A few years ago, I
had a dream about meeting the amazing Diana Vreeland…a living icon for several
decades, she was dubbed the “Empress of Fashion,” helping shape both “Harper’s
Bazaar” and “Vogue” into the publications they are today. Her advice columns became famous and inspired
women, and fashion, for years. I decided
I would like to write a wonderful little, fictional story about meeting her,
just as I had done in my dream. I also thought it would be fun to write about a
fictional "me," whilst giving "me" many of my own traits,
life experiences, and memories, throughout the story. There is always a lot of
myself in my writing, but this is the first time I have used my own name and
identified the character as "me" even if the story itself IS
fiction. Since June is Pride month, I
also thought that I would like to write into the story a little bit of how
young people struggle at that awkward age when they are trying to figure out
who they are; the “Jason” character in the story is gay, but at
thirteen, is just beginning to understand himself. It is in Diana, who has seen much more of the
world than he or others in his immediate life have, who assures him it’s not
only okay, but much more commonplace than he might imagine; in 1983, when the
story opens, that would have been a very forward way of thinking, and it would
have taken someone like Diana to think that way. Also intermingled throughout the story are
many of Diana’s famous quotes…the true Diana Vreeland fan will recognize them. I so very much enjoyed writing this story, and I
hope you, the reader, enjoy it as much as I did writing it. I also hope I do Diana justice.
"The Eye Has to Travel, Dear Boy..."
The taxi came to an abrupt stop, with a slight skid, as its tires slid on the
wet pavement. Jason peeked through the
grungy cab window, up at the building in front of him. It seemed so big. Everything in the city
seemed so big. At thirteen, the world still
seems huge, especially to a short, awkward kid with nerd glasses who had never
been out of his hometown before. And
now, here he was, in New York, sitting in front of a high rise building, the
building his Great Aunt Minnie worked in.
It had been a rainy Summer, and a fairly mild one, which was fine with
Jason. He did not care much for hot,
humid weather. His parents, in the
middle of a bitter divorce, had decided that perhaps he needed to get away from
home for a short while; it had been a particularly horrible year for him at
school, but only Jason really knew that.
For a scrawny, ugly, spectacled kid, junior high school holds fewer
horrors than the cruelty exhibited towards those who don’t fit in. Jason was definitely one of them. It was difficult to comprehend, as he had
always been one of the “popular” kids when he was younger, in elementary
school. He had more friends than he
could count, and for the first several years of his young life, he grew up in a
protected cocoon of love and adoration from his parents, friends,
teachers…everyone. What had changed the
last few years he still did not understand.
No matter…here he was, in New York City for the Summer, handing money to
the cab driver like a grown up. As he
opened the door and climbed out of the car into the rain, pulling his suitcase off
the seat after him, the peculiar odor of the city…an odor that seems to amplify
in the damp weather, hit his nostrils.
That would take some getting used to; he was used to a rural community
and fresh, country air. Still, as scared
as he was to be so far away from home, he couldn’t help but be excited,
too. Instead of trying to wrestle with
the compact umbrella in the knapsack on his back, the same Jan Sport knapsack
he used for carrying his schoolbooks just as few weeks before, he decided to
make run for the building’s doors, and the relative dry safety of the porte
cochere in the front of the building.
His feet splashed in the puddles on the sidewalk as he half ran, and by
the time he reached the overhang, his loafers, socks, and the cuffs of his
pants were soaked several inches up the leg.
He took a moment to catch his breath, shake his wet pant legs loose of
his calves, and tie his left shoe, which had come untied, the raw leather laces
dark and wet. He stepped into the lobby
and sat his suitcase down. Wiping his glasses,
spotted with rain drops, on his shirt, he did the best he could to smooth and
part his mousy brown hair with his hands before reaching into his pocket for
the piece of paper he had placed there.
He studied the note, which told him which floor to take the elevator to,
and which direction to go in order to find his great Aunt Minnie’s office. At the second floor, the elevator doors
opened and an elderly woman with jet black hair stepped in. Jason had always been taught it was impolite
to stare, so he kept his head down a bit, but he couldn’t help but look at this
lady. She was probably the most
outrageous looking person Jason had ever seen.
