The old man is in the handivan. Medical transportation such as this is easily managed and dependable, especially for this elderly gentleman, Judge Percy Jones. He is nearly eighty years old and has expressive, Lawrence-of-Arabia blue eyes, weathered skin, perfect teeth and a lovely smile. Wearing a classic evening tuxedo, black with white vest, only now without the black bowtie, as tonight’s tie is cleanly white. The Judge has had someone help him with his tie as the big decision was to wear a rainbow striped tie or the beautiful white. The lapel pin is that of a rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green-blue, indigo, violet. The Judge is truly “out” for the first time. His assistant pierced his ear and quickly planted a diamond stud. The Judge, J.J. to those who know him is being brought into the movie house for an Indie, independent movie premiere.
The Roxy Arthouse Cinema, New York City, agreed to launch this movie from this night forward to hopefully, prestigious film festivals such as in Pottstown, PA, and Sedona Arizona. The joyous feeling for J.J. is not only the personal connection to the film, but the joy of expressing his hidden self with a rainbow-gay lapel pin, as he wanted, to some it is just a rainbow. He is such a gentleman, a man’s man. A nurse glides her transportee into the theater and there are a couple of professional photographers shooting along the way, and she leaves him at the appropriate spot. Judge Percy Jones is immediately joined by a lovely young woman.
Julia Jones, niece to J.J. appears to be about thirty-ish, or more and owns those same blue lipid pools of oculars that many a man wants to dive into. She is one savvy chic and tough as nails whose heart melts when she is with her uncle. Julia Jones, attorney and Judge Jones, retired, own J.J. Production Company, L.L.C. The elder and his niece are about to watch their very first Indie film produced by their company.
“How’s the ankle?”
“I refuse to feel anything but glee tonight”
“So, the ankle is fine but you are in a chair?”
“I wanted the free ride” grinning.
The lights fade and the into music begins, something nice. Encompassing the entire movie screen is the body of an athlete as he glides into position on the still rings.
Julia whispers, “the after-glow party will be fabulous”
On film, the Olympian is not at a gymnasium; this much is clear. The defocused background, behind the Olympian on the still rings is a tall wall that is also wide with books. The camera does not show it, but there are first editions on those shelves.
From floor to ceiling is a good twenty-five feet or more with a vault to a sky light. With ample space, the gymnast forms the cross position using chiseled arms and pectoral strength. He wears a spandex muscle shirt and shows no grimace, holding prefect position, golden. The camera gradually reveals more background for the viewer to understand the vintage elegance of an apartment. The music fades and a voice squealed loudly:
“I’m here, I’m here, I got my costume, do you love it?”
The camera lens, positioned from a high birds-eye view from the highest vertical possible, allows the audience to see Jake, an exuberant buddy in complete ensemble dress running the length of the floor costumed as a giant male phallic symbol only to find Javi ready to full body dismount the still rings.
Watching her friends on what Uncle J.J. calls the silver screen, Julia’s face is that of pure joy. Happy to see her friends on screen and happy knowing the carefully plotted life steps that got her there. Julia is little J.J. She had emancipated from alcoholic parents as they barely noticed back when she was a teen.
Two years prior to emancipating and declaring herself an adult, Julia, Javi and Jake were themselves three amigos at a New York City school for the performing arts, young actors to be. Julia secretly thought her talent would be set design and the boys aspired toward theater life. At school, a small in-house production posted call for players in a one-act play that would be performed in the class as it was not yet blocked for the stage. One caveat: this one-act was French. Javi and Jake volunteered to do anything for it, such as background players or stagehands. Julia asked to read for a part.
Little J.J. had always secretly known of her didactic memory skill set. As a child of alcoholic parents, being seen only when necessary and heard even less became fuel for her survival skills. Julia’s beloved Uncle Percy a bachelor, tended to her whenever he could. He had been a perpetual college student, changing majors a few times and later, a law student. Percy Jones passed the NYC bar exam and worked for the Legal Aid Society.
Didactic memory is a unique trait described as an instant cognition, some have such as instantly memorizing and reciting Shakespeare or languages without being bilingual. Julia read the for the French part with perfect dialect. Everyone was overjoyed. Javi and Jake loved their Julia even more if that was possible.
