Eddie and the Cruisers

Lindy jumped when she heard the phone ring. She had been sitting there for nearly two hours, correcting papers. As she heard his voice say “hi, it’s me”, she felt her heart migrate from her chest to her throat.

“Please, don’t hang up” he urged, as Lindy felt herself begin to shake all over. “Okay” was all she could manage to say. It had been two months since they decided to part, two heartbreaking months of self-pity, recriminations, soul-searching introspection, and tears that made her body convulse.

“I want to talk to you, Lindy! I need to tell you some things…..can you come over?” He sounded concerned; whatever he wanted to discuss was very important to him. “When?” was all that came out of her mouth. “Now, if you possibly can!” he sounded very concerned, and whatever it was, there was a sense of urgency in his voice.

The last two and a half years flashed through her mind. They met when he came to talk about his granddaughter; she was failing Lindy’s class. They talked for almost an hour that day, the air was charged with particles of magic. 

His name is Edward, and that is what he likes to be called. Lindy saw him as an Eddie, as in Eddie and the Cruisers. Although Edward was dressed conservatively when they met, Lindy could immediately picture him in jeans and a tee-shirt, hair slicked back, looking every bit the “cruiser” himself.

It took him almost a month to ask her for a date. He sent a note to school with his granddaughter. Lindy had to laugh: that was so, so high school! And she loved it! They went out that very same night, and the next five nights in a row, too. There was definitely some chemistry there, no doubt about that!

As they got to know each other better, Lindy learned that Edward had been through a hideous divorce. He lost everything he ever thought about having, and then some. Lindy tried to understand but, her own divorce was so very mellow that she had trouble relating. She had been alone for almost 10 years when they met.

With time, they became very close. Their time together was wonderful, Lindy thought. They spent evenings and long weekends together; they went to movies, and concerts. They shopped for groceries and took turns cooking for each other. Their relationship seemed so perfect.

The breakup came as a surprise to both of them. Lindy took all the blame for making it happen: she is due to retire at the end of the semester and wanted to make plans to spend more time together. “More time together” as in marriage. Edward balked: he was terrified of another rancorous divorce, and losing everything he had built up since the last one. He told her he needed more time. Alone. 

The ensuing two months were hell for Lindy. She imagined Edward, smiling, as he “wined and dined” some other woman. She cried non-stop at times. She stopped eating. She felt her world had ended.

Now, he is on the phone. Oh, God! What should I do? Lindy thought about him almost constantly but, she had not imagined that this phone call would happen. “Yes” she heard herself say to him, “I can come over now.” She picked up her purse and headed out the door.

“Floor it!” Jimmy screamed. “Before they notice we’re gone!” As if by command, Bobby floored the accelerator pedal and the truck lunged forward, heading out of the parking lot. Inside the convenience store, the clerk was calling the police: “two teenagers just stole a 12-pack of beer! They’re headed east on State Street!” “Faster!” Jimmy screamed. And Bobby looked down at the accelerator. 

CRASH!! The sound of breaking glass and twisting metal resonated throughout the intersection. 

Witnesses rushed to see if anybody was alive; one called 911. A truck was sitting sideways in the intersection, the entire front end pleated into the driver’s side of the little Honda. A young girl screamed: “oh God, that’s my English teacher!”

Three lives brought together accidentally. Three lives lost in an instant.

"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,

So love the people who treat you right,

Forget about the ones who don’t,

And believe that everything happens for a reason.

If you’re given a chance---take it.

If it changes your life---let it."

(Author unknown)