WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.900 align:middle line:90% 00:00:00.900 --> 00:00:02.460 align:middle line:90% I went back upstairs. 00:00:02.460 --> 00:00:05.370 align:middle line:84% "I'll take the orchids, too, then," the officer said. 00:00:05.370 --> 00:00:07.320 align:middle line:84% He checked his watch, looked toward the door. 00:00:07.320 --> 00:00:09.153 align:middle line:84% I told him it would only take a little while 00:00:09.153 --> 00:00:10.710 align:middle line:90% while I wrote up the orders. 00:00:10.710 --> 00:00:12.360 align:middle line:84% While I was downstairs, he picked up 00:00:12.360 --> 00:00:15.570 align:middle line:84% two vases, a big Waterford for the roses, a narrow one 00:00:15.570 --> 00:00:16.590 align:middle line:90% for the orchids. 00:00:16.590 --> 00:00:19.620 align:middle line:84% He wanted everything sent to address on Bayard, 00:00:19.620 --> 00:00:23.340 align:middle line:84% two separate packages, same name on each one, a woman's. 00:00:23.340 --> 00:00:25.530 align:middle line:84% I had to tell him there would be a delivery charge 00:00:25.530 --> 00:00:26.580 align:middle line:90% because it was so late. 00:00:26.580 --> 00:00:28.410 align:middle line:90% He shrugged, fine. 00:00:28.410 --> 00:00:30.190 align:middle line:90% I knew he wouldn't care. 00:00:30.190 --> 00:00:31.650 align:middle line:90% But he was just getting started. 00:00:31.650 --> 00:00:33.960 align:middle line:84% A noble fir wreath and a tree, for heaven's sake, 00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:35.220 align:middle line:90% to the same address. 00:00:35.220 --> 00:00:37.860 align:middle line:84% I told him I'd have to call the greenhouse about that. 00:00:37.860 --> 00:00:40.200 align:middle line:84% I explained to Charlie it was an officer in the Navy 00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:42.240 align:middle line:84% who had just come home and was shopping late. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:46.050 align:middle line:84% Charlie, weary but willing, said he guessed so. 00:00:46.050 --> 00:00:50.520 align:middle line:84% I can hear his tired voice saying, "just under the wire." 00:00:50.520 --> 00:00:54.820 align:middle line:84% Then the officer said he also had an FTD order, a telegraph 00:00:54.820 --> 00:00:55.320 align:middle line:90% order. 00:00:55.320 --> 00:00:57.420 align:middle line:84% He fished in his trouser pocket and brought out 00:00:57.420 --> 00:00:58.830 align:middle line:90% a crumpled paper. 00:00:58.830 --> 00:01:02.070 align:middle line:84% It was a California address, a woman's name 00:01:02.070 --> 00:01:04.560 align:middle line:84% he had to spell for me because it was Spanish. 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:06.480 align:middle line:84% An officer in the Navy would naturally 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:09.480 align:middle line:84% have someone with a foreign name waiting in a port city. 00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:11.580 align:middle line:90% It was Fresno on the coast. 00:01:11.580 --> 00:01:14.790 align:middle line:84% Again, he wanted roses, three dozen if possible, 00:01:14.790 --> 00:01:17.040 align:middle line:90% loose in a box, no arrangement. 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:18.630 align:middle line:90% I understood perfectly. 00:01:18.630 --> 00:01:20.820 align:middle line:84% Arrangements were somehow domestic 00:01:20.820 --> 00:01:24.000 align:middle line:84% but the instruction, loose in a box, 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:26.370 align:middle line:84% was romantic and, though I didn't have 00:01:26.370 --> 00:01:28.590 align:middle line:90% the word at the time, erotic. 00:01:28.590 --> 00:01:29.550 align:middle line:90% [LAUGHTER] 00:01:29.550 --> 00:01:31.770 align:middle line:84% People sent arrangements on Mother's Day. 00:01:31.770 --> 00:01:36.150 align:middle line:84% They sent roses loose in a box on Valentine's. 00:01:36.150 --> 00:01:37.710 align:middle line:90% And the enclosure cards? 00:01:37.710 --> 00:01:40.740 align:middle line:84% Sign them all Tom, love on everything. 00:01:40.740 --> 00:01:43.410 align:middle line:84% We stood together by the big marble table 00:01:43.410 --> 00:01:44.760 align:middle line:90% while I wrote out the orders. 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:46.950 align:middle line:84% As I copied the addresses from the order forms 00:01:46.950 --> 00:01:49.860 align:middle line:84% to the delivery slips, I asked him out of politeness 00:01:49.860 --> 00:01:51.420 align:middle line:90% what his rank was. 00:01:51.420 --> 00:01:54.180 align:middle line:84% He was checking his watch and he looked up sharply. 00:01:54.180 --> 00:01:55.890 align:middle line:90% He didn't answer right away. 00:01:55.890 --> 00:01:58.920 align:middle line:84% "In the Navy," I said, confused myself. 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:00.690 align:middle line:84% Maybe rank was the word for the army. 00:02:00.690 --> 00:02:02.520 align:middle line:84% Maybe the Navy had some other word. 00:02:02.520 --> 00:02:04.950 align:middle line:84% Maybe it was impolite to inquire. 00:02:04.950 --> 00:02:07.710 align:middle line:90% "Captain," he said. 00:02:07.710 --> 00:02:11.100 align:middle line:84% "Nice to be home for Christmas," I offered, "on leave." 