Jake and Javi stayed at their school for the arts and graduated on time. Javi enjoyed stagehand work and heavy lifting. He also learned the trade of a personal trainer and worked out with actors for pay. Everyone needed to be beautiful. Jake was the funny one, loved by all. Jake’s skill was party planner. He worked at the live shows on and off Broadway at any capacity they would allow him. Julia retuned to public school in Queens after her one semester at the school for the arts. She had a plan.
First, Julia surmised to herself that virginity was not a virtue, it was an obstacle. Logically, Julia did not want to enter a room knowing she was the only virgin present. She copped a condom from her uncle’s drawer and went down the street to a soon-to-be-forgotten neighbor boy. Mission complete and in her opinion, over-rated.
Julia Jones and Percy Jones put their heads together as one to create paths toward perfect lives. As a poor lawyer, Percy Jones qualified to acquire and live at a rent-controlled apartment. The city of New York has, for many years, mandated a percentage of rent-controlled units throughout the metropolis. His unit is small, about a thousand square feet if you are counting the floor space. The ceiling is so tall with a vault and sky light that it seems spacious. There is a spiral staircase and a loft for sleeping. One entire wall is bookcases. The kitchenette is located in a corner.
Little J.J. stayed at her uncle’s whenever possible. She felt safe enough traveling NYC transit and got herself to and from school. Uncle and niece devised life plans. First, the young lady needed to apply her didactic ability toward testing out of the advanced placement courses and graduating from high school. A simple GED, high school equivalency, would not do. Uncle and niece were able to get the standard textbooks for each and every high school class Julia would be testing through. Some were scrupulously borrowed as inventory, sorely lacking required time management for both study and return of the periodicals. Little J.J., Julia Jones attained the status of high school graduate at age sixteen with an accumulative grade point average of 4.4. As a smart cookie, Julia Jones acquired college gen-ed’s through Queens College. She used the same skill set to work toward college entrance exams and scholarship to NYU, New York University to graduate Magna Cum Laude by the age of twenty.
Meanwhile, young lawyer Percy Jones was making a name for himself. The love of the law and plain old-fashioned hard work was panning out. He worked tirelessly for the innocent and wrongly accused. Some were naturally career criminals yet not guilty of certain charges, therefore, they were qualifiers for legal aid. Clever Percy Jones was granted a standing invite to a prestigious poker game due to his guile, stratagem and quick wit. His eyes sparkled with intelligence. Connections and friendships became priceless.
Percy Jones worked as a lawyer for pay as well as a lawyer for the wrongly accused. Living at the 200 block of West 57th Street in Manhattan provided a nice address for his business card. The building was built during the early twentieth century as a walkup with fourteen floors even if there is no #13. Bad luck, that one. The unit houses lovely Italian support beams that are both functional and nice-looking. Home-sweet-home. Lawyer Jones does not bring his clients home or anyone for that matter. He shared a desk rental space for broke lawyers until years later, he moved on to work as an assistant district attorney. He maintained the private invitation to sit-in at the poker game now and then. These were the years of hard work. Financially, lawyer Jones contributed the maximum of pre-tax dollars to his fund leaving his net income to be a bit low. His rent-controlled apartment barely increased over the years. It was the poker play that paid for the travel.
Percy Jones has traveled the world and seen the seven wonders: The Great Pyramid of Giza, Colossus of Rhodes, Lighthouse of Alexandria, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Temple of Artemis, Statue of Zeus at Olympia and Hanging Gardens of Babylon. He traveled alone or sometimes with someone, a temporary lover, usually a discreet married man. Complications never arose for the couple to separate at the trip’s end and go home, Percy to West 57th Street and the other, back to his wife. There were no scandalous hurdles when lawyer Percy Jones was appointed a judgeship. Judge Jones became big J.J.
For Julia, little J.J., law school made perfect sense. The LSAT exams required the same dedication as did all her accolades. Only this law school choice came as a surprise.
“Brooklyn Law School”
“Say again?”
Easy admission to law school and earning a New York license was all that was needed to take life by the horns and…go. While working toward a non-luxurious degree, other credentials came into play. Insurance license, estate planning, real estate broker and florist came to be. Julia loved fresh flowers. J.J. Production Company LLC came to be. They invested successfully into small productions, even burlesque!
