The Manhattan Miracle on 37th Street { Part 1 of 4 }

© Poochoo & Me ~ Undine DeFilippo 2012

My best friend was a Tom Cat
named Poochoo
when I was twelve.

Our souls were in tune
with each other and
when our family moved
that summer,  both of us
were a little mixed up
for awhile.








My older sister and I pounced at our freedom the afternoon our Mother released us from moving duties. We had traded one neighborhood in the City for another and were happy to go window shopping in familiar territory.  Our escape lasted one short block when black clouds unexpectedly took over with a thunder clap and a gusher of rain.


GiGi confidently looked at me as if to say, "No problem !", and proudly reached into her handbag to produce an item no one in NYC yet had, a pocket umbrella, which she had received as a special birthday present from a relative overseas.

As she opened it, we heard a man's desperate call to us,
"Girls, Girls !"

Under the stairway canopy of the corner Diner, stood the finest specimen of a man I had ever seen, wearing a cream suit, shiny black shoes and black shirt.
Even Rhett Butler, whom I was secretly in love with, suddenly paled in comparison.
It appeared as if a light was glowing only on him.
As corny as it sounds, I heard a chorus of angels all around him.
Yes, I was a hopeless preteen romantic.

I noticed his impish smile and gentle eyes as he continued,
"Would you share your umbrella with me ?
I'm late for a party and my car is parked just around the corner."

Well, if you're at all familiar with these umbrellas, you'll know they're quite small and fitting three
under one is impossible, unless one of you really is a cat.  Of course, I got bumped into
the drenching rain. After all, it wasn't my umbrella.  No matter, I was content
to walk a few steps behind and continued admiring the view.

The man had been honest about his car's location and thanked us as he unlocked the door and got in.

Now dripping wet from head to toe, my hair in strings around my face and
feet squeaking in soggy shoes, I gleefully chimed,
"Oh, that man was  SO  beautiful !  The  MOST  beautiful man I  EVER  saw ! 
When I grow up, I want to marry a man  EXACTLY  like that one !"

Playing mother, as older sisters sometimes do, and disgusted that our freedom
was to be short lived, GiGi scolded,
" Don't be ridiculous. That man never even noticed you, nor asked you your name !
Just look at you ! You're sopping ! We have to go home now !"

TO  BE  CONTINUED...

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