Those hands made me pull away but he was positioned behind me as I sat at the table. Before I knew what was happening he was groping my chest, stunning me into silence for just a second before I reacted, he had chosen the wrong girl to mess with as I grabbed his fingers. He made a strange noise as I jumped up and knocked the chair back into his groin, twisting his arm behind his back and slamming him into the fridge. He whined out that he was sorry and it was just a mistake but I was so enraged that for a split second I thought about the knife and removing his manhood. Lucky for him that a saner part of me took over and shoved him down the hall to the front door. He begged me not to tell anyone and pulled cash from his pocket that fell to the floor as I pushed him outside and locked the door. He stayed there for a moment with panic on his face, I pulled back the curtain and yelled through the window, "get the f*ck outta here Gianni !". He scurried away like the rat that he was and I decided to check all the locks just to be safe. There was 3 doors into the house and I quickly saw that the kitchen-patio exit was secure, then I made my way to the basement. There was a storage room behind mine that had a door to the small backyard, the only light was a single bulb in the center of the room. It was already dark out and the only thing I could see was the flickering flame of the water heater and the back door barely lit by the light from outside. I stopped there and listened, as the silence sucked the oxygen from the air I noticed the chain that dangled from the doorframe. Time slowed as I wondered why it hung straight down instead of the usual sagging loop, and I was struck stupid by the reality that someone had undone the chain. The 20 feet to the door became a mile as I held my breath and plunged forward into the darkness....

Jimmy survived the fall, and a hour later he was back in the crowd although he had been knocked out cold from the mix of alcohol and a concussion.That night blended into the next as the week flew by and we now were leaving The Ritz after the Peter Murphy show,tomorrow would be my last day with Michele for three weeks as she and her family travelled to London.The only good thing about them leaving was I would have the house to myself and could use the kitchen without feeling unwelcome. When I was upstairs creepy old Aunt Rose would watch me with the look that you could feel on your back when she was behind you.But now the house was quiet,Michele had gotten out of my bed in the predawn hours to catch the flight to London leaving me with a last passionate kiss. I was in the kitchen having a cup of coffee in the late afternoon when someone rang the doorbell. I couldn't imagine who it would be as I walked to door and looked through the peephole. It was Gianni,and although I thought it was little odd I let him come in and he went directly to the kitchen.He put a white box with red string on the table and motioned for me to sit down as he pulled out the chair and said, "I brought cannollis".He went behind me and pulled a knife from the drawer, he used it to cut the string on the box and then returned it to the counter.There was no way I could have anticipated what would happen next as he put both his hands on my shoulders.

I broke from our embrace and took a sip of beer as Kate walked up to us. We both acted as nothing had happened,this was something we would deal with at another time.The crowd was already gathering towards the center of the room as the roadies began to set up the instruments on the stage.I hadn't realized how much time had passed until I looked at my watch and saw it was already 10:30 and we made our way to the front.This place had probably been an old theater with the center of the room ringed by the upper balcony.Upstairs was dark wood and burgandy carpets with small tables for the lucky few that had grabbed spots along the brass rail.The floor moved with the shifting weight of the crowd,it was well-worn slatted wood.When The Cramps appeared the crowd began dancing and the floor moved with it in waves,sounds bouncing in the cavelike theater.I stopped thinking and joined the swirling mass of elbows and hips.As the lead singer poured red wine over his head I had a quick thought of Maria crying over it.Everyone was energized by the alcohol soaking and feeding the frenzy the singer climbed atop the large speaker at the side of the stage,disrobing along the way.With a tug on my sleeve I saw Mike,and Jimmy was already slamming his way to the stage.Jimmy was a funny guy but not the luckiest and he always seemed to find trouble.Tonight wasn't going to be any different but at least he couldn't short out the lights.He climbed on the stage to follow the others who had jumped to the crowd's arms.But this was Jimmy and he had bad timing,as he went to belly-flop the 6ft drop the crowd's attention was diverted to the now completely nude singer hanging from the balcony.Jimmy fell spread eagle to the only unoccupied space with a thud heard over the music.As security took him away Mike followed,looking to Michele to come with him.I smiled as she waved him on and came to my side.

Michele walked into the store, leaned over the counter and kissed my cheek. "Are you 'bout done? I'll buy you a slice." I finished counting my drawer as Michele chatted with Mongo and showed him her new boots. We both gave him a hug goodbye and I followed Michele to 6th Ave., The Ritz was on East 12th we could hoof it but Michele wanted to take a cab. It was really cold and Michele had extra cash so I hailed a taxi. I had barely closed the door when the cabbie sped off to catch the light. We both slid across the seat as the cab took a sharp right and I grabbed the strap hanging from the ceiling. In most cabs a loop was installed for riders to hold onto as their taxi careened through the canyons of Manhattan. That's what they called the effect of skyscrapers that stood like mountains carved by the street. Another fast turn and we were in front of the pizza place. Michele paid the driver and we went to the counter where the guy wearing the white tank top threw two slices into the oven. After chowing down and burning our mouths on the hot cheese, we started towards the club. I could see Kate was already there waiting for us. We gave our tickets to some kid with Robert Smith hair and Kate went to use the bathroom. Michele and I walked to the bar, " 2 Rolling Rocks over here.," she had the attention of the bartender without having to squeeze through others that were waiting to be served. She handed me the beer and kissed me without warning, I guess the only people she worried about knowing was her family. I kissed her back but stopped when I noticed Kate was watching us. I thought she might have feelings for me but I was unsure. Until now.

The first kiss, the only kiss that could last forever. It was the kind where you just fit and there were no thoughts to interfere with the purity of emotion. We were awoken in the morning by Michele's little sister, Jennifer knocking on my door. Michele looked me in the eyes and said, "Mom and Jenny can't know about us, they wouldn't understand." I nodded knowing exactly what she meant, her family was very Catholic and this relationship wasn't acceptable. I tried to shake off the worries of any consequences and got up to let Jenny in the room. "Mommy got bagels,come up now." Jenny pushed pass me and jumped on the bed, she was 10 and acted like she was 16. Jenny seemed to like me because I never talked to her like a child, but right now she was annoying me. Michele pushed her off the bed and said, " get outta here runt, we'll be up in a minute." I had to work latter in the day and would get out in time to grab a slice of pizza and meet Michele and Kate at the Ritz. Those four hour were going to take forever as I stood at my counter organizing the belts. I knew the evening had just gotten better as Michele walked into the store.