Chapter One – Part Three
We’re back again! This might be the most boring part of the chapter. This is when I went off to Italy and ended up staying for four years. All the while Giuseppe and Mutual Friend were back in the States and visiting me from time to time. Again, the reason I left was to get my life together and figure out what I wanted to do in life. The guys had the same idea. Well, after the initial discussion, it was three months after that before I left. I told my mom and stepdad, that I was leaving, which wasn’t a surprise, because by this time I had traveled all over the place, mostly by myself, sometimes with a friend. They didn’t know I would stay so long and do something so life changing. It was then that the guys both told me how they felt about me. Not at the same time. Giuseppe took me aside and said he would miss me and was hoping we could at least try to be more than friends. Mutual friend was like we could have fun, but he would do everything to take care of me. I told them no, we’re were friends and they needed to respect that or nothing at all. They settled for the friendship. Anywho, I left and arrived in Italy and met up with a friend that I house sat for when I visited in the past. This time we hung out. He was an older man, very nice and had several businesses overseas and across Europe. This time he was staying in Italy, so we had time to catch up. We went to the Opera and dinner. I love classical music and opera. Grew up on it from my mother and stepfather. So we went to see Madame Butterfly. For some reason I was really caught up in the signing. Not so much what they were singing but HOW. I asked myself if I could possibly sing like that. I talked to my friend at dinner and he said he knew a man that sang opera and was a voice teacher. He would set up an appointment to meet him. In the meantime, back in the States, Giuseppe and Mutual Friend were getting their own lives together. They both knew computers and programming. Back then it was still new, and coding was starting to be the big thing. But they wanted to do something more than programming a computer. When I talked to them from Italy, I told them about an Advertising agency I use to work from as a contract worker. They really liked me there and wanted to hire me, but I knew I never wanted to work for somebody else. I told them to talk to a certain person there and tell them I recommended them. They did. The company was in a bind, they needed some people to help in special effects for a commercial they were doing. The guys were familiar with the program, so they hired them. Back in Italy, I meet with the man that would become, my teacher, mentor, lover. It wasn’t a good first impression. We hated each other from the start. Me, a spoiled, upper-middle classed, felt entitled, African-American woman, and him and egotistical, Russian singer. He was a very regal handsome man. He was fifty-five. I was in my was going on my mid- twenties. He didn’t think I was going to be serious about taking lessons. I told him watch and see. So the challenge was on. Now this is where this part of the story ends. If you want to know about the turbulent love-hate relationship I had with this teacher, that’s another day and another blog. But for three and half years we were lovers, and it wasn’t a love match. But there was method in his madness. But like I said, that is another story. Anyway, during that time Giuseppe and Mutual Friend would call or fly to see me. It was then Giuseppe was really putting the moves on me. We were having dinner. Mutual Friend was visiting family. Giuseppe said he was jealous about the teacher, and wished I never came here. But then he felt selfish for thinking that, especially since he started hearing me sing and saw how happy I was with my progress. But he wasn’t shy about telling me as soon as I came back home, he was going to make some changes in our relationship, because he knew the real deal between me and the singer, and that the relationship would end as soon as my lessons did. I told him our relationship might end, but that didn’t mean we were going to get together. I still thought of him as my good friend, and now with Mutual friend eyeing me too, that would be awkward. Giuseppe said there is always a way around that. So as the months went on. The three of us did get closer—as friends. We talked once a week and every six months they came to see me. My last year in Italy was went I went to Japan to sing. My mom, stepdad and the guys all came to see me. That was one of the happiest moments in my life. Was I a professional singer? No. Did I want to be a professional singer? No. Not because of the practice. I still do that every day, keeping my voice in shape. It’s the schedule one has to keep when performing. Man is that grueling! I mean I love traveling, but not that way! My teacher said he would always be there for me if I changed my mind and would be more than happy to sponsor me. My voice hadn’t hit its peak yet and wouldn’t until I reached the age of forty plus due to hormonal changes for a woman. But I was a Mezzo-soprano and pound of it. I left Italy after four interesting years and returned to the States—a changed woman. I also knew what I wanted in a man thanks to my teacher. I fell in love with him, which I shouldn’t have. But the next three years between Giuseppe and Mutual Friend were going to be rocky, tested and somewhat funny. The guys however did great at the Ad agency. In fact, they did so well, that they left and started their own business. They wanted me to be a partner. I knew nothing about that end of advertising, the technical part, but they wanted me there for moral support and any odd jobs they had I was welcome to help. So I was in, at the same time I was still working as a temp. I found my niche in Hospital work, so I started being a contract worker at UCLA Medical, at the same time helping the guys. A couple of years passed. Again, we three went through the normal things of life. Ups and downs mainly in the guys business. But finally, they got their big break, doing a commercial for the Super Bowl, it paid damn good! It was around this time, that I started fiddling with the idea of writing. Also, my stepdad needed help in exporting some left-over Persian tapestries he had from the days that he was an exporter. That gave me an idea too. It was around this time that Giuseppe decided he would make his most aggressive move. But someone else popped into the picture that was going to put the brakes on that. And that’s where we will leave it until next time
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Okay folks, welcome back!
