"...She sees the look!" Lenny stopped strumming and said, "So whaddaya think?"
His best friend shook his head. "That ain't a Squigtones number."
"Well, no, it's more of a duet for me and some girl."
"Yeah? Then why don't you get Laverne to sing it with you at Senior Talent Night?"
Lenny played dumb. "Laverne? She can't sing."
"Yeah, but she's the girl, ain't she?"
"No, of course not. I never drove down no highway with her. And her mother is dead. And she don't have no brother or sister."
"Oh, right. What was I thinkin'?"
Squiggy saw through him, but Lenny wasn't gonna admit it. The details were different, but the feelings were the same. Well, one detail was true. He started writing the song after he saw her standin' on the corner, stretchin' out her sweater (angora), and poppin' her gum. And for once, biting his hand wasn't enough to express how he felt.
And the way the girl was on to the guy in the song, that was Laverne. He could've written a duet where he got the girl, but he didn't know what that felt like.
Squiggy was on to him, too. He knew Lenny wanted to sing the song with Laverne. But what if Laverne said no? Well, maybe Lenny wouldn't tell her she was the inspiration.
He headed over to the Pizza Bowl, where Laverne worked for her father to make a little after-school money. He ordered just one slice and no drink, because he was still broke from buying the guitar.
"Hey, Laverne, one of your bum friends is here!" bellowed Mr. DeFazio into the kitchen.
"Pop, he's not—" Laverne broke off before Lenny could find out if she was gonna say he wasn't a bum or wasn't her friend. She came out of the kitchen and said, "Hi, Lenny."
"Hey, Laverne, ya got a minute?"
"We're kinda busy here. I'm helpin' out in the kitchen and resetting pins and—"
"It'll just take a minute. Would you be in the talent show with me?"
"Oh, gee, I dunno."
"Please, Laverne. I've been practicing a song but it's really more of a duet."
"You're kiddin', right? I can't really sing."
"You don't have to sing beautiful or nothin'."
"Gee, thanks."
"How about I walk you home after closing time and I'll teach it to you on the way."
She gave him a wary look. "What, like, a date?"
"No, just two people walkin' down the street."
"Well, I'll ask my father."
"Uh, OK." He knew her father was Italian and strict, if that wasn't redolent.
She went over to the counter and had a frantic, whispered conversation with Mr. DeFazio, then came back and said, "OK, see you at nine."
"Gee, thanks, Laverne!"
When he came back with his guitar, both DeFazios met him outside.
"You don't mind if Pop tags along, do ya?"
Like he had a choice. But Lenny just said, "No, it's great. We can get an objectified opinion on the song."
Mr. DeFazio shook his head. "I don't like rock & roll. Why don't you play something nice, like Perry Como?"
"Pop, you don't know it's rock & roll."
"Uh, it's rock & roll," Lenny admitted.
"Then I'm walkin' a block behind you."
Well, that was probably as unchaperoned a time with Laverne as Lenny was gonna get.
He strummed the guitar and started singing, explaining as he went along what her part was. The lyrics were pretty simple but they had some plays on words, which amused her.
" 'Slowin' at the shoulders and huggin' those curves.' Gee, I wonder what you mean by that." She elbowed him in the ribs.
He blushed a little in the darkness. He'd kind of hoped to get that insinuendo past her, but she was a sharp cookie.
" 'But it's not the road that gets on my nerves.' Yeah, that's for sure." But she let him teach her the rest.
She didn't have a great singing voice. It was partly her lingering Brooklyn accent and partly her not having a melanic sound. But it was the perfect voice for this song.
"You'll be terrific, Laverne!"
"Gee, I don't know, Len. I mean, the song is fun. Where'd you get it, by the way?"
"Uh, it was on a 45 in the discount bin at the record store. The name was rubbed off."
"Oh. Well, I really like it. But I can't stand up in front of the whole school and sing."
"Sure you can. I'll be with you."
She didn't look like she thought that would help matters.
Still, she agreed to practice in the school auditorium when it was empty. She brought her best friend, Shirley Feeney, along, like for protection. Except that when Squiggy found out, then he wanted to sit next to her. So the next time, Shirley invited Carmine Ragusa, she claimed for musical advice, since he could really sing, but probably mostly to protect the protector.
Laverne was nervous in front of so many people, and Lenny hoped she wouldn't chicken out when they'd be facing a crowd of more than three. And then the school drama teacher showed up at one rehearsal and said that the song was totally inappropriate. "It's the worst sort of lewd rock & roll. Like Elvis Presley! Or Richard Little!"
"Little Richard," Laverne and Lenny automatically corrected her.
They ended up not performing in the talent show. Laverne was relieved. Lenny was disappointed, for more than one reason.
But sometimes, over the next few months, especially when they were standing around, Lenny would sing, "Standin' on the corner," and Laverne would echo the words. They wouldn't sing the whole song, just enough to joggle their memories.
Our song, he'd tell himself, but never her.