TT Spalding - Maggie's Story

Max said that the pictures represented some of his best works. He picked them specifically for that place on the wall. His intent was to let them stay there until someone walked in and saw them for what they were. For someone to recognize the skill and the care and the soul that they represented. He said that he knew someone would come in eventually and he only hoped it was before he passed on. He wanted to give that person all he had to teach them about his art. He wanted to pass on his passion and his love to someone who could recognize it. He put them up and he waited. They had been there for over four years when I came along. Obviously they weren't meant for me. But, they were a part of my future. I just didn't know it at the time.

The following day, I went back to see Mel and he had some news for me. He said that he had spoken to a judge he knew who would issue a RO to be delivered to Jonathan the next day. It would not give my address or my location and it would be given to the police in Queens where I had lived and here. If Jonathan did find me, I could call 911 and report him. He would be arrested immediately.

He also said he would be happy to represent me in a divorce. Since I wanted nothing from Jonathan but my freedom, he said it should be easy to get. We had no fault so it wasn't necessary to give a reason. It would take six months but it would begin when the court date was finalized. In the meantime, I was free to go about my business. Mel told me he would file papers to assure he was paid by Jonathan and that he would have no problem with collection. He also told me he wanted to get more information on Jonathan and asked me if I had any objection to giving him some more information to use. I agreed and he took what he needed.

I settled down in my new life, enjoying the freedom to move about and not fear for my life. I learned about my new surroundings and found a small apartment close by to rent. It was not much bigger than the motel but it was cheaper and it was clean. I moved in at the end of the first month and begin to make it mine. With my new job, a lawyer working to free me from Jonathan and a new apartment, I began to feel more like living. I was beginning to come out of my shell and I was looking forward to the divorce. I could start a new life and hope that it would be better than what I had endured.

I learned about the photography business and Max began to leave me alone in the shop more and more. I could now handle the register, I knew all the pricing and how to write up the orders for framing or developing and I could talk knowledgably about most of the cameras and film when a customer expressed interest. I tried to make the shop more attractive by rearranging the inventory and moving some of the cameras to the front of the cabinets, and just cleaning and polishing. Business did improve and the register did ring more often and Max began to reappear. He was pleased with the changes I made and he started talking more with the customers and with me.

It had been just over a month since I walked out of the house and my life with Jonathan when I was showing a prospective customer a new camera she asked about. Max was in the back, working on a framed picture for a customer when the bell sounded, indicating a new customer. I finished with the woman who decided to think about the camera before making a decision. I gave her some information and watched her leave. As she walked out the door, I looked around to locate the new arrival. When I saw him standing there, my heart almost stopped and my legs felt as if they could no longer support me.

It was Jonathan!

I think now, when I look back on it, that I screamed. I stood there, looking into the eyes that I saw in my worst nightmares and I screamed. I couldn't do anything else. I knew I had to call 911. I had to move away! I had to do so many things but all I could do was stand there and scream. At the sound, he moved toward me with his hands raised as if to entreat me to stop. His face had a smile and he was making sounds that I assumed were supposed to be comforting but all I saw was Jonathan coming at me to beat me again. I backed away as far as I could, coming up against the counter behind me. I had no where else to go. I was trapped!

"Maggie, please. It's just me. It's me baby. Come on now, just calm down and let me talk to you. Calm down now Maggie." He continued to move toward me with that terrible smile on his face and his hands out, not yet bunched into fists, but promising. I knew the promise was there, and I knew that he would kill me this time. I left him! I humiliated him and he would make me pay with my life. I knew it.

"That's it. Just stay there and let me talk to you. You know I love you Maggie. I just want you to come home with me. Just come home with me. That's my girl." As he spoke I watched him start around the counter toward me. Only a few more feet and he would have his hands on me and he would kill me. I felt his anger coming off in waves, in spite of the smile on his face. As he moved, his fingers began to curl into claws, reaching to grab my blouse as he always did.

