Andrew J. Lederer

i was telling miss ives about a high school friend whose father was a venerable coney business owner.

said friend was a girl on whom i'd had a long-term crush and the irony of my telling ives about her was much in my consciousness.

y'see, i'd prized valerie (the crush) above people who really were interested in me.

in fact, once, when a girl i met at mcsorley's -- a sure thing in rob reiner parlance -- hooked up with me in california. i blew her off 'cause the crush showed unexpectedly.

i spent the rest of the night having ice thrown on my ardor while my sure thing did her thing elsewhere.

so, now, miss ives -- like the crush -- is a compelling package who has never seemed interested, hanging with me only when we run into each other and no one better's around.

on saturday, we again connected randomly; her friends hadn't shown, so we embarked on adventures together.

i had other invitations.

but i clung to her like a barnacle.