that they now had keys to it. He mentioned that one of the women who worked at the club was the hero who had saved him on the street. He said they had to see her, as she was a beautiful woman. Jerome had never heard John rave on about an encounter with a female, as they both had rules about attachment, especially John, being a married man. The other two guys kept his indiscretions a secret and did not ever rat him out because many men at that time had side encounters with women. Once Jerome and Ben learned about their new status at the club, they were excited to see the girls. Bernie and the crew decided to take their brand-new membership keys for a spin at the Playboy Club as a company and check out the atmosphere that John raved about so much. They were curious about the fuss, and they wanted to get a glimpse of this new gir
l that John praised.

  Once they arrived at the club and were seated by the hostess, good music, good drinks, and beautiful women, were happening. John spotted Bunny and discreetly pointed her out to the other three guys. She was once again in the middle of brushing off Dr. Smith’s advances. She broke away and walked over to take drink orders from the guys at Chimera’s table. When she came over, John introduced her. Jerome immediately recognized her and exclaimed, “Ce Ce!” Bunny returned the greeting, much to John’s confusion.

  “You know each other?” John asked in a nervous tone.

  “Yeah, this is Ce Ce, my cousin. I didn’t know she worked here,” Jerome answered as he looked at her. Bunny looked like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

  “So you guys are related. That’s cool,” John replied in a relaxed tone.

  “Her mother is my aunt,” Jerome said. He went on to introduce her to Ben and Bernie, and they greeted her.

  “Small world, isn’t it?” Ben said as he picked up his water and drank some of it. “You are beautiful looking,” Ben added, but he did not think much else about it. His eyes focused on the blondes in the room. Bunny went on to take their drink orders before going over to the bar to have them made and picked up. Dr. Smith looked at her as she went but did not say a word to her.

  “Hey, man, we need to talk,” Jerome told John as they sat at the booth. John did not know for sure what this was about, but he presumed that it was about Bunny and agreed to speak to him. They both went outside to talk. Although Jerome knew of John’s extramarital affairs and was nonchalant about them, that instantly changed when he learned that John was dating his little cousin. All of a sudden, this activity was unacceptable to him. “Did you ever tell her that you were married? I mean, I’ve known her since she was little and just can’t see her agreeing to that. She is a respectable young lady, even if she works here,” he told John.