Just as he was about to take hold, I heard a new voice. "Back away and get out from behind my counter! You take one more step toward her, I'll blow your fucking head clean off! You get one warning and then I pull the trigger!" It was Max, standing at the end of the counter with a small shotgun pointed directly at Jonathan. Max held it steady and his face was very calm. I had never seen him this way. He was always so jovial. When he frowned, it was more a squeezing together of his eyebrows and a pursing of his lips. This look was different. I could see violence in that look. Strange as it seems, it gave me hope.

Jonathan looked toward him and stopped. Jonathan was nothing if not a coward. He beat me in private where no one could see because he understood that he would be punished if people found out and he feared punishment. This was something he understood. A shotgun was severe punishment and it caused Jonathan to begin to back away as ordered. He watched the gun as he stepped back away from me and then around the end of the counter and back out into the store. Max watched him intently and waited. Once Jonathan was standing well back, Max told me in a calm voice to call 911.

Jonathan raised his hand immediately. "Please Maggie, don't call. I'm sorry. I just wanted to talk to you and beg you to come home. I didn't mean anything."

Max told me again, "Maggie, call 911! Now! And you, Mister, don't you move till the cops get here. I'll shoot your kneecaps if you try to run. We'll just wait for the cops together. Should be here in just a few minutes. They know me and my store. They'll come running, believe you me." Max moved into the store where he could see Jonathan more clearly. He also had a better shot this way and Jonathan knew it. I could see the fear in his eyes and for the first time I was not afraid. He was! Jonathan, the bully, the one who beat me, was suddenly afraid. I felt a shiver of pleasure shoot up my spine as I watched him tremble.

I heard the sirens a minute before the cops came running into the store. They took a quick look, saw Max with the shotgun pointed at Jonathan and then, without a pause, they moved to take Jonathan from behind. One had his gun pointed at Jonathan and the other pulled a pair of cuffs to put on Jonathan. He hadn't said a word. The cop, once the handcuffs were secure, told Max to lower the gun. He had Jonathan move over near the counter and then asked. "What's going on here? Why the gun Max? And who called us?"

I answered before Max could say anything. "I called when this man came in the store. There is a restraining order on him issued for here and back where he came from. I have a copy of it right here." I reached into my purse and pulled out the paper. I handed it to the cop who scanned it and then turned to his partner.

"It's legit. Take him in. I'll call the house and give them the information so it'll be there when we get back. Save a lot of paper for us." The other cop nodded, took Jonathan by the cuffs and led him out to the car while the second officer stayed to talk to Max and I. It was brief, the cop knew Max had a permit and nothing more was said. He told me that I might have to appear in court but that someone would call to let me know. I told him about Mel and he smiled. " You're covered then. Mel knows the ropes."

As it was, I didn't have to appear. The judge set bail for Jonathan at $5,000 with the condition that he make no further attempts to contact me. If he did, bail would be revoked and he would spend time in jail. Jonathan was too afraid of jail to break his bond. But he did get my number and he began to call once a day or more. Always from a pay phone and just long enough to threaten me if I didn't call off the divorce. He promised that he would get me eventually if I didn't. Typical Jonathan. No witnesses and no one to hear him. I finally told Mel, who promised to take care of it. He didn't say how but it was only two days later that the calls stopped. I never received another call.

Things settled down for me and I began to relax again. The divorce was in full swing now with papers served on Jonathan two months after I contacted Mel. I wanted nothing from Jonathan but Mel did set some conditions on the divorce that he said were common. I was to get a cash settlement for an amount he said he would verify. I asked him how and he just smiled. "Not to worry pretty lady. I have my ways. I certainly do." And he did. The amount he determined was quite large and I was surprised when he said it was only 25% of Jonathan's net worth. I had no idea. He told me Jonathan's lawyer was very pleased with the offer and would urge his client to sign.