00:02:11.100 --> 00:02:13.650 align:middle line:84% The lavish spenders like to make small talk. 00:02:13.650 --> 00:02:17.550 align:middle line:84% All he told me, "yeah, great to be home on leave." 00:02:17.550 --> 00:02:18.990 align:middle line:90% I asked where his ship was. 00:02:18.990 --> 00:02:20.340 align:middle line:90% At this he did not pause. 00:02:20.340 --> 00:02:21.810 align:middle line:90% "San Diego," he said. 00:02:21.810 --> 00:02:23.200 align:middle line:90% "San Diego." 00:02:23.200 --> 00:02:24.330 align:middle line:90% He said it twice. 00:02:24.330 --> 00:02:26.790 align:middle line:90% Then, "I'm kind of in a rush." 00:02:26.790 --> 00:02:28.500 align:middle line:84% He was sorry to have to rush me, he said, 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:29.920 align:middle line:84% but he had people waiting for him. 00:02:29.920 --> 00:02:31.080 align:middle line:90% He turned toward the door. 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:34.560 align:middle line:84% "The holiday, you know," he said smiling that wonderful smile. 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:36.280 align:middle line:84% "The holidays are crazy," I said. 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:39.000 align:middle line:84% We smiled into each other's faces, almost friends. 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:40.920 align:middle line:90% And how would you like to pay? 00:02:40.920 --> 00:02:42.395 align:middle line:90% He gave the usual formula. 00:02:42.395 --> 00:02:43.770 align:middle line:84% "Put it on our account," he said. 00:02:43.770 --> 00:02:45.228 align:middle line:84% "You have the address right there." 00:02:45.228 --> 00:02:48.450 align:middle line:84% He pointed helpfully, reaching over to the delivery slips, 00:02:48.450 --> 00:02:51.100 align:middle line:84% grazing my hands slightly with his own. 00:02:51.100 --> 00:02:54.297 align:middle line:84% "Mrs. Thomas," he said, pointing to the last name 00:02:54.297 --> 00:02:55.380 align:middle line:90% and the address on Bayard. 00:02:55.380 --> 00:02:57.120 align:middle line:90% Ah, the wife. 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:00.090 align:middle line:84% I smiled a sophisticated Ollie smile, thinking of the woman 00:03:00.090 --> 00:03:02.700 align:middle line:84% with the Spanish name in Fresno on the coast who 00:03:02.700 --> 00:03:05.610 align:middle line:84% was getting three dozen roses loose in a box to the wife's 00:03:05.610 --> 00:03:07.110 align:middle line:90% two arranged in a vase. 00:03:07.110 --> 00:03:10.080 align:middle line:84% Well, the wife was also getting the orchids and the Waterford 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:11.340 align:middle line:90% vase, score even. 00:03:11.340 --> 00:03:13.500 align:middle line:90% [LAUGHTER] 00:03:13.500 --> 00:03:15.360 align:middle line:84% "And if California's out of roses?" 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:16.980 align:middle line:90% I asked at the last minute. 00:03:16.980 --> 00:03:20.310 align:middle line:84% "Something nice," he said vaguely, the way all the best 00:03:20.310 --> 00:03:22.920 align:middle line:84% customers talk, trusting everything to us. 00:03:22.920 --> 00:03:24.240 align:middle line:90% Something nice. 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:25.890 align:middle line:84% He was already headed to the door. 00:03:25.890 --> 00:03:27.090 align:middle line:90% People were waiting for him. 00:03:27.090 --> 00:03:27.870 align:middle line:90% I thanked him. 00:03:27.870 --> 00:03:29.700 align:middle line:90% I added sir. 00:03:29.700 --> 00:03:32.130 align:middle line:84% This apparently pleased him because halfway to the door, 00:03:32.130 --> 00:03:35.850 align:middle line:84% he turned as he pulled on his officer's hat 00:03:35.850 --> 00:03:40.290 align:middle line:84% and gave me a little salute and a final Robert Mitchum smile. 00:03:40.290 --> 00:03:42.660 align:middle line:84% The store was empty, the Dexter candy clerks 00:03:42.660 --> 00:03:44.790 align:middle line:84% had shrouded the long glass case and turned off 00:03:44.790 --> 00:03:45.840 align:middle line:90% the display lights. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:48.750 align:middle line:84% Ollie and Mrs. B were putting on their overshoes at their order 00:03:48.750 --> 00:03:50.310 align:middle line:90% desks behind the counter. 00:03:50.310 --> 00:03:53.010 align:middle line:84% Ollie called to me to lock the front door. 00:03:53.010 --> 00:03:56.670 align:middle line:84% My Navy officer, I saw, had gone across the street to Bullard's. 00:03:56.670 --> 00:03:58.440 align:middle line:90% He was peering in the door. 00:03:58.440 --> 00:04:00.300 align:middle line:90% He pounded on the glass. 00:04:00.300 --> 00:04:02.490 align:middle line:84% I could see that the Bullard's cream satin windows 00:04:02.490 --> 00:04:04.020 align:middle line:90% were already vacant, though. 00:04:04.020 --> 00:04:07.260 align:middle line:84% He wouldn't get in under the wire at Bullard's as he 00:04:07.260 --> 00:04:08.760 align:middle line:90% had so luckily with us. 00:04:08.760 --> 00:04:11.550 align:middle line:84% Probably he was looking for diamonds, 00:04:11.550 --> 00:04:13.830 align:middle line:84% whether for the wife on Bayard or the Spanish woman 00:04:13.830 --> 00:04:17.270 align:middle line:84% on the coast, it was impossible to know.