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Reciprocity

Bob Strother

    Colin Kelly sat at the kitchen table looking into Maggie’s tear-stained face. Kneeling in front of her, his wife Frances was busy applying alcohol and iodine to the nasty scrapes on their adult daughter’s knees. Colin’s half-eaten breakfast still rested on the table top, forgotten as soon as he’d received his Maggie’s phone call. That his wife had not cleared the table, or at least kept his food warm for him attested to the anxiety both felt.
    Half an hour earlier, Colin had eased his nearly new ’50 Chevy to the curb in front of the downtown Brown Building and found his daughter sitting outside on the steps, her knees bloodied, weeping into her hands. She’d told him the story between sobs on the way home and was now describing the ordeal to her mother.
    “It was just awful, Momma. The whole thing was just awful.”
    “Everything will be all right, dear,” Frances said. “We’ll get you some new stockings and I can easily mend your dress.”
    Maggie began crying again. “But I’ll never get that job now.”
    “A problem for another day,” Colin said, reaching across and patting her hand. She’s already had enough problems to last a lifetime, Colin thought. Her husband killed in the Korean Conflict just over a year ago, trying to raise a daughter on her own, and then having to move back in with us.
    His daughter had begun the day happily enough, rushing off to catch the downtown bus, eagerly anticipating her job interview with Southern Bell. The bus had been late, though, and when she stepped into the building, the elevator operator was nowhere to be seen. She was in a state of near panic when, five minutes later, the operator came strolling down the marbled hallway with a folded newspaper under his arm.
    “Where on earth have you been?” she cried. “I’m going to be late for my interview!”
    He had looked at her and sneere”ilet sometime.”
    Maggie had been shocked and angered by the man’”ly, she had refused to enter the e” Colin said, reaching across and patting her hand. She’s already had enough problems to last a lifetime, Colin thought. Her husband killed in the Korean Conflict just over a year ago, trying to raise a daughter on her own, and then having to move back in with us.
    His daughter had begun the day happily enough, rushing off to catch the downtown bus, eagerly anticipating her job interview with Southern Bell. The bus had been late, though, and when she stepped into the building, the elevator operator was nowhere to be seen. She was in a state of near panic when, five minutes later, the operator came strolling down the marbled hallway with a folded newspaper under his arm.
    “Where on earth have you been?”rances. “I’m going out for a bit, won’t be too long,”I imagine.”
    She followed him to the door where he removed his coat and hat from the hall tree. “Where are you going?”
    “See a man about”
    Maggie had been shocked and angered by the man’s language—as was Colin when she’d recounted it to him. Naturally, she had refused to enter the elevator with the odious man and had gone in search of the stairs. She was on her way up to the sixth floor when she’d tripped, tearing her stockings, scraping both knees, and ripping the seam in her dress. She had broken down crying, stumbled to the lobby, and called Colin from a nearby pay phone.
    Colin got up from the table and said, “Why don’t you rest for a while, Maggie? Emily will be home from school before long. For being eight years old, she doesn’t miss much.”lin walked in. Probably due to the approaching holidays, he imagined. No one wanted to do any real work this close to Christmas. The elevator was standing open, the operator tilted back in a chair next to the doors reading a paperback western. ”e looked up as Colin came to a halt in front of him.
    “Going up?”
    “No.” Colin buried his”hands deep in the pockets of his overcoat. “I’m not going anywhere.”
    “Then what do you want?””the man said. He was heavyset ”ith a gut that bulged out between the straps of his suspenders, and eyes that were at once wary and insolent.
    “My daughter came in here this morning and you were rude to her, used language ”o man should use with a woman.”
    The man smiled, showing a couple of gold teeth toward the back. “Oh, yeah ... I remember her, a cute little thing. Got all upset ’cause I’d taken a few minutes to drop a deuce down the hall. Sure, ”
    He glanced back at the front door as he climbed into the Chevy. Frances was still there, arms folded across her chest, watching him from the open doorway.
.....
    The lobby was nearly empty when Colin walked in. Probably due to the approaching holidays, he imagined. No one wanted to do any real work this close to Christmas. The elevator was standing open, the operator tilted back in a chair next to the doors reading a paperback western. He looked up as Colin came to a halt in front of him.
    “Going up?”use of you,”my daughter missed out on a job interview. She’s living with us for the time being, trying ”eal hard to find a job and sup”ort her eight-year-old daughter, my granddaughter.”
    The man rocked forward on his chair and rose up to his full height, one sausage-like thumb marking his place in the paperback. “Because of me you say? Hell, Grandpa”—he narrowed hi” eyes and moved a step closer to Colin— “I didn’t do a damn thing.”
    Colin stood his ground and looked into the man’s eyes. His pulse was slowing now, an idea forming in his mind. “So you’re not going to ap”
    Colin felt the old familiar heat rising in his neck, his hands becoming fists in his pockets. He could easily hook one of the chair legs with his foot and send the elevator operator crashing to the marble floor. Probably get in a few good licks before he could regain his feet. But the man had a good fifty pounds on him, maybe twenty years, too. And how could he explain any cuts and bruises to Frances? Not after what she’d said, what he’d promised. He needed to calm himself.
    “Because of you, my daughter missed out on a job interview. She’s living with us for the time being, trying real hard to find a job and support her eight-year-old daughter, my granddaughter.”217;s voice but not the one he was looking for.
