Chapter Nine
On the third summer Thursday of each month, those under twenty-one years old packed the remodeled banquet facilities at Teen Night, while others enjoyed the benefits of Lady’s Night in the other part of Duffy’s tavern. I had never been to Teen Night, nor did the allure of women or romantic coupling influence my attendance. Still, like Eddy, I sat. Not that I planned to sit. Ed Roth had forced me. Perhaps force is too strong a word, but tempted me without doubt. “You’ve been mooning over that teacher all week,” he had criticized at the time clock as we escaped work, “so we’re going out.” And even though I had countered with, “No,” my surrender to his demand happened after his next sentence. “Word is your girlfriend’s attending tonight.”
“She’s not due back till Monday.”
Ed s
