The Brief Debut of Tildy

If you do not know Bogle’s Chop House and Family Restaurant it is your loss. Bogle’s Family Restaurant on Eighth Avenue is not a famous place, but if you need a large cheap meal, then Bogle’s is the place for you. There are two rows of tables in the room, six in each row. At the cashier’s desk sits Bogle, cold, sordid, slow, and takes your money. Behind a mountain of toothpicks he makes your change. You are not Bogle’s friend; you are a fed, transient customer, and you and he may not meet again. So take your change and go – to the devil if you like.

There are also two waitresses and a Voice. One of the waitresses was named Aileen. She was tall, beautiful, lively, and gracious.

The name of the other waitress was Tildy. Why do you suggest Matilda? Please listen this time – Tildy – Tildy. Tildy was small, fat and not beautiful.

The Voice at Bogle’s was invisible. It came from the kitchen.

Let’s say again: Aileen was beautiful. Aileen knew how to hold a conversation with twelve people and work hard at the same time. The customers at Bogle’s were her slaves. They were happy to wait a long time for their meals because they could look at her. Every man there – and they were mostly men – tried to make his impression upon her.

The regulars were her adorers. There was much rivalry among many of the steady customers. All the men wanted to give her presents. At least twice a week someone took her to a theatre or to a dance.

One gentleman presented her with a turquoise ring and another one gave her a little dog. And the man who always ate spareribs and spinach and said he was a stock broker asked her to go to “Parsifal” with him.

“I don’t know where this place is,” said Aileen, “Well, I guess!”

But, Tildy!

In the busy, noisy restaurant men’s eyes did not follow Tildy. Nobody laughed and talked with her.

Tildy with the blunt nose, the hay-coloured hair, the freckled skin, had never had an admirer. Nobody asked her to go dancing, and nobody gave her presents. When she stood by the tables, the men looked round her to see Aileen. No one had ever given her a turquoise ring or invited her upon a voyage to mysterious, distant “Parsifal.”

And Tildy was happy to work with no thanks, she was happy to see the men with Aileen, she was happy to know that the men loved Aileen. She was Aileen’s friend; and she was glad to see her friend happy. But deep inside she was dreaming of a prince.

There was a morning when Aileen came to work with a slightly bruised eye.

“Last night,” explained Aileen, “I was going home. Suddenly a guy began to bother me. I turned him down, but he followed me, and tried again. Gee! I pushed him, then he gave me that eye. Does it look real awful, Til?”

Tildy listened to the adventure with breathless admiration. No man had ever tried to follow her. She was safe abroad at any time. What bliss it must have been!

Among the customers at Bogle’s was a young man named Seeders, who worked in a laundry office. Mr. Seeders was thin and had light hair. He knew that Aileen was not interested in him, so he sat at one of Tildy’s tables, said nothing, and ate his fish.

One day when Mr. Seeders came in to dinner he had been drinking beer. There were only two or three customers in the restaurant. When Mr. Seeders had finished his fish he got up, put his arm around Tildy’s waist, kissed her loudly and impudently and walked out upon the street.

For a few moments Tildy stood petrified. Then Aileen said to her,

“Why, Til, you naughty girl! I must keep an eye on you, my lady. I don’t want to lose my men to you!”

Suddenly Tildy’s world changed. She herself was now a man-charmer. Man had found her waist achievable and her lips desirable. The freckles on Tildy’s cheeks merged into a rosy flush. Not even Aileen herself had been publicly embraced and kissed in the restaurant.

Tildy could not keep the delightful secret. She understood now that men could like her and want her as much as Aileen. Her eyes were bright, and her face was pink. She wanted to tell everybody her secret. When the restaurant was quiet, she went and stood by Bogle’s desk.

“A gentleman insulted me today,” she said. “He hugged me around the waist and kissed me.”

“That so?“ said Bogle. “After this week you get a dollar a week more.”

And when, in the evening, the restaurant was busy again, Tildy put down the food on the tables and said quietly, “Do you know what a man in the restaurant did to me today? He put his arm round me and kissed me!”

