A Year is a long time in a five year plan……

January – Lights out, ballet classes and familiar streets…..

"Hey easy on the onions Fabiano, you know Chico likes to wow the ladies with his luscious kisses from those girlie lips of his…wouldn't want to be cramping his style now would we? Casanova!"

"Go, play with yourself Giovanni, just cos you don't show your wears off any longer since that broad from that boutique place didn't want you doesn't mean the ladies of New York should be denied these jewels"

Running his hands up and down the length of his front body, emphasising the crown in his kingdom and grinning, his hairy chest protruding out of his open, medallion shirt and unmistakably in the style of the seventy's, tight, large collared and bright the middle aged Italian taxi driver ignored all his friends pleas and bit into his steak sandwich with relish.

"Well I tried (Gio replied) …guess you'd better hope most of the ladies….and I say that kindly knowing the type you frequent with; have some kind of severe nostril infection cos you'd knock a mule out with that breathe, man it's rank….!

(Walking up to him, holding his cheeks in both his hands, kissing his lips full on and grinning as he ran away)

"We'll short ass, you watch me pull tonight Rossi, when I've finished dancing their little silk stockings off they won't notice or care about my…..garlic breathe…..you watch….bet you ten dollars I score ….bet you twenty by eleven thirty…I'm getting my rocks off regularly…can you say that …Nah, didn't think so Ha!"

"You're one dirty old man (Gio yelled back, barely able to keep from laughing) and I'm telling ya it'll be worth it tonight to see you …Go down….Chico is the main man, No Way, Chico is the smelly….Old man! More like and I'll make it my business to save all those poor women from a fate worse than death…….Yeah……You!"

"Oh I haven't got time to waste lady mouthing with you celibate boy (Chico whispered under his breath), I've got to go pick up a call from Mode, some big wig guy…Daniel Meade I think they said and Wilhelmina Slater ….some urgent meeting or something, probably their martini's are getting warm….spoilt brats.….They'd better give me a big tip, seems their drivers have all gone down ill and the riff raff are gonna have to taxi them home tonight and although I don't need the extra cash cos I'm gonna win my bet you can never be too cocky…..as if…me cocky…only in one place and I ain't had any complaints yet…if you know what I mean…"

Suddenly going quiet Gio lifted the top opening to the bar and meddled with the coffee machine that shone as pristine as the sun at its rear. His back to his friend, shielding him from showing how shocked he'd been to hear that name mentioned again…..Meade, no need for any attention he just needed to distract himself as he shouted…

"Man that coffee smells good if I say so myself, (stroking it gently like a lover Gio talked softly now, still his back turned to his friend as he continued) Daniel Meade, I knew him once…..and his….assistant….hey but that was a lifetime ago, I was another man then. Anyway get your butt in gear Chico and get out of my restaurant your making the place look untidy….Go…move it man, I've got to shut the place up, what do you think I'm here for to keep you in coffee and those women never complain cos you've probably bored them to sleep or knocked out with the smell from your cheesy socks and garlic breath. Here, catch have a mint and at least give em a fighting chance God hope I never get that sad….jeeze grandpa pulls more women than me if I don't get back into the game soon I'll turn…."

"Gay! Ha and Gio your too late you've already gone girly….look at you with that long hair and designer stubble…hmm spreading your butter on the other side and no mistake and to think you used to be quite the lover boy…who screwed you up?. As for this place, well last time I looked it was a damn coffee shop Rossi….says so on the front doesn't it? Twenty five years my custom has been good enough for your uncle Sal while he was alive and he never complained about my 'scent' but if I'm not good enough for you now …..posh boy! I'll go frequent Tino's on the south side, he'll find time for me…he'll make me welcome…."

"Tino's (Gio yelled back) he hasn't got a chair big enough for you fat ass Chico…but you're right, you're good for business when you're around the place looks full although for some reason you seem to scare the ladies away…must be your …..Breath…."

Throwing a hand towel left on the bar side as he walked towards the exit Chico raised his index finger and gave Gio the universal sign of disapproval as he spoke….

"I'll see you later at Casabianca's……its pizza night, don't miss, especially don't miss it cos you'll owe me thirty dollars and I'll want my money to spend on the ladies…..celibate boy!!!"

I know it's pizza night you ignorant Sicilian, I'm cooking them….did you forget I own that place as well and you'll be laughing the other side of your two faces when I'm a millionaire and you're my chauffeur starting with the thirty dollars I'm gonna earn tonight ……easy money…"

Waving to his old friend as he opened the front door, the bell chiming in it's usual way as the cold wind flew in and a vacuum consumed and gently whistled as the heat of the café met the still night air……..Gio turned to his assistant and whispered…

"Okay Fabiano, is everything cleared up and ready for tomorrow we've got a heck of a lot of deliveries and that wedding to prepare for, one hell of a big day but business is good so I'm not complaining. Hector Rodriguez and cousin Tanya getting hitched at last…about time, she's on her third bambino isn't she?….Jeeze I hope there's no fights they've been together years but man…. a Puerto Rican and a Bronx Italian catholic wedding…..hell that's a marriage made in heaven if I ever saw one ha!…..Now lock up and watch you don't…!"

