Dear Mr. Vitalo
I know you never knew, at least I don't think you ever knew how much you meant to me. I'm sure you meant a lot to a lot of kids, yet I choose to think they were invisible most of the time. That's the way you made me feel. If there was kid in your office, or kids outside the school, and I was passing, I always felt like they were furniture, or like they just didn't belong in this picture.
Mr. Korsun Meets Mr. Vitalo
It was my seventh grade summer and I missed you so much. My friend Mr. Korsun lived up the street. Even though I was a kid he was my friend and I knew with him as with you if I had to tell my worst secret, he like you could be trusted to do whatever had to be done, keeping my safety in mind. I talked about you so much and sometimes he, Mr. Korsun would do a fake giggle when I'd blush, and act as if he wore a skirt. He would come down off the stoop, walk with knees knocking together on tip-toe, put his hands in the air, and say, oh Mr. Vitalo, you are so nice, in a high pitched voice. He was a truck driver, so picture that. We'd all laugh. By we, I mean his daughter Karen was there and my friend Sandy. I envied Karen as I'd see her walk to her dad, say hi Daddy, kiss his cheek, and he'd ask how her day went, and tell her okay Karen, now go on in and start your homework or say hello to...who ever was there. Sometimes Melvin would come downstairs. Melvin, a relative who lived upstairs in this private Brownstone. I even had a tiny crush on him and when he got married, I didn't like his wife too much, but that didn't last long. All I really cared about was a few fifty-sixth st. people, mainly Sandy, Mr. Korsun, the twins across the street, and my landlord and landlady.
His daughter Karen was very pretty with dark hair, darker than mine, had such a nice smile, great teeth, and walked so dainty, unlike me. I walked like my brothers, still do, but screw it. Who cares anymore? I used to wish sometimes I was Karen. I thought with a dad like she had she had to be more happy than me.
One summer day I walked up the street and Mr. Korsun was home from work, maybe a day off, and he said hey Kiddo, what's with the long face? He took a long drag from his cigarette and I watched the smoke swirl up and about his mustache as his eyes grew curious and concerned. Through his glasses, he looked so serious, and again asked what was wrong. But the second time, he did one of those finger things? He put his pointy finger in a come here you way...so I got closer and he asked, so what's with that face? I still didn't answer and he then recited part of a poem, there was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her fore head-when she was good she was very very good, but when she was bad, wasn't that always. My Response? Huh. He burst out laughing with a smoker's laugh, but his husky body shook with happiness for making me simply say, huh.
Then I told him, I miss Mr. Vitalo. Mr. Korsun asked me where he lived and I said 224-----Levittown LI -The next words that came from Mr. Korsun's mouth floored me. He said well, why don't we go see this this great Mr. Vitalo. When he said great Mr. Vitalo, he was smiling but I knew he meant it. My heart jumped, skipped, went to my feet and back up again. Really Mr Korsun? But my father won't let me go, I know he won't. Another amazing few words from Mr. Korsun as he said, well, I'll ask him and I bet he'll say yes. My eyes got as big as my face. No, he can't ask my father, that would be even worse.
I tried to explain to Mr. Korsun why he couldn't ask my father, and he stood next to me cigarette as usual between his two right fingers,and said, now listen to me young lady. This is what we'll do. He did that a lot with the young lady listen to me stuff. I listened. Mr. Korsun said, I know people just like your father and I know he doesn't want me to talk to him, the bigger they are, the harder that fall so here's what you do...I smiled with a beating and now pounding heart thinking this could really happen. Mr. Korsun said, young lady, wait until dad is in a good mood, when the kids are quiet and when mom is around and tell him Mr. Korsun wants to come down and ask about taking you, Sandra and Karen to Long Island on Saturday for a ride, maybe stop for ice cream or lunch. Just do that first then come tell me, Mr. Korsun said.
It was mid-week before I got to talk to Mr. Korsun again about our talk. I walked to him, a grim face. Mr. Korsun said, so what's up kiddo, the ol' man say no? I looked as sad as I could, and then spread a mile wide grin, yelling, Mr. Korsun he said yes, but no ice cream! Mr. Korsun put his hand out to shake my hand and then said now we have to get Sandra's parents to agree and at that moment her parents came down the street with Sandy and her little sister Judy.
