Boobala Darling’s Long-awaited Proposal – Part 2 of 3 – A Short Story
Boobala is finally on the cruise he’s wanted to take his whole life, but so far, it hasn’t gone so well. She has been humiliated by the Captain and aggravated by other guests. In Part 2, however, her cruise takes a surprising turn.
As Boobala gorges himself on food, a tall, thin gentleman named Irving Levy walks into the dining room. His quad cane helps him. Irving, a wealthy retired stockbroker in his sixties, is known to the Captain for the many voyages he makes aboard the Empress Carinthia, but since his total hip replacement surgery and extensive physical therapy, he has not been able to travel as much recently. , up to now. Thankful that the worst is over, he still uses his quad cane for support for now. Dressed in a flashy multi-striped shirt with a bow tie, plaid pants, and ridiculous suspenders, he sees Boobala sitting alone. Shuffle your feet over to your table.
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” he asks in a polite voice.
Boobala gets upset that she really didn’t want him or anyone else at her table. She replies sarcastically, “Do you see a reservation sign?”
“Why not,” stutters Irving, taken aback by her answer.
Boobala looks at Irving, amused in his outfit, though she has to admit that he’s a bit cute. It is meticulously arranged. Her gray hair looks refreshing and healthy. He has a clean-shaven face and a fine mustache. He likes the sound of your voice and the scent of your cologne.
“Not bad, not bad for an old man,” he thinks.
“So are you waiting? Go ahead, park your Tuchis.”
Irving pulls out the chair and sits at the table with Boobala. “Thank you, thank you,” says Irving.
Boobala yells, “Okay, enough with the thanks. You’re giving me a headache.”
Irving turns to Boobala and introduces himself: “My name is Irving Levy. May I ask, what is yours?”
“Boobala Finkenberg Darling”.
“Honey, that’s not a Jewish name, is it? Irving asks.
Boobala gets angry with his many questions. She yells at him in a tone of voice: “Vat, are you writing a book? Questions about my private life. Don’t I know you? My husband was English and he was a homeless man. My life was very unhappy. It was a loveless marriage. seventeen. Because he couldn’t keep a job, we ended up living with his Uncle Jake for our entire marriage. We lived through bad times where even a penny was considered money. and he stole my paychecks to play games. Harry died of a heart attack at 36 because he owed money to a loan shark who was going to cut him off. I should have listened to my mother, she didn’t like him, but he was so young and in love that I ran away with him. My parents were very rich , they had a top-of-the-line clothing business in Brooklyn, but they disowned me when I eloped with Harry. Guess what, I didn’t even pay for this trip, I earned it. There you go, my whole life in a nutshell! “Boobala quickly takes it away. hand to mouth, shocked by what she just said a total stranger. It slid like oil on water. She felt embarrassed, willing the ground to part and swallow her. He hoped the ladies at the other table hadn’t found out. What was it about this man that made her feel so instantly comfortable that she let go of him all her life?
Irving looked at Boobala with compassion and adoring eyes, “The world is beautiful Boobala, but it’s the people that make it ugly.” He was mesmerized by this feisty woman. For the first time in many years, he thought he was in love. Her hazel eyes twinkled as she continued talking to Boobala.
What a lovely smile, she thought, looking up at his face. Good dental work. At least his breath doesn’t smell bad and he doesn’t have hair growing out of his ears or nose.
“I see you are a good Jewish woman. Do you speak Yiddish?” Irving asked.
“How can you know that I am Jewish?
Irving points to his chest, “You are wearing a button that says, ‘Kiss me, I’m a Jew,’ plus it’s written about you.” Boobala looks at his chest, smiling as he remembers Myrtle pressing the button for him. He could still hear Myrtle laugh and say, “This is Boobala, an attention grabber. It will be a great conversation piece to help you get to know someone. Mazel Tov!” He had said while hugging his beloved friend and said goodbye.
Irving continued speaking: “Plus, you remind me of my ‘Libe Mameleh.'” (Yiddish term: beloved mother). He takes out a large handkerchief and wipes away his tears and blows his nose, putting the handkerchief back in his pocket.
After clearing his throat he asks, “Tell me, did you remarry?
Boobala responds dryly as usual. “Would you be here alone, if you were married?”
“Sorry I wasn’t thinking. I was just trying to make a little conversation.” he answered.
Boobala, now irritated, continues to enjoy her food. Suddenly he stops for a moment to let out a burp and says to Irving, “Pass me a muffin and the salt shaker, please, and wipe your chin, you’re dripping.”
After finishing, you get up abruptly and exit the dining area to return to your cabin, stopping to buy a ticket for the land cruise. Irving, on the other hand, is so in love with Cupid’s arrow that he follows her like a lost puppy. Boobala stops at the photographers section to admire the photographs taken when the passengers boarded the Empress Carinthia. She remembers her ordeal and exclaims, “They didn’t even take a photo of me. I don’t see it here.”
She turns around and sees Irving behind her. No way on earth can he be my prince charming. Those sets and the quadruple cane have to disappear. She begins to get angry and constantly avoids him to the point of rudeness. No matter how insulted he feels, he always shuffles back to her.
Every day they were in the dining room. Boobala began to relax his guard and cheer up with him as they got to know each other better. I was starting to expect him to show up. He really started to like it. In fact, Irving had a great sense of humor, which Boobala instantly adored. He was captivated by her smile. He was a man in love and she was the woman he wanted to marry. He would wait for the Captain’s night to propose to her.
My, my, what will happen next. Will Boobala accept Irving as his prince charming? Has Boobala found true love? Will Boobala will finally have a fairytale ending to his troubled life. You can only find out by reading part 3.