Let’s pick up where we left off, but before we do, just a little back story in the back story. LOL Right before Mutual Friend made his appearance, a lot happened to me and Giuseppe in the three years that we were growing our friendship. Good and bad. First off, I got my Masters in History. My grandfather passed a day after my birthday. I bought some cattle off our own ranch in Dallas, so I could raise my own heard, (still have it has grown quite a bit) Giuseppe’s uncle in Sicily that was a politician that fought against the mafia was found dead in a river—just his torso. Come to find out, Giuseppe’s own cousin ran with the people that did, sought revenge and know he’s in hiding. Giuseppe became an uncle four times over (remember he has 17 brothers and sisters). That being said, Giuseppe got a call from Mutual Friend that he was coming to the States on holiday. He was happy, telling me that they were friends since the age of 13-14. He was like a brother to him (like he didn’t have enough. LOL). Told me he wrote about us, and what a great friend I’ve become. So we met him at the airport. MIND-BLOWN! Mutual Friend is tall, dark, handsome and dangerous looking. Wild black wavy hair, grayish eyes. permanent five o’clock shadow. He looks rough. Meaning, he looks like the cat that will slice someone in the middle of the street and dare you to say something and keep it moving. Now Mutual Friend is from Southern Italy. Giuseppe is from Sicily. They make it a point to tell you that one is actually Italian, and the other is Sicilian. Whatever. LOL They both are Italian to me, but I get it. When Mutual Friend shook my hand and bent over to kiss me on both cheeks, not going to lie, I was feeling a little something. But I’m like to myself, “Not cool, this is your friends’ best friend.” So after his arrival, we started hanging out. Mutual Friend is fun and funny, in just that short time, people started calling us the three Musketeers. The one thing both Mutual Friend and Giuseppe love to do is pranks calls. Still do it to this day! The one call I remember so clearly, because I was working at the store at the time and I over heard the call, was Mutual Friend was asking for a pair of pants, one leg was suede and the other leather. The butt part was corduroy, and the pockets closed like a Ziplock bag. Now I’m standing there and the clerk that took the call is repeating most of this, and I’m saying to myself, “Those fools!” Because at this point, I knew them all to well. He kept asking, had nerve to say, he saw them the other day and they were on sale. Could you hold them. My poor co-worker was getting caught up in his BS, asked the manager if we had these pants because he was so adamant. Came back to the phone, (mind you, Mutual friend is still hanging on!) told him they didn’t and never did have such pants. Mutual friend told them he was going across the street to the other store and get them because he just found out they were 50% off. And hung up. It’s not over people. My co-work went to the store across on her lunch break to find out if these pants existed. When I got home, (because I couldn’t call, this was pre-cellphone days LOL), I called them and told them what happened, and they fell out laughing. Okay, I have to admit, I had a hard time holding it in while my co-worker was on the phone. Now, one day, Mutual Friend took me aside and asked if I was dating Giuseppe. I told him no, that we are good friends now. He’s like yeah, I remember him writing me about that, and what is with women that always wants to be friend with guys, we don’t like that. Then he said, but I’m not your friend, how about going out with me a few times before my vacation is over. I told him, I couldn’t date my friends’ friend, that’s just weird. He’s like “You’re a good girl, huh? Whatever. Didn’t tell Giuseppe, but he knew, because he came to me. He said I was acting kind of standoffish, and he said: “he came on to you.” More of a statement of fact. He said he was cool with it (he wasn’t), besides he was leaving for home anyway. Fast forward, the month is at an end and Mutual Friend is on his way back home. We had dinner and I broke the news that I wanted to go back to Italy. Now for those that don’t know, I traveled A LOT when I was younger. Been to Italy 12 times before I even met Giuseppe. The guys looked at me like I was crazy. I told them the reason I was going was because I needed to sort out my life. My grandfather died, first death in the family I knew of. I got my Masters, but I was still working in a department store. I didn’t want to be a cowgirl working on the ranch back in Dallas. I just needed time. The same time I broke that news, Mutual Friend had some news of his own. He wanted to stay a year in the States. He had some money saved and he missed Giuseppe, and he was hoping to add a new friend (me). Well, this needed some serious sorting out. And that’s for next week It’s six months since Giuseppe and I met. My relationship with the person I was dating is over. Not because of anything bad, just the opposite. He wanted me to move with him to New York. I was still young and not ready for such a commitment. I was 23 he was 45. He wanted to settle down.