Her black hair was tucked behind her ears and curled forward, like the
horns of a ram, Jason thought. She was
dressed in black, with large red earrings that looked like the round poker
chips Jason’s parents had back home, in a felt bag in the game room. There was red everywhere on this little old
lady, who was barely taller than Jason.
She had big red bead bracelets and a matching necklace on; her short
fingernails were painted red, and the red rouge on her face stretched from her
cheeks up to her ears. It was like she
had tried to get the makeup to blend into the big red earrings. She was either unattractive or absolutely
lovely, depending on how you looked at her; she had no beauty, and Jason
guessed that even when she was younger, so probably was not an overly beautiful
woman, but still…there was a calm, confidence about her that seemed to
compensate for any physical imperfections of face or body. The woman held a black leather portfolio
close to her chest, and her eyeglasses at the moment, hung around her neck on a
chain, and they tapped against the portfolio as she pressed a button on the
panel in front of them. Her bracelets
jangled happily.
“What floor are you getting off on, dear boy?”
inquired a raspy but friendly voice.
“Umm…eighteen.
I am here to see my Great Aunt Minnie.
I just got into town.”
The strange lady threw up her hands and smiled, her
leather portfolio smacking against the woodgrain elevator wall. “Minnie!
Oh goodness, how marvelous! Such
a wonderful woman, she is! I have known
her for years. She was just a young lady
when she started working here…that was, let me think…about a year before I
left. I got to know her very well
before, though. That was 1962…my last
year here at Harpers.”
“You don’t work here anymore?”
“Oh no, dearest boy…I am just here for the day,
visiting. We are almost to your
floor. I will take you to Minnie’s
office.”
“Thank you, but you don’t need to do that if you
have somewhere else to be…”
“Nonsense! It
will be good to see “Mins” again, and in a building this large, you could get
lost, child…and we can’t have that, can we?”
The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. “This way, dear boy…”
Jason grabbed his suitcase and followed the strange
little lady down a corridor, into another, and then right, into another. People who passed his elderly guide gave her
curious but respected glances and nods.
None spoke to her, not because she didn’t appear friendly, but because
she seemed instead…not of this earth, Jason thought. People seemed to be at a loss for words when
they saw her. Jason wondered who this
strange lady was. For all her short,
fragile stature, she moved with a graceful swiftness. Finally, they reached an open space within
which a series of office doors opened into.
The strange lady walked briskly across the tile floor and announced
herself in an open office doorway with a theatrical gesture of her arms.
“Minnie! Dear
lady!”
From behind the strange lady, Jason spotted his
Aunt. Great Aunt Minnie ran from behind
her desk and gave the strange little lady a big hug.
“Mins…I have a delivery for you…” The
woman took Jason’s hand and pulled him around so he stood next to her.” I stumbled across this dear boy quite by
accident in the lift and decided to bring him up here to you.”
Great Aunt Minnie, dressed completely opposite the strange lady, in a conservative, tailored skirt and jacket the color of a baby deer, came over and hugged Jason.
“Jason…I am so glad to see you! It’s been what…about two years now? How you’ve grown!”
“Aunt Minnie…you know very well I am just as short and
skinny as I was the last time you saw me…”
The strange lady let out a hearty, genuine laugh,
which made Jason and Aunt Minnie laugh too.
“Minnie, this child is a treasure…that’s what he is,
an absolute treasure!”
Aunt Minnie straightened herself up and gestured
toward the strange lady. “Jason, I would
like you to meet Diana Vreeland. And
it’s pronounced “Dee-anna.” She has to
be difficult.”
“No dear, you mean different. Originality is the only thing that is really
worthwhile. Who wants to be mundane?”
Jason held out his hand and shook the little lady’s
own. As he did, her shiny red bracelets
jangled vigorously. “It’s a pleasure to
meet you, Ms. Vreeland. Thank you again
for bringing me upstairs to my Aunt.”
