Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2012 09:47:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ben Ezra Jacobson <ben_ezra_jacobson@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Thunder Storm Chapter two

Please find enclosed...chapter two of my story The Thunder Storm.  This
story is true as are the interactions...but I have changed some of the
names to protect the privacy of those involved.  The first chapter is
archived under Science Fiction and Fantasy.  It might have been better
placed under the category of "older persons"...but never the less...I
appreciate you printing it regardless.  Thanks.

The Thunder Storm
Chapter two
By Ben_Ezra_jacobson@yahoo.com

     The mystery person did not return to the condo across the courtyard
for the next two weeks.  I started staying up later at night to read and
work on my family history story for Jacob and Levi...and would pause at
9:00, 10:00 & 11:00 PM each night to go to the window and look out...but no
night visitor came to the window across the court yard.  More weeks passed
and the cool air of Autumn settled in.  Then we heard that the condo was
finished and a new owner would be taking possession in a week or so.  The
new owners name was Jean something or another.  I was relieved in one sense
and outraged in another.  How could a lady being moving into this condo
where I had experienced such intense emotional upheaval over the last few
months.  Jean something or another...would put up lacy curtains and
probably paint all the walls pink and my mystery would end...just as
that...a mystery.  I would hate her...I would not go with the other
neighbors to welcome her to the neighborhood and would not attend a
reception party...no way.  Even more so...I needed to focus on my own
business and attend to my students, my sons and my friends.  This fantasy
was ending...and I was fortunate to be rid of it.  That was the way it had
to be!

     Ms. What's her name move in to the condo but I did not go around to
welcome her to the neighborhood.  I did not offer to help move in furniture
or personal affects...I was resolved not to speak.  After all...she ruined
my dream...and I felt incredibly foolish but more than that, I felt
terribly disappointed.  Kind of like when you are a kid and you know you
are going to get a new bike for Christmas and when you open the
packages...all the presents are clothing.  I lowered the blinds on my
bedroom window and pulled the heavy draperies...and resolved not to look
out those windows again until winter had ended and spring returned.  And so
it would be.


     The university was closing for Christmas break.  Jacob was spending
Christmas with his girl friend's family on the coast and Levi was staying
in England for the holidays.  Both called almost every day to visit and to
persuade me to go on a cruise or something rather than to stay at home for
the holidays...but traveling did not appeal to me this year.  They finally
accepted that I preferred to stay home and work on my book.  On the last
day of classes, after collecting all term papers... I had refreshments for
my students and spent the better part of each class period visiting and
saying good bye for the holidays... and then allowed them to leave a half
hour early to finish any tasks that they might need to do, to leave for
home.  Snow had started falling around mid day.  At first it was light and
dusted the side walks but by the time campus was shutting down, the snow
was beginning to accumulate.  I had walked to class in the
 morning hours and now was going to walk home as dusk was approaching.  The
walks might be slick...but it was too close to home to call a cab and my
colleagues had already left for the day.

     As I approached home, the snow plows were beginning to pass in the
street and the condo Maintenance crew were cleaning and salting the
sidewalks.  There were lights on in Ms what's her names condo as I crossed
the street and walked around to my side of the complex.  The house was dark
and a little on the cold side.  I had not turned up the thermostat before
leaving this morning...and the rooms were uncomfortably cool.  While the
heat came up...this might be a nice evening for a fire in the
fireplace...which opened to both the living room and to my bedroom.  It had
been nearly a year since I last built a fire and the log box had enough of
last years logs probably for tonight.  It would be necessary to order more
wood tomorrow if I wanted a fire over the holidays.  I would tend to it in
the morning.

      I did not feel like cooking and decided to order a pizza from
Joes...not only the original pizza place in our university town...but also
the best in town.  They put the Italian sausage on raw and then baked
it...the result was a very greasy but wonderfully flavorful pizza.  I could
eat all I wanted and never seem to gain weight.  While the order was being
prepared, I showered and put on a pair of burgundy jogging sweats and a
long sleeve white pull over shirt and a pair of fleece lined moccasins.
When the delivery boy knocked...I let him in and went to the shelf for the
money I had set out to pay my tab.

     " Hey Dr. Jacobson...you may need to warm the pizza a bit in the
microwave.  It is getting cold out and the damn things cool off really
fast."

     " I will do that, Tony.  Thanks for coming out on a cold, snowy
night."  I handed him a twenty for the pizza and a five dollar tip.
     "Thanks Dr. J.  I just delivered a pizza to one of your neighbors
around the other side...Jean Dubois.  Got a nice tip there as well..!
Thanks...bye."
     I do not give a shit about Ms. Dubois...I said to myself as Toni
closed the door upon leaving.  She can choke on it for all I care.  The
pizza was wonderful...as it always is.  I added another log to the fire
before turning on the television for the local news.  The news highlights
were about the weather and how quickly it was changing to a possible storm.
It was good that my students would all be on the train, plane or almost
home if they were driving and I was comfortable here with food, fire and
comfort.  More snow was being predicted.

     As the evening became night, the fire in the fire place was slowly
dying and I turned on the television in the living room off and turned the
one in the bedroom on.  The heat was comfortable by now as I grabbed the
news paper, stepped out of all of my clothing and climbed into bed.  The
weatherman on the news said that we could expect large wet flakes with a
possible accumulation with in the city.  When the hall clock struck
eleven...I tossed the newspaper to the floor and hit the remote to cancel
the TV.  So large wet flakes would continue through the night and some
accumulation would be possible, huh?  Only embers lay twinkling in the
hearth.  On impulse, I got up and opened the drapes and raised the blinds.
Indeed, large white flakes were falling and the courtyard was white.  The
plants and shrubs were covered in white...as was the lawn furniture and all
the trees.  As I started to turn away and to return to my bed...movement
across the courtyard caught my eye.  Standing in the bedroom window across
the court yard with the slightest of lights behind in the room was the
naked figure of the man I had been waving to last summer.