Now I began to worry. Jonathan was a coward but he was also very smart. He would fight to keep his money and he would make every effort to hide it away so as not to be found. I told Mel as much but again, he just smiled. I finally let him handle it. He assured me he was being paid out of Jonathan's pocket so he was working very hard to get as much for me as he could. Billable hours he called it. Whatever. I didn't want the money but it wouldn't refuse it either.

It was the middle of the summer when we went to court for the hearing on the divorce. The papers had been signed and delivered to the judge. True to his word, Mel got Jonathan to agree to the amount he specified and apparently it was not more than Jonathan was willing to pay. Mel said he was actually relieved. I was pleased, but surprised. The hearing was short and to the point, Jonathan and his lawyer agreed to all conditions and the judge accepted the settlement and it was official. Now only 90 days remained before it was final. During the hearing, Jonathan never looked my way once. I was surprised but relieved. Mel was smiling the whole time as he kept looking over at their table. I had no idea what he was so happy about but I didn't care. I was almost free.

The time passed, no further contact with Jonathan occurred, and I was as happy as I had ever been. I had friends, a job, some money in the bank and my divorce was final. When the papers arrived, I took Mel, Max and a few of my new friends out to dinner at the diner next door. It was a blast and Mel and Max were feeling no pain by the end of the evening. I was just happy. I didn't know how Mel had done it, but he had. When he was sloppy drunk and singing with Max, I pulled him aside and asked him point blank: "How did you do it? What was your hammer? What did you use to beat him up with?"

Mel was smiling so big I expected his face to crack in two but all he said was, "TT darling, TT was my weapon!" I just stared at him, having no idea of what a TT was and finally said, "OK, OK, don't tell me then. I don't care. I just love you, you big con artist." And that was that.

The next four and a half years passed almost faster than I could count. I ran the store now, I had increased business over 75% so Max was pleased to let me run the place without him. I was doing all the work now, and with his teaching, could handle anything having to do with the camera, film, framing, and all the other business chores. We did well. I had many friends but no men friends. The past made it difficult for me to trust any man so I chose to do without. It was hard. I had needs but I learned to control them. I had other interests. I was happy, fulfilled and living my life.

But like all things, they had to change. I had noticed a young girl, a teenager or at least early twenties, who came into the store several times and just seemed to wander around. I knew she was just trying to stay warm and she caused no trouble so I let her go. She never spoke and just looked at the cameras and some of the other items we carried but it was sometime later, when I was thinking about closing the shop that I noticed her staring at the pictures on the wall behind the counter. Max's pictures. I made note of it as I began to shut off the lights preparatory to closing. She noticed and turned away without a word.

Over the next few weeks I noticed her coming in when it was very cold and each time she ended up staring at the pictures. Her look was intense and she seemed to be unaware of anything else when she was looking at them. I began to get a strange feeling in my stomach as I watched her. Was she the one? Could it be? I decided to find out.

Two days later when she came in, I stood in front of her and asked her name and what she was doing standing there. She started to give me a crap answer and I just stopped it right there. This was too important. I let her have it. "Listen young lady. I asked you a question and I expect an answer. And not this crap you're trying to sell. If you want more information about those pictures, and if you want to be able to come into my store and keep warm, you'll tell me the truth. Do you understand me?"

Well, she was no dummy and caught on right away. She began to talk and soon it all came tumbling out. She was on her own, only nineteen and she was fascinated by the pictures. As she told me how they made her feel, I knew she was what Max had been waiting for. I could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice. This beautiful child wanted what Max could give her. And she wanted it badly.

Her name was Polly Gooding and she was on her own. We got to know each other that night and I introduced her to Max the next day. Polly was all that Max had hoped for and he gave it all to her: all his skill and love of the art and every trick he knew. She was like a sponge and she took it all in. It was a match made in heaven and Polly became Max's heir in more ways than one. She and I became close as well and we came to love each other like sisters.