“The pleasure is all mine, my dear boy. You see, I don’t see my grandchildren as much
as I would like to these days, as they are much older now. So, I shall just have to adopt you and steal
you away from Minnie here and there while you are in town. A fabulous time, we shall have!”
After Ms. Vreeland breezed out of Aunt Minnie’s
office, in what Jason thought the most elegant way, like a swan on water…Minnie
turned to Jason gave him a quick once-over.
“Good Lord!
You must have arrived just as it was pouring! You’re still half damp, poor thing! Why don’t you go down the hall, the same one
you just came from, and on your left there is a Men’s Room. Do you have a button down shirt and perhaps a
nice pair of pants in your suitcase?
Something you would dress up in for church? I asked your mother if she could make sure
you had one nice outfit, just in case.
It turns out, today is that ‘just in case’ day!”
“Yes…I have a blue shirt and a pair of grey
trousers.” Jason laughed, “It actually
is my church outfit. But I forgot all
about a tie…”
“No worries about that. I can dig up a tie for you to wear. Half the men in this building keep a spare
tie or two in their offices in case they have a mishap at lunch,” Minnie laughed. Why don’t you go change into some dry
clothes, and I will scare you up a tie.
We are attending a very important ceremony this afternoon here at Harpers.”
“Really? What
kind of ceremony?” Jason’s blue eyes
were curious.
“An award ceremony.
Oh, I don’t want to spoil it for you…you’ll see. Now scoot along and get changed before you
catch a cold. I will be waiting here for
you when you get back.”
A few moments later, as Jason was in one of the
bathroom stalls changing his clothes, the door opened and he heard the jingling
of Ms. Vreeland’s bracelets and her raspy voice, “Dear boy? Are you in here?”
Jason buttoned his shirt quickly and stepped out of
the stall. Ms. Vreeland was standing
there, leaning up against the long counter of wash basins. In her hand she held a striped tie.
“Is that tie for me to wear, Ms. Vreeland?”
“That, it is, dear boy…come here, and let me help
you with it.”
“It’s pretty.
Navy blue is one of my favorite colors.
I love blue. That purple is
pretty, too.”
“The Navy blue is correct; good eye, dear boy. The purple is actually a shade called Aubergine. It’s a little more subtle than what I would
call a deep purple. Colors, you know,
are very important. I worked in the
fashion industry for most of my life, and one shade of blue, or red, is never
the same as another. It’s important to
have a good grasp on your colors, so others can visualize what you are seeing
in your mind.”
“I never thought about that. Will you teach me about colors?”
“Of course!
If you want to learn. First,
though, we need to make sure this tie fits you properly.”
Diana flipped up Jason’s shirt collar and draped the
tie around his neck. "Now, dearest boy, I
am going to teach you how to tie a proper tie knot, as all gentlemen should
know. Then later, I will teach you about
colors.” Her eyes beamed. She seemed to be having loads of fun. She had Jason grab an end of the tie in each
hand and, standing together in the mirror, she showed him, by guiding his
hands, how to tie the knot. In the
middle of the tutorial, the restroom door swung open and a man in a suit walked
in and stopped short, surprised to see the tableau in front of the wash basins.
“Oh, Ms. Vreeland…I apologize…”
“Young man, don’t apologize because you found an old
lady in the Gent’s room. We will be done
in a few moments, unless you are not shy…”
The young man half blushed, half smiled, and then
chuckled. “It’s quite alright, Ms.
Vreeland…there is another Gent’s in the other corridor. You carry on…sorry to bother!” He waved as he exited.
Diana raised her hands and let out a hearty, rusty
laugh that echoed around the tiled walls of the restroom. “Imagine that? That poor young man…I suppose we gave him a
fright!”
Jason, still holding the tie in the same position,
mid-knot, as before they were interrupted, giggled.
“Okay…let’s finish this before another unsuspecting
gentleman wanders in. That’s it…right
hand under, then over and down through the knot…that’s it. Now, let me see.”
Diana fiddled with Jason’s tie knot, got it all
straight, and then instructed him to tuck the longer tail into his shirt, since
the tie was much too long for someone his size.
She helped him tuck in his dress shirt and smooth out his collar. One final adjustment to the tie knot and they
were done.