Mr. Korsun greeted them both and asked if he could talk to them a minute. They agreed and her father said, but only a minute, my wife has supper waiting. Mr. Korsun asked me to walk away while grown-ups talked. I never knew what was said, tried to peek at smiles or mad faces, any sign of yes or no, but I couldn't tell anything until they walked down the street. I saw Mr. Korsun give a slight nod, and he sat down again on the stoop. I guessed Sandy wasn't going. Her father was pretty strict.
I went to the stoop and asked, so Mr. Korsun is it just you, me and Karen Saturday. He looked that serious eyebrow look at me and said, why, you don't want Sandra along? That guy, I'm telling ya, that Mr. Korsun was something. They approved. I was in Heaven. Three more days, I would be with people who cared and I would see Mr. Vitalo and had one person to thank, Mr. Korsun.
Saturday at ten sharp I was waiting by Mr. Korsun's red and black Rambler convertible. Then Sandy walked up and next thing I heard was the door opening from Mr. Korsun's house. He said good morning young ladies, as he switched his newspaper from his hand to under his left arm, smiling and grabbing his ignition key. I sat in the back with Sandy and as we started to pull out from the parking spot, Mr. Korsun turned to me and asked, are you sure you want to go? My heart stopped and I said nothing for one whole second then, what?
Mr. Korsun are you joking with me? No, I was so anxious, he had to be kidding I thought to myself. There it was again, his husky smokers laugh. We got on the belt parkway and Mr. Korsun asked if we wanted to stop for ice cream. I felt afraid for a minute, then said I can't Mr. Korsun, my father said...and he interrupted with I know you can't have ice cream, but you can have custard(which tasted just like ice-cream) or sherbert and this stays with us who are in the car okay? Sandy laughed a big laugh and Karen smiled at her dad. It felt good having a good secret with good people.We stopped at a Carvels just before we wold arrive at Mr. Vitalo's.
Finally we arrived and just before Mr. Vitalo's house as we were watching the house numbers in this nice suburban area, Mr. Korsun turned and again asked me if I was sure I wanted to go ahead. I would have gotten out and pushed if that car didn't move again, but as usual Mr. Korsun was just teasing.
Then I saw him. He stood with his back to the street watering his garden. Mr. Vitalo, a school Principal was watering his garden! The car stopped outside of the little white picket fence with vegetables growing. Mr. Vitalo had on a light colored plaid button down shirt and madras plaid Bermuda shorts with sandals. He turned as we stopped and looked just like a guy about to answer a stranger who was traveling for directions, until he saw me and Sandy in the back seat.
Mr. Korsun stepped outside and said you must be Mr. Vitalo. I could feel my face heat up. Oh no , please Mr. Korsun I thought don't tell him, don't tell him how I feel. Mr. Korsun introduced himself , and both men reached out at the same time to shake hands, and with such a natural way, Mr. Korsun told Mr. Vitalo how we were just all out for a Saturday drive to the Island when someone said something about Mr. Vitalo living out here, so here we are passing through. They talked some small talk, about the garden and I, well I was watching Mr. Vitalo' legs, feet, hands, smile, his eyes and listening to how the two men who were both important to me in different ways were so much alike. Mr. Vitalo asked how we were enjoying the summer so far, asked Karen where she went to school and then said he had to get back to his garden. The kindness was immeasurable. To this day it overwhelms me. Finally Mr. Vitalo said again after another lapse in small talk, well everyone, I have to get back to my garden or my wife won't give me lunch. Mr. Korsun reached out his hand again, thanked Mr. Vitalo for his time, and apologized for any intrusion.
After stretching on the sidewalk we all hopped back in the car, yelling bye Mr. Vitalo, bye, see ya in September. He waved and smiled. I watched him as he faded into the distance with a memory that I would remain engraved forever on my heart.
Thank you Mr. Korsun
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