As much as Jimmy depended on Frank to get him around, calling him at
all times, all seasons to get him from one place to another, these journeys
were fraught with frustration -- especially in the early 1970s when Frank was
apt to take Jimmy the long way around to get any place.
At some point when the three of us were in Haledon and needed to get
some place near Oakland either to meet Garrick or Ginger, Jimmy insisted that
Frank take well known highways to get where we're going.
Jimmy was naturally in a hurry as he always was to get some place most
likely we were seeking pot first and then seeking to make the meeting later
Frank insisted he knew a shortcut, something that would get us to the
first meeting first and then on time for the second meeting -- and despite Jimmy's
protest, Frank took off in a direction completely opposite the one Jimmy
wanted.
I had been on this trip with
Frank before and knew where it ended up eventually. Since we had often taken it
to get to where Jimmy intended but I was uncertain just which was quicker and so
seated in the back seat as I always was, I generally kept my mouth shut.
I let the usual dialog take place in the front seat where Jimmy
insisted that Frank hurry and Frank insisted he was with Jimmy asking every few
minutes: “Are we there” and Frank saying “not yet, Jim -- soon though.”
Jimmy of course then pressed Frank
to drive and Frank told him “no way.”
This restriction on Jimmy's driving came after two unfortunate
accidents which were not Jimmy's fault, but which Frank blamed on him. Both of these occurred in West Paterson and
both on the exit ramp off Route 46 and in both cases I was in the backseat when
the car was rear ended.
In both cases, Jimmy had stopped for a stop sign near Browertown Road and
the car behind wanted him to advance through the stop sign and did not stop.
Prior to these, Jimmy always insisted on driving partly because he
suspected Frank was always trying to get us lost in what frank called “A
Magical Mystery Tour.”
In some cases, Jimmy was right.
Frank ache for the carefree days the summer of 1972 when we all eligible
bachelors rejected by the women we loved and wandered around the landscape
enjoying each other's misery.
Jimmy distrusted Frank's driving as much as I did.
Frank and I had been in at least three accidents together one of which
left Frank with a broken neck and me with a mashed-up face.
Frank was the only person I ever knew that while learning to drive
managed to get involved in a multiple car accident with six parked cars and
managed to nearly knock down his own front porch.
Jimmy's minor fender-benders we're nowhere near as serious but had
dented the bumper of Frank's relatively new car.
After the first accident Frank was cautious but allowed to drive again
after the second heat put a ban on it and insisted on becoming Jimmy's
chauffeur.
Such was the case this time but as in all of these trips that Jimmy
insisted Frank take Frank went his own way.
“Are we there yet?” Jimmy would ask.
“Not yet, Jim,” Frank replied, “but soon.”
After a particular long stretch
of trees Jimmy glanced back at me in the back seat inside then looked at Frank
then looked out the window and said, “This is very scenic but I've scenic all before.”
We eventually did arrive at both meetings and relatively on time. The
real frustration came when it was time for Frank to drive Jimmy home.
Jimmy wanted to be dropped off first even though he lived Jimmy wanted
to be dropped off first even though he lived in Passaic at the time and I lived
in Montclair and we were coming from the direction of Verona.
Frank said it was easier for him to get home from Passaic then to have
to come all the way back to Montclair to drop me off second.
So, Frank did with Frank always does and went where he wanted which in
this case was to my house in Montclair.
When we pulled up to the curb Jimmy looked over the seat at me nodded
said goodbye then looked at Frank and said: “ I am going to go call up your
mother to have her pray to St Jude so that St Jude can talk to God to have the
bird of paradise fly over here and shit on your head.”
Jimmy was still fuming when they
pulled away Frank nearly burst his gut laughing which only pissed off Jimmy
more.
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