“There, dear boy…you have just learned how to tie a
Half-Windsor. You should always, and
only, use a Half-Windsor. The size of a
tie’s knot is terribly important.
Because of your size, this knot is perfect for you. A Full-Windsor would be too wide, too
much. Oh, there are others too, but this
is classic and youthful and you should make it one of your signatures.”
“Signatures, Ms. Vreeland?”
“Please…I just helped dress you…we are on intimate
enough ground for you to call me Diana.
And yes, dear boy…signatures. One
should always look for ways to make themselves unique…adopt little things, such
as a specific kind of tie knot, that will always be associated with your
personality. Personality and a strong
sense of self, just like knowledge of the right colors, are very important. Of
course, you are young, and as you grow older you will understand these things
more. But it is never too early to start
expressing your individuality and showing the world who you are. Well, my work here is done. I am going to go tell your aunt you are
almost ready." Diana stood behind Jason,
her tiny frame not much taller than he was. “You know, dear boy, you are a very handsome young
man. You have beautiful deep blue eyes,
like ink wells, they are, and the blue in your shirt and in the tie make your
eyes sparkle and pop. Always try to wear
blue, dear boy. It compliments you. But don’t slouch! Make the most of your height, dear boy…stand
up straight and proud, like a tree.
People will notice you when you enter a room.”
“But what if I don’t want to be noticed?”
“Nonsense!
People respect others who are confident, dear boy…so whether you feel
confident on the inside or not, or want to be noticed or not, always have a
presence about yourself. You don’t have
to do anything special, or call attention to yourself…just stand up straight
and tall, hold your head up, and trust me, people will notice you and respect
that presence you command. The eye has
to travel, dear boy…you may as well make sure eyes travel to YOU.” She patted his shoulders and then jingled out
of the restroom.
Jason stood in the mirror, smoothing his hand over
the tie knot he had tied. The silk of
the tie was so slick and soft. “Always
wear blue for my eyes, and always wear this kind of tie knot,” he said to
himself, “I guess these two things can be the first things that help make me unique.” He didn’t know where on earth Diana got the
notion he was handsome; as he damped his
hair a bit to smooth the part and train a cowlick in place, he stared at his
image through the glasses he had been wearing for several years, the glasses he
hated so much. He didn’t think he was
handsome, but if his new friend said it was so, then perhaps…well, the clothes
and tie helped a lot. He folded his
almost dry traveling clothes and placed them in his suitcase. Jason didn’t know it at the time, but that
afternoon was to begin an education…an education about life, that he never
imagined he would have a chance to learn.
As it turned out, Jason learned less than an hour
later, the special ceremony he attended that afternoon was a presentation
honoring Diana herself. As Jason sat
with Aunt Minnie and Diana’s name was announced, everyone stood and clapped for
the elderly little lady as she made her way up the center aisle to the podium;
her heavily rouged cheeks made even more flushed in gratitude from the warmth
and adulation in the crowd. Jason smiled
and had to laugh to himself, knowing that his new friend had patiently helped
him prepare for the ceremony, prattling away about color and necktie knots,
knowing the afternoon belonged to her.
Jason thought how wonderful it was that she had kept her secret, maybe
just for fun. She was, in so many ways,
so much like a child experiencing things as if for the first time. After a succession of perhaps a dozen chosen
speakers, including a few former fashion models Diana had taken a fancy to and
who had helped launch their careers during her tenure at Vogue…a screen
descended from the ceiling and a montage of some of Diana’s most famous advice
from her “Why Don’t You?” column she ran at Harpers, intermingled with photos
of Diana, flashed across the screen. Occasionally
the audience clapped and cheered as years of Diana’s fantasy-like advice
appeared on the screen. Diana, a tiny
figure sitting in a comfortable chair on the stage and still blushing
profusely, was obviously overtaken with the outpouring of admiration and love
being shown to her. To Diana, he true
passion had always been about the work, about doing what she loved to do; it
had obviously never occurred to her that simply by being who she was, she had
inspired a great many people. All of
this…the world Diana lived in, the people she knew, was a world completely
foreign and unknown to Jason; he had
never heard of the names of most of the designers, models, photographers, and
editors his Aunt Minnie was pointing out to him as they shuffled past Diana,
enveloping her hands, embracing her frail figure lovingly. Jason smiled again and, even though he knew
about or understood very little of what was going on, and the detail of Diana’s
life, he couldn’t help but be proud of his new friend, proud that so many
people loved her as much as they did.