    “I’d like to speak to Thomas Connelly, please.”
    “Who’s asking?”
    “My name is Colin Kelly. I’m a” old ... colleague of Thomas’.”
    A brief pause followed, then, “Of course, Mr. Kelly, my father”spoke of you often. Unfortunately, he recently passed away.”
    “I’m sorry,” Colin replied. “I didn’t know.”
    “No reason you should. As I ”nderstand it, you, shall we say, retired a few years before my father. At any rate, Mr. Kelly, perhaps I”can be of help to you.”
     “Well, I ....” Colin hesitated, unsure how to begin, but then continued. ”#8220;I once”did a favor for your father. It was quite a long time ag”, but—”
    “I’m well aware of that favor, sir, and while my father has passed, his concept of reciprocity is still honored here. Now, Mr. Kelly, tell me how can I help you.”
.....
    Colin sat at his kitchen table the following morning, reading the newspaper and finishing up a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. Maggie’s knees ”ere still stained with iodine, but her face was relaxed and happy as she and Emily discussed Christmas plans. Frances seemed relaxed as we”l and squeezed Colin’” shoulder as she poured him another cup of coffee. The night before, he had told”his wife and daughter of the conversation with the elevator operator, and how the man had seemed properly remorseful and offered ” sincere apology.
    On pa”e five of the local section of the paper he”found a brief article reporting an attack on the elevator operator at the Brown Building. According to police accounts, two men brandishing baseball bats had entered the ”uilding just before c”osing and beaten the operator severely enough to require his hospitalization. As of yet, the police had no clues to the attackers’ ident”ties.
    “I’ll take that section of the paper,” Frances said, “once you’re through with it.”
    Colin raised his eyebrows. “I thought you and Maggie w”
.....
    Colin sat at his kitchen table the following morning, reading the newspaper and finishing up a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. Maggie’s knees were still stained with iodine, but her face was relaxed and happy as she and Emily discussed Christmas plans. Frances seemed relaxed as well and squeezed Colin’s shoulder as she poured him another cup of coffee. The night before, he had told his wife and daughter of the conversation with the elevator operator, and how the man had seemed properly remorseful and offered a sincere apology.
    On page five of the local section of the paper he found a brief article reporting an attack on the elevator operator at the Brown Building. According to police accounts, two men brandishing baseball bats had entered the building just before closing and beaten the operator severely enough to require his hospitalization. As of yet, the police had no clues to the attackers’ identities.
    “I’ll take that section of the paper,”he darted through the rows of trees. It was like followi”g an excited puppy, he thought. Finally, she stopped and put both hands to her mouth.
    “Oh, Granddaddy, can we get that one? It’s so beautiful.”
    Colin chuckl”d to himself and waved for the lot propriet”r. “Like I said, honey, it’s your choice.”
.....
    The tree stood in the corner of the living room when Col”n’s wife and dau”hter got home. He and Emily had arranged a felt skirt at the bottom to cover the wooden s”ats holding it upright, but it was”otherwise unadorned.
    “Well, my good”ess,” Frances said as she dropped a number of shopping bags on the sofa. R”0;That’s very ... unusual.”
    “I should say,” offered Maggie, exchanging a glance with her mother. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Christmas tree quite like it.”
    Colin draped his arm over Emily’s shoulder. “It’s a very special tree for a very special girl””
    Emily beamed. “I picked it out.”
    Frances used a hand to cover her smile. “Yes, Emily, I’m sur” you did. And tomorrow we’ll all help decorate it.”
.....
    After Maggie and Emily had fallen asleep in the spare bedroom, Colin and Frances sat together on the sofa sipping glasses of spiced eggnog. Colin was thinking about the twelv”-inch Philco table-top television hidden in the Chevy’s voluminous trunk. He’d wait until Christmas”morning to bring it out unless Emily was unable to keep their secret until then.
    He felt Frances’ hand on his.
    “I want to thank you again for what you did—or, I guess I should say what you didn’t do yesterday morning. I could see you were fuming in”ide. It was a great favor to me and to our family.”
    Colin laced his fingers through hers. “That par” of my life was a lon” time ago. I try not to take matters into my own hands now.”
    “You did the right thing,” she said, looking deep into his eyes an” giving him a shy grin. “And I know it’s been quite a while since we’ve ... well, you know what I mean. But i” you feel like it, I think I’m r”ady to return that favor.”
    “Reciprocity,” he said, his grin matching hers. “I’d like that.”
    As they entered the ”
.....
    After Maggie and Emily had fallen asleep in the spare bedroom, Colin and Frances sat together on the sofa sipping glasses of spiced eggnog. Colin was thinking about the twelve-inch Philco table-top television hidden in the Chevy’s voluminous trunk. He’d wait until Christmas morning to bring it out unless Emily was unable to keep their secret until then.
    He felt Frances’ hand on his.
    “I want to thank you again for what you did—or, I guess I should say what you didn’t do yesterday morning. I could see you were fuming inside. It was a great favor to me and to our family.”
    Colin laced his fingers through hers. “That part of my life was a long time ago. I try not to take matters into my own hands now.”
    “You did the right thing,” she said, looking deep into his eyes and giving him a shy grin. “And I know it’s been quite a while since we’ve ... well, you know what I mean. But if you feel like it, I think I’m ready to return that favor.”
    “Reciprocity,” he said, his grin matching hers. “I’d like that.”
    As they entered the hall leading to their bedroom, Colin turned back and cast one last glance into the living room. “You know, Frances, life is much too short to have never owned a sprayed-pink Christmas tree.”

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