The Jewel Box Read Online Free PDF

champagneblonde hair to a chalk white color. I hated it. With ice hair and separation anxiety over Nikki, my minor relief came from seeing Beau’s face light up when Kat and I walked through the door. His tall stature and GQ looks made me feel I was in the presence of a suave Hollywood star, but his poetic aura and innate charm couldn’t be duplicated by any actor. Dressed in a tux style suit with white ribbed shirt, red suspenders and black tie, Beau always stood behind the bar shuffling cards or counting money. His bar-back cleaned while Beau handled all financial aspects, claiming “too many hands in a register, a sure fire way to go broke.”
    Kat and I usually arrived early so she could play with her hair and makeup, but after getting dressed I always rushed to the bar to chat with Beau and listen to the great music playing nonstop on the jukebox. He generously shared his time with me between welcoming early customers with news of the day and jokes. Beau kept several packs of playing cards under the bar, and frequently performed a magic trick that resulted in a disappearing
Jack of Clubs
card. We never figured out how he made it vanish then later reappear in a shoe, purse, and even once inside my cherished and tattered coming-of-age book from the early Sixties,
A Wrinkle in Time
.
    “Isn’t that an adolescent read, baby?” Beau asked when I returned his card.
    “Guess I still haven’t grown up. It’s geared to teens, but everyone should read it.”
    “What’s your favorite genre?”
    “Humorous, romantic fiction. I love Jane Austen, especially after my prim and proper Mother limited romance novels while pushing books on housekeeping and such.”
    “What a loss.”
    “Actually, I tucked favorite novels inside my clothes hamper. A great hiding place since Ellen and I were assigned laundry duty once we were tall enough to reach the Maytag.”
    Beau chuckled.
    “I rushed through Saturday chores so I could read novels and myths that delighted my soul, instead of reading
Good Housekeeping
or Biblical folklore, which dampened my spirits.”
    “Well, baby, I’m glad you were resourceful. Your essence is indeed spirited.”
    “Much more so when Nikki’s by my side.”
    “Since you enjoy books,” Beau paused and reached under the bar. “Here’s something for you to read in the dressing room when you feel downhearted.”
    He handed me Emerson’s
Twelve Essential Essays,
which didn’t look like my cup of tea, but I thanked him, hoping it would prove interesting enough to relax me. Beau never used vulgar language and chastised Kat when she did, albeit he occasionally uttered damn or hell. He was comforting in a gentle, protective way. Still, each time I had to go on that little stage and dance, I fell apart.
    On my first weekend at the Jewel Box, I learned Beau hired off-duty policemen to oversee crowd control and men behaving badly. Their presence helped calm my nerves, until one officer became a tad too frisky. Naturally it was the hairy cop. Each time Katie-Laura or I walked past Zane he commented in carnal undertones about our bodies. If murmuring was his attempt to convey sexiness, he should have waxed before leaving home. Back hair creeping up a neck collar cancels any chance of seduction. Zane stood at the only entrance to our waitress station, grinning as though an amorous snail had slithered into his padded cod piece or whatever tightywhities he wore to compress excess butt hair. After his first beer, he took to touching our bums every time we entered and left the waitress post with our trays.
    I told Beau about Zane. He parked him at the front door with orders to keep his hairy hands off all girls. Zane pouted until walleyed Wendy, whose uncontrollable peepers flew down to men’s private parts, started hanging with him. Beau didn’t care because she rarely sold cocktails. Wendy’s money came on stage, thanks to cups that runneth over, and long, wavy brown hair she flung wildly to cover her eye