Jason and his Aunt Minnie were some of the last to
file past Diana and as they did, Aunt Minnie hugged her warmly.
“Diana, it was such a wonderful tribute to you! I am so grateful I had a hand in coordinating
the event. I so hoped you would enjoy
it!”
“Minnie, dear…I have never felt so much love in one
room…not for me! Of course, you know, I
don’t care so much about the adulation…although we as humans will never shy
away from it, if given. I am most happy
that I have helped so many others over the years, and God willing, they are
better for it. Thank you for helping
make the day special.”
Diana turned to Jason and her face lit up anew. “My
dearest boy! Did you enjoy
yourself? I bet you didn’t know what a
crazy old loon you met today!”
Jason, who was terribly shy around large crowds of
strangers, forgot his shyness for a moment and smiled as his new friend, “Mrs.
Vreeland…Diana, I mean…I had such a wonderful time! I am happy I was here today. Today has been so exciting…I do not know if I
will sleep tonight. I have so many
questions for you!”
“Well, then we will just have to arrange for you to
spend plenty of time with me while you are in New York. Your Aunt must work, of course, and the last
thing you want to do in a city like New York is stay locked in the apartment
all day watching God knows what kind of rubbish is on the television these
days. Such a curse, television has
become. I believe people have forgotten
how to read about things instead, to explore the world around them. You and I certainly shall explore! Minnie, you must make sure this child is
accessible to me when you are not able to spend time with him yourself. I wouldn’t dream of pulling him away from
you, but would hate for him to lonely at all while visiting.”
“Of course, Diana…I think it would be a wonderful
idea for you to show my nephew around.
You can introduce him to so many things while he is here.”
Diana beamed a smile and her bracelets jangled as
she placed her little hands on Jason’s shoulders. “Then it’s official, dear boy! You have a new best friend while you are in
town! Prepare to have a marvelous time!”
Jason hugged his new friend and waved goodbye and he
and Aunt Minnie made their way back to her office to collect their things. In the cab on the way back to Aunt Minnie’s
apartment, Minnie confided in her nephew.
“You know, I honestly had not anticipated that you
would have the chance meeting with Diana you did, and I certainly did not
expect her to take to you so. But then
again, perhaps I should not be surprised.
I believe she sees something in you, Jason. When Diana takes a special liking to someone,
it is because she sees something different in the person. Diana dislikes “boring.”
“I am not sure what she sees in me, but I think she
is the most amazing person I have ever met.
There are not people like her back home.”
“Diana, like most people sometimes, is lonely. She knows many people and leads a very busy,
full life, but I think sometimes she longs for the companionship of a young
person, because she herself still feels so young at times. I think she is happiest when she can share
some of her unique wisdom with young people who understand what she says, and means. I think she sees you as one of those
people. She will be crazy fun for you to
spend time with. I have no doubt you
will have a great time.”
Jason smiled and looked out the window of the
cab. He watched the people, the
buildings, as they whisked past, and felt as if he had found someone he could
talk to…really talk to. Later, after
they had returned to Aunt Minnie’s cozy apartment and had dinner, Jason found
the day had been exhaustingly exciting for him and sleep came easier than he
had expected. He felt a change was about
to happen for him, but he was not sure how, or in what way.
The next morning Jason was awoken early by Aunt
Minnie. Light was just starting to peek
through the drawn curtains in the little guest room in Aunt Minnie’s snug apartment.
“Good morning, Jason. Sorry to wake you
so early…I have to get going to work, but I left towels in the bathroom for you
and cereal and a bowl on the kitchen table.
Diana called last night after you were asleep; she will be expecting you
later this morning at her apartment. She
is going to take you out for the day and show you around the city.”