Max died two years later and Polly and I inherited the store, Max's loft apartment and studio and all his equipment. Polly and I moved in together since Max's place was huge compared to either of ours. Polly continued with her photography and became very good at it. She went on to become a renowned photographer while I ran the shop. Our lives were diminished by Max's departure to the other side but we had good memories. We continued to grow and change.

The only thing that happened of any significance to change my life from the comfortable state I was experiencing was when this man came in to my store, introduced himself as TT Spalding and asked me out on a date.

TT Spalding. My mind went back a few years to the time of my divorce. I remembered asking Mel, my attorney what weapon he used to convince Jonathan to agree to pay me almost a fourth of his worth in the divorce. That and what was going to convince Jonathan not to continue to harass me after the divorce. His answer at that time was cryptic and I chalked it up to having too much to drink. He told me "TT is my weapon." I had discounted it then but now? Was this TT the one he was talking about? I was soon to find out.

I was working in the shop one day, minding my own business and putting up a display of the new digital cameras that had just come in. I was interested in this new technology and I wanted to see if they would sell. Pictures without film. Who would have thought? I was standing back, admiring my work when I noticed a man standing there beside me. He seemed to be watching the display as well. I moved away and turned to look at him. He was average height, good looking in a strong way, face composed of hard planes, eyes grey-green, hair dark with some grey just starting at the temples. His figure hinted at strength, lean and hard. He was dressed in a suit that had seen better days but his shoes were newer and looked very practical. Overall, he was a handsome man, at least to me. He looked to be about late forties or even fifty. Not much older than me.

As I observed him, he turned to catch me staring. I blushed and turned away but he came over to the counter where I was standing and looked me directly in the eyes. "Hi. My name is TT Spalding. Everyone calls me TT. You're Maggie, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm Maggie. I think I've heard of you before. Do you work for Mel, next door?"

"Occasionally. I'm a Private Investigator now. Used to be on the force and then I worked as a special investigator for the DA's office. Got tired of that and wanted to go on my own. Been doing it for a while now."

He was interesting, in a rough sort of way. I liked his voice and the way he spoke. He put me at ease almost immediately and I enjoyed talking to him. We chatted about nothing particular for awhile and then just before he turned to leave, he did the unthinkable. "Would you like to have dinner with me some evening? We could try that new place on 17^th street if you like Italian. Maybe we could catch a movie or something?""

I was speechless. I had not dated anyone since my divorce and I didn't even have any male friends that I went out with ever. When I did go out, it was with Polly or one of the other women I knew. Never a man. I had trust issues. I remembered Jonathan and it was still fresh in my mind. I didn't know what to say to this man. So, I stalled. "I don't know. I'll have to think about it." Then I realized how that must sound so I quickly added, "It's not you. Please don't think that. It's just, well, I've not dated for some time now."

He seemed to take that well and just smiled. "Take your time. I'll stop back in later and then we can talk about it some more." He smiled again, gave a sort of bow and then left the store. I stood there in shock, unaware of anything until a customer tapped me on the arm to get my attention. I came back to earth and somehow finished the day. I was still thinking of it that night when I went up to the loft. I waited till after dinner and then I went in to talk to Polly. She was working on some proofs and I tried to wait but I got impatient. I poked her to get her attention.

I asked her if she remembered this guy who came in from time to time and described him. Polly seemed to think she did so I blurted out, "He asked me out on a date. Today, when he came in. Just walked right up and asked me out on a date. To dinner. And a movie."

Polly thought about it and said, "He seems nice, and he's cute so what's the deal? Did you say yes?"

"No. I told him I had to think about it. I'm thinking about it. That's all. I think he's cute too. But that's not the issue."

"What is the issue? A guy asks you out, you say yes or no. That's all there is to it. Just yes, or no. He doesn't look like a perv, so no big deal." She was surprised when I shook my head at her words.

"It is a big deal. For me anyway. It's a very big deal." I was actually shaking a little and my hands were cold when she gripped them.