The most novel and lucrative situation had evolved for Percy Jones, master poker player. The stakes were very high at this game and his hand, never surer. The owner of this game was not a questionable character; she was savvy for sure. She also owed a debt of gratitude to Percy Jones as the free legal assistance years before had granted her a fair shake in court. The evening had gone so well that Jones had quietly phoned a friend, a private security friend posing as a limo driver. This suited well as Percy Jones could be leaving the game with so heavy a profit, safety would be an issue. No one could have guessed the item that had to be leveraged for the poker pot.
A valuable painting was at play.
As Julia Jones eased through grad school and investments with her uncle, she determined that a space of her own would be both lucrative and cozy. She wouldn’t rent the space; the LLC would do that for her. The building resembles six-story flats and is all offices. Brilliantly, each office floor has its own restroom, the individual office suites do not. These logistics are proven to be thoughtful.
She is not far from the apartment, just a few subway stops to the East Village.
Julia did not need any special permitting for the remodel as, on paper, the plan looked to be a cosmetic face lift. The front room holds a desk and the tiniest granite kitchenette. The dishwasher is countertop and for Julia, just enough for the brandy snifters, crystal tumblers and stirring devices. The stainless sink is deep and small. There is a built-in microwave and refrigerator, very small. There is space for two chairs, including hers which is behind the desk. The other guest seating is a short church pew built onto a modified red-oak Amish cannonball bed headboard. The posts are short, four feet or so with a wooden ball atop of each post, like a cannonball. The upholstered cushion is soft leather, tanned horsehide, and cobalt blue.
The bar at Julia’s office is minimalist and interesting. The mixology is simple, water, ice or straight-up are the choices. The scotch whiskey is imported from Scotland, Vodka from Russia, mezcal from Mexico and Remy brandy.
“I believe I will have a Remy, as they say”
An unfamiliar, to most, green bottle, unopened sits on the liquor shelf. Julia was gifted this eleven-inch bottle from her uncle, brought from his travels. This drink came from Spain and was bottled before World War11. Untouched Absinthe is this liquid gem, nearly emerald-like, complete with wormwood, terpenoids and ethanol.
Behind the tiny granite and stainless sink is a splash guard and plain wall. Over to the side, the door appears to be seamless as it is a pocket door. Behind these features is Julia’s little sleep room, about the size of one-half of a dorm room. The plumbing for the triangle-shaped corner shower is plumbed into the kitchenette.
The office walls are painted Doris Duke white, a custom color consisting of mostly white and a splash of red in it. One wall is an accent wall covered with Brazilwood. The hardwood is both stunning and useful as it serves as housing for a most secure security system for the painting, the Pollack. The winnings from high-stakes poker paid in the form of a Jackson Pollack, certified, and known in the art world to be privately owned. It is worth millions and serves as collateral for production financing.
The back of the art is held by titanium mesh that goes into security features behind the Brazilwood. The alarm system appears to be hard-wired into the electricity of the building, but it is not. There are special batteries, unseen, so that cutting power would be ineffective to a burglar. The painting itself is discreetly covered with another painting, a fake, identically created by a master forger in Hungary. Thank you, Judge. The art is housed with a subtle cage around it that would require a diamond drill to phase it. Cutting the cage would trigger an ear-piercing sound that, in a short while, would cause your ears to bleed. If that is not enough, its glass covering, encasing the Pollack, cannot be broken. The glass is a pulse-glass that exudes a gas, unpleasant to the perpetrator upon any touch to the glass.
The financier easily agreed the original Jackson Pollack painting was deemed secure at Julia’s office and does not need to be in a safe or other secure location.
Julia travels light, maintaining a small wardrobe in a cedar closet at Uncle Percy’s apartment. Judge Jones is retired and very alert. For a daytime chess game and nap in a chair, Big J.J. attends adult daycare in the neighborhood. He loves the apartment and continues to renew the lease though Julia Jones was added years before as co-leaser. The activities and general fun at the senior daycare occur daily for J.J. He does not even have to travel home as the care facility owns a small hostel next door where the judge may spend the night. The whole set up is a beauty for him, not a nursing home. Julia and her uncle decided someone should really be staying at the apartment on a regular basis.