About to fasten the back door, having closed the fridge room and turned off the pantry light both guys shouted out loud as the whole building was thrown into darkness. Feeling his way to the front of the shop to search in the cloaks area for a torch always kept handy but never needing to be used Gio turned, pointed the light to his cousin so they could both fully get their bearings. Fabiano and Giovanni proceeded towards the door wary in case thieves had knocked out the system to break in…they'd don't it before maybe they were coming back for a second bite of his business, well not this time, Gio was prepared. Picking up the baseball bat to use in defence, scared stupid he gingerly opened the door, Fabio right behind him and both relieved to see no one there only more….darkness….as Gio spoke ….

"What the fuck is going on Fabiano, the whole block, the whole of New York is in darkness who the hell has blown the fuse, they must be some idiot to blow out the whole of the city…do you think it was Chico trying to renege on his bet…I wouldn't put it past the old goat. Nah, this is big time, serious stuff man, this could take ages to put right. We're gonna need to double lock up, make sure everything is sealed and baton down the hatches cousin F ….guess I won't be cooking at Casabianca's tonight after all…better ring momma and tell her to shut up shop the pizza party is cancelled…."

Taking his mobile out of his jacket pocket Gio called a number he remembered instinctively and one of the two ladies in his life immediately shouted down the line…

"Gio, is that you, course it's you, your momma's stupid, who else would it be Frank Sinatra? Bless his soul and beautiful blue eyes……checking to see if your momma's okay? That's a good boy…..always thinking about his momma…. Well, were' okay son, papi is in the back trying to repair the fuse box, I've told him it's a mains problem but he's Italian and superman and he thinks can put it right…who knew I was married to an idiot….I didn't that's for certain…." (mumbling on as Gio replied)

"Hey momma he didn't blow a fuse did he? I mean he ain't no sparky ……hope they can't trace it back or we're toast….only kidding papi if your listening I know your not that stupid….. Anyways momma at least I know your okay but it looks like we'll have to cancel tonight…no lights…no party and all our hard work as well…maybe the insurance will cover it….."

"I don't think so my boy….this is your momma, I got a room full of candles and a gas cooker so you watch me..it'll be really romantic, you just stay there and watch the place and we'll be…Oh my God!….Antonella, she's at ballet lessons, I should have collected her ten minutes ago….she'll be worried sick…I'll have to go and get her…but it's so dark ….…"

"No, No momma! I'll go get her, Fabiano is here and I'm closer, it's only ten minutes walk from me, I'll get her and heck this is Antonella were talking about she won't be worried; in fact…I see a text on it's way now…yup, I'm reading it now…..she's waiting, where am I? and her tutu is creasing in the cold air…typical Antonella!….I'll go now momma; catch you later maybe and good luck with the party….Hey momma if Chico comes in you watch him for me I've bet him good money he won't pull anyone tonight so I need you to watch him like a hawk…okay….see ya laters….soon as I can …love you…..

Fabiano will you be okay watching the place tonight, I'll go and collect Antonella and take her to Casabianca's to make sure ma and pa are okay, I'm sure they will be but this is a big city anything could happen; Oh and too keep my eye on Chico of course I don't trust that old dog. I'll telephone you on the hour and come back early tomorrow morning, let's hope the power comes on soon or we'll loose all our stock and all our work but we'll cope…we always do"

Kissing both cheeks of his face gently and walking out of the door Gio turned only briefly to check he was okay as he waved and raced off into the darkness jacket and hat in the process of being put on and a large torch in his free hand……

………………………………..

Walking briskly down the side walk, a surprising amount of people around considering the situation Giovanni Rossi turned into a street he knew very well, a street he'd tried and had successfully avoided now for almost two years as he slowly looked up the see the shadow of a building he once used to frequent too often…Meade Buildings. Standing high, aged and gothic in appearance his bones chilled a little remembering and trying to forget …her. Fixated for only a moment but seemingly transfixed for many minutes Gio shook his head and awoke from his trance, his heart hardened to the memories that establishment brought back……thoughts he intended to keep bottled up. He hadn't bumped into Betty Suarez in all his time, she hadn't contacted him and that was fine, his heart had broken under her spell but it had repaired a little, a lot as he'd put her to the recesses of his life .His five year plan so altered by his love for her was now he thought of hier no more well and truly back on track as he whispered to himself afraid to feel anything again…..…

"Man, that was close, I came so near to that flame and boy I won't get burned again, no woman will ever rule my heart like that again!….Betty Suarez…..wonder if you're still there?….heck…why?….but then he thought she never did know when to move on from anything …except him that one".

Hey she wasn't his business anymore, she was a ghost of long since history past (he thought)….a pleasant, painful memory best left there……

Shaking his hands, rubbing them together to get warm Gio breathed out once more and turned to his right to meander down the side road that led to the back door of his sister's ballet dancing class as he raced away disappearing into the night…..

…………………….

"Moan, moan moan that's all you do Marc…..I haven't got this, I haven't done that…I've had the worst year of my life, my best friend has gone back to Scotland, Matt's left me ….and

Betty and Marc….

Giovanni and Antonella…

"OH the lights have come back on!!!!!"