Some of the men in the restaurant were surprised; some of them said, “Well done!” Men began to smile and say nice things to her. Tildy was very happy. Love was now possible in her grey life. Tildy’s heart swelled in her bosom.

For two days Mr. Seeders came not again. During that time Tildy was a different woman. She bought ribbons, and arranged her hair like Aileen’s, and tightened her waist two inches. Now she was a real woman because someone loved her. She felt excited, and a little afraid. She had a thrilling but delightful fear that Mr. Seeders would rush in suddenly and shoot her with a pistol. Impulsive lovers are always blindly jealous.

At 4 o’clock on the afternoon of the third day Mr. Seeders came in. There were no customers at the tables. Mr. Seeders walked back to where they stood.

Tildy looked at him, and she could not speak. Mr Seeders’ face was very red, and he looked uncomfortable.

Mr. Seeders was flushed and embarrassed. He plunged one hand into his hip pocket and the other into a fresh pumpkin pie.

“Miss Tildy,” said he, “I want to apologise for what I did to you a few days ago. Tell you the truth, I was very drunk I didn’t know what I was doing. I’m very sorry. So I hope, Miss Tildy, you’ll accept my apology.”

With this handsome plea Mr. Seeders departed.

But Tildy ran into the kitchen, and began to cry. She could not stop crying. She was no longer beautiful. No man loved her. No man wanted her. The kiss meant nothing to Mr Seeders. Tildy did not like him very much, but the kiss was important to her – and now there was nothing.

Yet not all was lost. Aileen’s arm was around her.

“Don’t be unhappy, Til,” said Aileen, who did not understand entirely. “That Seeders is merely nothing. A real gentleman never apologises.”

Exercises

1. Choose the right variant:

1. Mr. Seeders knew that Aileen was not interested in him.

2. Mr. Seeders was sure that Aileen was interested in him.

3. Mr. Seeders knew that Tildy was not interested in him.

4. Mr. Seeders knew that Tildy was interested in him.

2. How did Aileen call Tildy?

1. Tilly

2. Matty

3. Til

4. Matilda

3. Where did Mr. Seeders work?

1. in a restaurant

2. in a laundry office

3. in a factory

4. he did not work

4. What is “Parsifal”?

1. a cabaret in New York

2. a famous vegetarian restaurant

3. an establishment that provides lodging

4. an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner

5. What does a stock broker do?

1. He is a professional in the social science discipline of economics.

2. He is the provider of the goods or services.

3. He buys and sells stocks and other securities.

4. He is a person engaged in activities related to creating art.

6. That so? =

1. So what?

2. Really?

3. How do you do?

4. What’s up?

7. Choose the right variant:

1. The freckles on Tildy’s cheeks merged into a yellow flush.

2. The freckles on Tildy’s cheeks merged into a green flush.

3. The freckles on Tildy’s cheeks merged into a rosy flush.

4. The freckles on Tildy’s cheeks merged into a red flush.

8. Why did Tildy become a real woman?

1. Tildy became a real woman because she was nice.

2. Tildy became a real woman because she had a good friend.

3. Tildy became a real woman because she found a good job.

4. Tildy became a real woman because someone loved her.

9. Insert the appropriate verb:

She had a thrilling but delightful fear that Mr. Seeders would _____________ in suddenly and shoot her with a pistol.

10. Choose the correct form of the verb to drink:

One day when Mr. Seeders came in to dinner he _____________ had been drinking beer.

1. drinks

2. would drink

3. had been drinking

4. was drinking

11. Choose the correct verbs:

No one ever __________ her a turquoise ring or _________ her upon a voyage to mysterious, distant “Parsifal”.

1. was giving, invited

2. gives, invited

3. gives, invited

4. had given, invited

12. Insert the right prepositions:

with – at – to – with

1. Do you know what a man in the restaurant did _____________ me today?

2. Tildy _____________ the blunt nose, the hay-coloured hair, the freckled skin, had never had an admirer.

3. One gentleman presented her _____________ a turquoise ring and another one gave her a little dog.

4. Aileen knew how to hold a conversation with twelve people and work hard _____________ the same time.

13. Complete the chart: