Little Black Book

Frank Allgood Jr's life was not always so good. Nevertheless, it was the cards life had it dealt Frank so, it had seemed.

From the time he was a kid, his dream was to earn a mechanical design engineering degree to make great money doing what he loved, designing motor cars. Something his family was very fond of.

His interest in building cars first came from listening to his father's tall and small tales and what his father sacrificed for him causing his dad to settle repairing vehicles for a living instead of designing cars. Over time, he would grow to love the process of making cars and, his passion grew.

Frank's dad fixed cars in their backyard garage. Growing up, Frank and his brother Sean listened to their fathers' stories about what type of cars he would have designed if he had gotten the opportunity to attend college.

Boasting, Frank Sr. would pull out old sketches dating back to when he was a teen from time-to-time to share with his sons. Most of the drawings were amazingly unique. While others, so futuristic; they seemed unrealistic, unattainable, and out of reach. Their mother, a stay-at-home wife, and mother had taught elementary English in the inner city before her health would impact her daily living.

They were high school sweethearts, his parents when his mother became pregnant with him. They both had been accepted into two different colleges when they learned of the unplanned pregnancy.

His dad would put his education on hold, work odds jobs to earn income to support his new family before working on cars. His mother attended community college until giving birth, later attaining a master's degree from a nearby university in English Literature.

Frank graduated from Bayonne High School a year ago. He was a full-time student at Columbia University in New York City pursuing his lifelong dream when life would alter his plans.

A semester in, Frank faces and comes to understand the harsh reality his father faced as a young man when his father unexpectedly dies from a heart attack, leaving his already fading mother to worry about him and his brother.

Having heard his fathers’ stories, Frank presumes the responsibilities of becoming the unofficial guardian over his disabled mother and little brother. The semester was coming to an end and Frank felt it was best to take time off school to focus on his family.

Hired at a 5-star restaurant downtown Manhattan his best friend helped him land. Frank and his brother discuss and agree on a schedule so their mother would not be left alone. Frank works the night shift while his brother attends his last year of high school.

On a busy evening at work. Frank and his best friend Paul park cars as quickly as they could. In between guests arriving and departing. Frank sits in a black cane bistro chair scribbling in a notebook.

"Hey! Can you put that book down? We got cars to park. Besides, it’s your turn," Paul in his Boston accent, tossing the keys to Frank to bring a couple's car around.

Catching the keys with one hand, Frank apologizes,

"Sorry, you know I am always thinking and creating."

"Yeah, I know Frank. But there is bread to be made here tonight."

Frank places the book on the seat of the chair with haste brings the Mercedes Benz around to get back into his book.

"How did that one make you feel?" Paul ask.

Frank explains, "It is pretty much your base luxury car. It didn’t do anything for my engine."

"Oh, yea." Paul laughs.

Frank returns to the chair feeling his father's ideas were flowing through his hands with each stroke.

A midnight color car slowly approaches. "Perhaps this will rev your engine." Says Paul.

Frank looks up from the little black book in awe, setting his book on the seat. The two debate over whose turn it is to park the car. Both desires to drive agrees one would park it and the other would return.

Frank had never seen such a well-designed vehicle up close. Taking back, he rushes to open to hold the door open. Out steps a tall thin but fit man in a button-down shirt and washed jeans. Frank wonders what type of work afforded the man to get his hands on such an exquisite piece of machinery.

In deep thought, Frank returns from parking the one-of-a-kind car in the parking garage.

"So, how was it, the drive?"

"I saw this car online at a car exhibit a few months back. The body is nothing compared to the spectacular inside! That car is the kind of mechanical design my pops spoke about!" A red Porsche pulls up to the curb. Frank tells Paul he could have that one, consumed by what he had experienced.

Returning to the chair, he begins to erase what he had been working on all night to start over.

After ten p.m. traffic to the restaurant has come to a slow. The two friends make small talk as Frank draws and erases; Paul counts the tip jar telling Frank about what he has planned for his girlfriend with his portion.

Then, the restaurant doors open. Out walks the driver of the vehicle, chatting with another guest. Frank quickly grabs the keys from the Valet Spot holding his book in his other hand. Paul looks up from counting, gives Frank a nod to go-ahead to take his turn in returning the car to the owner.

Excited to get behind the wheel of a car his dad would have appreciated if not designed himself. Franks take a moment to respect the engineer's genius mind behind this creation.

Staring, marveling over its sleek exterior, he rubs his hand along the roof of the car; climbs into the seat, sitting his book in the passenger seat. He inhales what appears to be Italian leather, grips the rich hand-stitched steering wheel, playing with the dashboard as if it were piano keys. It felt like heaven.

Before pulling in front of the restaurant, he positions the radio where it was and gets out. He stares at the car, then slowly caresses, and feels each curve of the driver's side from the front taillight to the backend.

The guy holding a conversation with the owner of the car, notices Frank rubbing the car. "Is he molesting your car," he asks.

Paul clears his throat then, hand suggests from the podium for Frank to cut it out. Standing, holding the door open, Frank continues admiring the interior of the car.

Frank: "Amazing car you have sir, I saw it at the recent car show."

The car owner responds, "Well, hopefully, if I can get a few glitches worked out, you will see it on the roads everywhere."

"You designed this car, Frank asks the guy?"

"Yes," he proudly answers.

"You have a brilliant imagination," Frank says.

"Thanks! We'll see how brilliant," the man chuckles driving off.

"Frank are you crazy! Do you want to get fired for having sex with our guests' cars?" Paul shouts.

"Paul, it is possible. What my dad dreamed of is achievable." Frank's voice full of excitement.

Paul tells Frank to come down off his high, handing him his half of the night tips.

Storing away the valet stand and chair for the night. Frank realizes his book is not there. Upset, still excited, he gets home to tell his brother about the car he drove, "It was one of dad's futuristic ideas."

The following evening, Frank works. He enters the heavy metal and glass framed doors, sees Paul standing behind the host desk.

Paul smiling and says, "You know the gentleman’s car you drooled all over last night? Well, he found and brought your black book back with his business card is inside."

Frank's eyes light up. Paul continues how impressed the guest was with his sketches, and how he believes Frank may be what his company needs to work out the glitches in that car he drove to get it to the market.

Frank digs through his pockets to take his cell phone out to call the number printed on the business card. The driver's receptionist answers, schedules a meeting for the following day. Frank's brother, Sean would go to school late that morning to avoid their mother. being home alone.

There, in his best attire, glancing over all the auto photography lining the office walls. Frank is offered a consulting position with the payment of twenty-thousand-dollars plus educational benefits.

From the consulting money, Frank would earn. He could afford to hire a part-time nurse to care for his mother, return to school the next semester, and invest in Sean's college education.

The End.