“She did? Do
you know what she has planned?”
“With Diana, it could be anything. No doubt you will have a good time
today. Inside, she is very much still a
child and great fun. There is a spare
key to the apartment on the table too; hold on to it tightly…this is New York,
after all.”
“Okay Aunt Minnie, I will. Thank you…I’ll see you this evening.”
Aunt Minnie blew him a kiss and backed out of the room,
pulling the door closed a bit. Jason lay
in the semi-darkness, collecting his thoughts.
Jason took a cab to his new friend’s apartment. It was still so strange to him, the process
of public transportation…back home, if he or his parents needed to go
somewhere, they had their own vehicles in the driveway and could just go
whenever they wanted. When he told the
cab driver the address, ( “550 Park Avenue, please…” ) he had a feeling that
meant something; the driver politely smiled and nodded in response. A short while later, he was deposited in
front of a sturdy, grey building. People
were bustling back and forth in front of him.
All of this still new, he thought about what Diana had said the day
before; straightening his shoulders and standing tall, he strode with
confidence he didn’t really possess toward the entrance of the apartment
building. A few moments later he was on
the ninth floor in front of Diana’s apartment.
He knocked a few times. There was
a rustling noise from behind the door and the fiddling of door locks. The door swung open and there was Diana,
still brave with red rouge, holding out her arms to greet him.
“Welcome, my boy!
Did you have any trouble getting here?
Oh, well you can tell me everything while I get you something cool to
drink. How smart you look! Come in, my boy…”
Jason had agonized that morning over what to wear;
knowing now who Diana was, he had become deeply aware of how important it may
be for him to look what he felt would be appropriate, if he was going to be
spending the day with a fashion icon such as herself. Not having a huge variety of clothing to
choose from, just what he had brought with him, he had chosen a khaki pair of
shorts, the loafers he normally wore to church, and another blue button down shirt;
his mother had insisted on getting him two, and for some inexplicable reason he
had packed both for his trip.
“I…I hope I look okay, Diana. I wasn’t sure what we would be doing but did
a lot of thinking about what you said yesterday and I decided to wear this blue
shirt…don’t worry, it’s not the same one…”
Diana laughed at this. “Oh, dear boy, no need to
explain yourself away around me! I have
two boys myself, remember? I know how
boys at your age are. Besides…the one
you wore yesterday was broadcloth and this one is pinpoint oxford…and very well
pressed, if I may add…did you iron it yourself?”
“Yes, I did.
My mother taught me to iron…she said every boy should know how to take
basic care of himself, whatever that means…”
“Your mother is a wise woman, and she is right. But dear boy, your feet will be positively
ruined walking around all day in those penny loafers…New Yorkers walk…unless
it’s pouring down rain like yesterday, or they are infirm…”
“Oh, I have a pair of socks,” Jason pulled them from
his pocket, “I just wasn’t sure if they looked right…”
Diana laughed again.
“Dear boy, how you DO make me laugh!
That’s a good thing, in case you misunderstood. Always keep people second guessing and always
make people laugh. Come into the Living
Room and sit down. You can slip on that
pair of socks. I will get you a glass of
water and find my own shoes and we will be off!”
Diana ushered Jason into a large room that seemed
small; Jason had never seen anything like it before in his life. Everything was red; the carpet was red, the
heavily patterned wallpaper was red, the curtains, the furniture cushions, even
the fresh flowers…all red. It was almost
too much for one’s eyes to take in at once.
It was over the top, and a room that could have been viewed as ugly or
beautiful. Jason decided it was
beautiful…VERY red, and VERY busy, but beautiful, because it broke every rule
of convention, just like his new friend.
He liked that. Diana returned
with a glass of water; Jason was still standing in the same place she had left
him and his eyes must have been wide because Diana let out a laugh as she sat
his water glass down.
“I know what you’re thinking about the room…it’s like a garden in hell, isn’t
it? That’s what I call it. I love
red. Come sit down, dear boy. Let’s get our feet ready.”