Jake was down to simple living with his theater lifestyle, mainly on other people’s sofas. As a very good guy, Jake had never gotten into heavy drugs and stayed clean with his health. Jake and Javi were both available for permanent house-sitting at the apartment.
Equally thrilled to be stepping up to the good life to say the least, they also simultaneously agreed the best possible next move was to have a party and film it. They filmed the making of the party from the caterer’s food shopping to the installation of the chilled beer keg going into the wall. Jake and Javi designed a dumb waiter parallel to the circular stairs for the ease in transporting and storing extra food in the sleeping loft. There were hours and hours of fun footage only to be added to with the final event, the costume party to end all costume parties. Now all they had to do was install Javi’s still rings. His Olympic cross was what mattered to Javi, and to Jake. Javi and Jake are a pair, like brothers, because loving one another the romantic way had not worked out well.
The hours of filming did not end on the cutting room floor. Every person attending agreed to be on camera for their costume shopping, fitting and professional make up experiments. The rule was no masks. Jake phoned Julia and the dream came to fruition and footage better than Warhol’s Factory came into being for the production company. On the phone, Jake exclaimed to his old friend Julia:
“Come to the party, everyone will Love to see you”
As the film rolled at the Roxy Theater, Judge Percy Jones wept faint tears of joy, ending at the credits:
Produced by J.J Production Company LLC
Co-executive Producers: Percy Jones and Julia Jones
Julia and Uncle J.J. are prepared for the glorious after-glow party hosted by their friend, a professional publicist by trade and genuinely dearest of friend, Maya. She grew up near Orchard Street, her uncles were tailors who could cut a man’s suit well. Julia and Maya met during grad school, Julia with Law and Maya, all business.
The wheelchair glided as if on cloud nine. The festivities, grandiose with enormous bouquets and some indoor trees. The atrium area of the theater was lit with wall sconces and chandelier for the special twinkle.
“Everyone looks gorgeous in candlelight my dear, and this is close enough to that” per Uncle J.J., the expert.
As yummy food trays are offered about by Armani-looking caterers as well as champagne, vineyard reds and whites of California, poured and poured again. There is quiet jazz coming from the speakers, heard slightly under the exuberance of the party goers, all emoting. There are known faces at the after-glow from off-Broadway, Broadway itself and some from the movies. There are producers present and investors, too.
Julia feels a bit under garnished in her black turtleneck; it is ribbed and complements her silhouette. The A-line skirt is tea length with a nice side slit, her Betsey J. shoes, functional and underdressed-fashionable. As she contemplates her apparel choices, she fails to notice the gentleman approaching her. She should notice because he looks like a Greek God dressed in a suit. His hair is dark blonde, tossed into perfect waves atop his head. His eyes had been glued upon Julia and her people were too engulfed in festivities to intercept. Suddenly, the two are face to face as he bows.
“Enchante′ mademoiselle,” he gently took her hand.
“Hello, I’m Julia” and suddenly she relaxed into a mesmerized state as she seriously considered him while simultaneously she feels a slight kinetic energy, low as hummingbird’s flutter as if a current of electricity is transmitting through their connected hands, completing a circuit. He feels it also and managed to react mildly, remaining subtle and composed, pleased.
“I’m Peter, P.J.” His hand was pressing a business card into Julia’s palm. It read Peterson Jones Von Ahn.
“Maya knows me, your publicist, and I must say, such a pleasure to be at your charming event, such a pleasure.” He has hardly blinked, never taking his eyes from hers.
“Enchanting, the evening is such as it is. Do I know you from grad. school with Maya?”
“Afraid not, I was whisked away young to boarding school in Switzerland. They called me Noah! Somehow derived from Von Ahn, the other boys pushed me into the showers and said “Noah, don’t drown.” I grew up and lift weights, so the hazing didn’t last. Law school was here at Columbia, maybe we know each other that way”?
“No, I’m a charity case from NYU and Brooklyn law.”
P.J knew all about Julia. His people had checked her financials and education. The reported background before her emancipation was sketchy and on that, he did not dwell. He had seen her undergraduate photo which had not done justice. At that time, she was truly pale and exhausted. Julia’s shell is practically porcelain, untouched by the sun. Her hair is nearly onyx with the slight silvers shining here and there. Her cut is straight, shoulder-length. She wears on her left-hand ring finger a thin platinum band that could be interpreted as a sign of having been spoken for. Peterson Jones Von Ahn did his homework and knew she is single or clandestine in some way. P.J. could never have anticipated the congenial warmth and purity of soul he would encounter with Julia Jones.