Scared the crap out of me. LOL. So we parted. Meantime life still goes on. The Renaissance Fair was coming up. Those that live in Los Angeles know about this, it happens in the Spring. Anyway, I wanted to go, but all my friends were busy. One day while cleaning out my purse, Giuseppe’s card with this number was still there, tucked away in my wallet. I decided to call. He was down for it. We met to go rent the consumes. He was a Lord and I was his Wench. LOL We had a great time. I found out a lot about him. He had only been in this country a few years, but had great command of the English language and slang. His accent was thick (still is, LOL). He was a natural body builder and was thinking about competing. He had 17 siblings, a direct product of Palermo Sicily. His father owned a fishing company. But more interesting than that, During WWII, he came to the States and ran with mobsters. He was an errand boy for Lucky Luciano. Didn’t believe that at first until way later I saw a picture of him with Lucky at a bar. Needless to say we became fast friends. He became the only person I could be total open and honest with. I don’t know how that happened, but he always made me feel comfortable in my own skin, and he was open too. He was never judgmental. We talked about everything. Politics, travel, religion, sex, music, especially opera and classical music. I loved it and he could sing. You name it, we could easily talk about it. He had a sense of humor and he got my sarcasm. That’s a real plus in my book! So we really started hanging out. I introduced him to my friends, and he introduced me to his—but not all of them. Late on that. People were asking me if we were actually dating, because it was impossible for me to be friends with an Italian that looked like that. Giuseppe was my friend and I introduced him as such. In fact, we dated other people while in this friendship. And when we were dating, we never hung out together, unless it was a double date. The one thing Giuseppe brought to the table for me, was to be honest with the men I was dating. In other words, tell them what I wanted. If I liked being spoiled let them know. If I liked making love with the lights on, tell them. He was very open. Most Europeans are. And since I traveled a lot, the things he would suggest never shocked me, and this is what he loved about me. The first two years of our friendship was a learning curve. It wasn’t all Unicorns and fairies. We had our fights and not speaking, but always made up. There was one thing however, I could not break him from however. He was used to this in Italy and in Europe in general…. Sunbathing nude! He would be on my balcony when I lived in a condo, or in my backyard when I lived in a duplex. I’m like telling him it’s illegal to be publicly naked. He would come back with, “You Americans are hung up on the naked body, it’s just how we were born, we threw clothes on because of shame.” I would come back with: “This maybe true, but it’s still against the law to be naked in public! Besides, cute pudgy babies running around in their birthday suite is one thing, a grown man, especially one that looks like you is another.” He would trap me like this, because then he would say, “So you like what you see?” "Well, yeah!" “Why don’t you sunbathe with me. And here, rub this sunscreen on me.” He would always do things like this and make me blush. Oh, I hated that! Over the months, our friendship got tighter and tighter. We talked to each other on the phone a lot, and we would talk to each other before we went to bed at night. It was amazing how much we had in common. Year three of our friendship was interesting. Mutual Friend arrived on the scene. And he was just as fine if not more so. There was tension And that’s where I will leave this. Part Two later next week Okay folks here we go…….
I first meet Giuseppe (The Hubster) over 30 years ago, completely by accident. It wasn’t a blind date or anything like that. In fact, I was going to a place where I always go alone anyway. Believe it or not I’m an introvert. A Leo, but introverted, can you believe it? LOL Anywho, I went to the Beverly Hills Wilshire Hotel on a Wednesday. They played classical music and served fingers foods. Not sure if they even do that now. This particular Wednesday, they were playing Chopin or Mozart my usual seat in the lobby facing a television. I had a table, and I have some finger food and wine. I leaned backed closed my eyes, because I had a hard days work. I just wanted to enjoy the music. It wasn’t too long, before I heard a deep accented voice, asking if this seat was taken. I opened my eyes, and there stood before me a very tall, well built man with long black hair and blueish-green eyes. Goodness! I said no, have a seat. He did, looked at me and smiled then turned to listen to the music. After a few minutes he turned back to me. He introduced himself. He told me, he noticed my lipstick. Now some of you may know I love my red, deep burgundy, deep plums lipsticks, Well I had on Rum Raisin , by Revlon. (Which he still buys me today). He said the color looks nice on me. I mentioned his accent. That it seemed Italian but slightly different. He said he was Sicilian, and it was the dialect. Then he went in with the bad lines. He said he speaks standard Italian fluently and that he could teach me in one night. Oh brother. I told him in fluent Italian that I already knew the language. He didn’t skip a beat. He said, “Then I can teach you Sicilian.” I told him no thanks. He asked if I was seeing someone. I was. He shrugged and said whenever I was free give him a call. He handed me a card with his name, several phone numbers and address. We did continue to talk and listen to the music. He had a sense of humor and got a lot of my jokes, even though he had only been in the States for three years. I liked him, but only as an acquaintance, not even a friend. We parted ways that evening Until six months latter……. And that will be the start of Chapter One |
AuthorI'm living a lifestyle that some might romanticize, while others condemn. But more importantly, I'm happy, And the guys that I'm with are happy too. Nuff Said! Archives
March 2022
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