In her other hand Diana had a pair of simple white
canvas Keds; snow white, like they had just come out of the box. “These little shoes are horrible but they are
also horribly comfortable. We will be
doing a lot of walking today. I am going
to take you over to Central Park.” She
tied the laces of her little white shoes while Jason slipped his socks and
loafers back on. The socks did
help. They were short socks, and he
scrunched them down toward his ankles so they weren’t so obvious.
Five minutes later they were back out on the noisy
sidewalk…Diana knew exactly where she was going and although old and seemingly
frail, she walked quickly and with purpose.
Jason kept up with her, trying to take in the sights, watch for traffic,
and listen to Diana’s constant, happy prattle at the same time…she gesticulated
a lot, pointing out landmarks, talking about the years she spent in New York,
how much things had changed…finally, almost without noticing the transition, they
had left the noisy streets behind and were surrounded by trees and lush
greenery; the tall buildings still rose above, but the city suddenly slowed
down a bit. Diana did the same, but kept
chatting. They followed a wide path, and
she pointed out her favorite bridge, an oak tree she and her husband used to
sit under and doze or read…finally they came to a giant rock, a huge thing,
sticking out of the ground. With
surprising agility, Diana scaled the gentle slope of the rock with Jason behind
her, and when they got to the top she plopped down and took a breath.
“This is a favorite spot of mine, right here. Isn’t the view magnificent?”
Being around so many trees made Jason feel more at
home, and also a little homesick, but he was having such a wonderful time, he
brushed that off.
“Later, we will stop by the library. It’s quite extraordinary…books about
everything. This city has everything,
you know…it’s the most exciting place in the world to me, except for Paris, of
course…”
At the sound of “Paris,” Jason’s ears perked
up. The only thing he knew about New
York or Paris was what he had read about, or seen on television. Now that he was experiencing New York in real
life, he was anxious to hear about Paris.
“Ms. Vreeland…sorry, Diana…tell me about Paris?”
Diana’s eyes lit up and she began talking. She told Jason about living there as a girl,
how she was devastated to leave when her family moved to New York, how she
could only speak French when she arrived and she did horribly in school because
no one understood what she was saying, and how happy she was to see Paris again
years later.
“I dislike school myself. I hate it, in fact. I dread going every day. That is why this summer vacation is like
heaven to me.”
“And why do you hate school, dear boy?”
“I…I don’t fit in.
The other kids…they are not very nice to me, because I’m different. I find it hard to concentrate on my school
work. It scares me because I am afraid I
won’t become smarter if I don’t pay attention.”
“There is all sorts of learning, dear boy; what you
are taught in school is important, for sure, but not everything. And one is either born smart or not. Believe me, I have met a lot of people, and I
have met people with two or three college degrees who are dumber than this rock
we are sitting on, because they were just born dumb. And they have no common sense. You needn’t worry; you are smart as a whip,
trust me on that, and you have a healthy dose of common sense. Just concentrate on learning about things. Teach yourself. And don’t worry about just learning what they
have to teach you in school…learn about the world…learn about art, and music,
and history, and beauty…most people don’t even bother with such things. I feel sorry for them; they miss so much
about life because of it. Those two
young men down there quite fetching, are they not?”
The sudden change of subject jolted Jason’s mind
back on even keel; he had been listening to what Diana was saying so intently,
he didn’t realize he must have been studying two young men below, sitting under
the shade of a tree. Jason guessed they
were probably old enough to drive, but not quite old enough to vote…only four
or five years older than he was. Diana spoke
again.
“Do you have a young man at your school you fancy?”
“Fancy? I’m not sure I know what you mean…”
“Yes, you do.”
Diana laughed again. “You can’t
fool me, my boy. So, is there
someone? You’re still young, but old
enough.”
“No, not really.
I mean, I don’t think so. I never
gave it much thought. It’s not exactly
something that you see where I’m from.”
“I can understand that. Well, let me tell you, dear
boy…and remember, I’ve seen a LOT of the world in my time…you DO see it
elsewhere…it’s quite common, you know…don’t let anyone tell you any
different…and it’s perfectly normal and natural.”
“It is?
Really?”
“Of course, it is.
