Elizabeth is a Caribbean American attending college in Ohio. After she meets playboy and football player Paul Newman, they hit it off. When opposites attract, things immediately get heated. Once a heated affair begins, Liz finds herself seeing life...
I felt tears in my eyes as Paul tied his suitcase on top of his car. He turned back to me and looked down at me, then wrapped me in a tight hug.
"So where are you headed to?" I asked with tears on my cheeks.
"Well, I think I'm going to vacation a little bit. Get my mind off of things." Paul nodded. "Figure our what I want to do."
"What's going to happen to your car?" I asked in shock.
"I'm driving down to Shaker Heights to drop it off, I'm gonna I'm pack some of this stuff, then I'll be off ." Paul slapped the suitcase on top of his car.
"You're so free." I observed as I held back tears. "You're just going where the wind takes you."
"You could come with me." Paul reminded me. I shook my head no, and then placed my hands on his cheeks to kiss him.
Some of his frat brothers who hadn't already left came out to say goodbye. They crowded around him and began throwing their fist in the air.
Hoot! Hoot! Hoot! Hoot!
They shouted as they all pushed him around. I smiled as I watched, then the rest walked off elsewhere. Dave stuck around since Paul was his ride to the bus station.
Paul wrapped me in his arms and as I looked into his blue eyes I noticed they were red. "I know I can't keep you in a relationship like this."
A tear fell down my cheek.
"But I want to be able to write you, Liz. Please, if I write you, answer." Paul said as he looked into my eyes.
"I'll always answer." I cried and wrapped my arms around his neck, resting my face on his chest. He rubbed my neck as I cried into him, then he lifted my face and kissed me.
"We've gotta go." Paul said, then left one final kiss on my nose. He and Dave both jumped in the car and Paul turned his key.
It didn't start up.
"Damn it!" Paul shouted out and I laughed, wiping away a tear.
Paul finally got his car to start up, then immediately drove off. I waved as he disappeared into the distance.
Then, I slowly walked over to my house. Mildred stood by her car as well. Her car was filled with suitcases and gifts the girls gave her. When her eyes fell on me, I noticed her nose was red from all the crying.
"Liz." She opened her arms. I ran up to her and held her in a hug. She kissed the top of my head. "Be good, Liz. Take care of yourself."
"I can't believe you're leaving, Millie." Virginia cried.
"You've been here since day one for us." Shirley said as tears ran down their eyes.
"I've got to move on to that next part in my life." Mildred shrugged. "I'm moving to the Big Apple."
"Wow. In Manhattan?" I asked with widened eyes.
"Nope, Staten Island. But New York nonetheless." Mildred shrugged.
"I'm so proud of you, Millie. You've been saving up since forever!" Shirley smiled at her.
"You're going to be a wonderful doctor some day." Virginia nodded. Then more tears came out. "Oh Millie, who is going to look after us?"
Shirley and I both laughed through our tears and Mildred smiled.
"Barbara will be a good watchdog." Millie winked and they all laughed. She looked down at her watch then up at the sky. "I better start driving if I want to go a far distance before sundown."
We all wrapped her in one final hug together and laughed as she wiggled herself out.
"I want letters and photographs from all of you!" Millie wiggled her finger at us as she walked around her car to the drivers seat. "And I want to be bridesmaids in all of your weddings!"
We all laughed as we looked at each other. Millie's car started and she was off like the rest of the people.
We walked out into the street and waved as she drove away, then turned around and headed back into the house. It was quiet in that house, and the girls were going home one by one.
I laid in my room, upset that Paul had left.
—
Over the next few years, I'd get a ton of letters from Paul. For months he was having a grand old time all around the country. Then finally he found himself in Wisconsin where he'd be a part of the Belfry Players.
September, 1950
Dear Elizabeth,
The Belfry Theatre has been good to me. People here are nice and selfless here. It reminds me of being back at home, except in my old town, not the house my parents live in now. I think about you all the time out here, and wonder when you'll pay me a visit. I finally got a hold of our yearbook. Attached is a ditto of a page from it. As you can see they gave me a little blurb. "Antagonist Of Roommates" they named me. I guess my pranks really did make a mark. I might be more proud of that title than I am of my so sought after degree in Drama & Economics. So far I'm only using the first half of that.
Paul Newman
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December 1950,
Dear Elizabeth,
I can't believe I've found myself at Yale School Of Drama. Connecticut is a nice little place, I must say if you ask me. There's a ton of pretty girls here but I can't stop thinking about you. I'd do anything to touch you right now, Elizabeth. All I can do is touch myself these days. I know we broke it off, but I don't want any other girl. I hope no one comes in and opens this letter. I apologize for being so heated, but I can't contain my feelings. I need you, all of you, right now Elizabeth. Please write back in the same tone, I need to know what you'd say if you were here so it's not just my imagination.
I wrote back for sure, and the letter sent back to me proudly had a stain on it.
July 1951
My time at Yale has come to a close and now I'm headed to the next big thing. I got a small job working in a factory in New Jersey. I live in a small residence in a place called Staten Island, it's in New York. I don't have any friends here at all, but I'm making some by attending The Theatre. I hope to get a spot on Broadway one way or another. It'd be a dream for you to come down to New York to visit. Maybe you could see your family while you're here as well.