What…you think every human being is cut out of the same mold? How boring would the world be if we
were! No…there are ALL sorts of people
out here in the world…wonderful, amazing, interesting people. Those two young men, for instance…how lovely,
they are! And how they must care for one
another. You can tell by their body
language and their smiles.
Yes…completely natural, my boy.
Now, don’t go back home and forget about what I told you and try and be
anyone else except YOU…I’ll be quite vexed if you become a puppet…promise me
you won’t become a puppet…that you will be your own man, and live YOUR life,
YOUR way…it won’t be easy at times, mind you, but you can do it. I believe in you.”
“You do? I
mean, okay…I promise…”
“Good! Then
you, my boy, have earned lunch at the most wonderful delicatessen around the
corner…and then the library. How does
that sound?”
“Yes, please!
Can I check out a book? I’m sure
my aunt can return it for me…”
“You can check out as many books as you want. I have a cart there.”
“A cart?”
“You’ll see…now, help this old lady down off this
rock, if you don’t mind, dear boy.”
The delicatessen was fun…crowded but cozy,
lots of people talking at once in languages Jason couldn’t understand but tried
to guess what they were by studying the words and accents…occasionally he would
even catch a word he thought sounded vaguely familiar to an English
equivalent. Lunch turned out to be
turkey and ham clubs on white toast with bacon, both Havarti and Swiss cheeses
and extra mayonnaise. “Trust me, my boy,
once you have a club sandwich like this you will never want it
differently.” After lunch, Jason, who
had grown more comfortable walking around the city, paced briskly at Diana’s
side, to the library. Jason had always
liked libraries; they had the most wonderful smell…the smell of knowledge and
time. Diana helped him pick out some
books on architecture, a large picture book that chronicled the history of
Paris, and as they got up to the counter, she slapped one more book down on the
pile.
“It’s Keats. Poetry and Prose. Trust me, you will like it. You may have to read parts of it a few times
before you understand everything he is saying, but you will enjoy it. We are going to expand your mind!” After the young man behind the counter had
checked the books, Diana said to him, “My cart please, Evan.”
“Yes, Ms. Vreeland.”
Evan produced a little folding wire basket with two
wheels and a handle. He snapped it open
and gently loaded the books down into it.
Jason took the handle and pulled the funny little cart behind them out
of the library and bounce, bounce, down the wide steps to the sidewalk.
“Does everyone in New York have a cart like this at
the library?”
“I’m not sure…but I just showed up one day with it
and asked them to keep it there for me and I suppose they decided to humor an
old lady. Besides, they know me here.”
“Diana…thank you so much. I’ve had the most stupendous day.”
“Stupendous?
Good for you, dear boy! Don’t be
afraid to use those adjectives. Think of
them like all of those colors you are going to teach yourself about…sometimes,
you want a very special, colorful word to express your feelings. Normal is totally boring. Don’t ever be normal. And the day isn’t over, yet. I have one little surprise left before we get
you back to your aunt.”
The surprise was delivered to Diana’s apartment
after they had returned. She excused
herself for a moment whilst Jason made himself comfortable on the floor of her Living
Room…her “garden in hell” swirled around him as he studied the books in front
of him…he loved all of the books, but the book on Paris was a particular
interest.
“So, you really love Paris, do you?” Diana was watering the flowers in the room
with a dainty little watering can…red, of course.
“Oh, I do!
Everything about the city looks…stunning…”
“Oh, it is, dear boy! Oh, it has it’s not so attractive things
about it, just like any other city, but one rarely notices them, once they are
there. There are too many beautiful
things to focus on instead.”
There was a knock at the door. Diana excused herself. Jason inquired who might be at the door. Diana raised her arm in the air, bracelets
jingling, and exclaimed as she rounded the corner toward the door, “Paris! Paris is here!”
Jason was truly curious. His aunt was
right; you just never knew what was going to happen next with Diana. A few moments later, she reappeared with a
tray containing two small plates with two shallow bowls on them, and two wine
glasses.
“Come, dear boy…come sit.” She gestured to a little table and two chairs
in the corner of the room. Jason sat
down as Diana distributed the contents of the tray.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before. What is it?”