Julia moved in as close as was suitable for the moment. Her soft breath was palpable, he felt it, and she said this; “I see we are both Jones in name, it would be a sin if we are blood related.”
At that moment, P.J., the rock-solid businessman from NYC who lives at the penthouse top floor of his building where he manages his family foundation, almost peed his pants. He smiled a striking wide, genuine grin while assuming his shirt was pulsating with giant heartbeats.
“Would you be able to meet for a coffee? Nine A.M. if that’s not too much bother? My building is twenty minutes across town not far from Fordham, I could send a car.”
“Yes, my pleasure, I mean, I can find my own way. So nice to meet you, Peter.” With that, she carefully reclaimed her hand from his. “Goodnight”
“Maya, let’s talk. Uncle J.J let’s get you tucked in for the night.”
She arrived early as did he. They nearly collided at the revolving doors. Julia was all about full disclosure and found herself revealing details of her sordid childhood. She earnestly described her parents as older, pickled people who were not at all motivated by malice. Her parents were indifferent in that they just did not care, leaving Julia, invisible. Remarkably, she and Peter had each finished primary school very young as well as college followed by Law school with honors. Interestingly, neither had planned to actually practice law.
“With the movie premiere in the can, so to speak, would you, could we, take a few days to get to know one another, significantly?”
“I believe, so yes, that sounds nice.”
“I was thinking of a quick trip to Paris, do you mind, away from New York, prying eyes, and all that?”
“What? Who is looking?”
“The paparazzi, my family members in the trust fund, to name a few. There is a flight in a few hours, we could go, pack light, and we will replenish our clothing when we get there. It will be fun, I know a perfumery, we’ll get something custom-made just for you.”
Julia shocked herself by agreeing to the plan. They decided to grab a few items at P.J.’s, the top floor, and then stay together and get Julia’s passport and laptop at her office.
Peter was pleased to see Julia’s charming building even though he already knew some of her business from a report, the report with one picture. Her small office suite exudes a richness from the wood, the built-ins, tasteful bar of spirits and general ambience. She gathered what she needed, including lingerie, as she would not be taking that to chance.
“I’ll show you my secret” and then she opened the discreet pocket door, exposing her sleeping place of overindulgent comforts.
“Astonishing, I would have never known. Julia, if you are trying to seduce me, I am afraid we must wait, there’s not enough time.”
With a sudden crimson blush and obvious shock over her blunder and contradictory to her own intentions, “Oh no, I was just showing you, I don’t, I didn’t mean, not that…”
“Mon Cherie, we go slow now, we wait for the wedding night if you so desire.”
Off to a night in Iceland, to the hot outdoor baths, then to Paris. P.J. convinced Julia to accept his ask to a black-tie event in New York, just a few days away. They rush to his clothier to get her a gown for the occasion.
Monsieur, mademoiselle, soyez les bienvenus. P.J. toujours content de te voir Louis, nous sommes ici juste quelques jours avant un événement uniquement pour espérer que tu peux nous aider, habiller Julia. Vous voyez milady ici, elle est exquise, et nous ne nous sommes rencontrés que récemment, mais la soirée qui s’annonce pourrait être ses débuts pour mes autres, vous savez.
She is most lovely, and I am seeing couture navy blue, a simple corset bodice embroidered with dark navy as well, you see her eyes, her luxurious hair.
Arrêtez, monsieur, ce sera parfait et vous l’aurez après-demain à New-York, mes amis.
“Mademoiselle, Peter wishes me to dress you and use a fabric-
Interrupting, “yes, yes, I understand, I heard you both, thank you, I am book learn-ed and do not know the pleasure of speaking Francois. Please, this comes as such a relief to have you both choose for me.”
As if reality slapped and slapped hard, something changed acutely. Upon getting on their flight at Charles de Gaulle, Peter turned rigid. His soft face appeared to be of angst. Was it regret? Was there a Jekyll and Hyde situation now at hand? Julia froze with fear as well, suddenly thinking she did not know him, this man, her host. What should she do? Manage the all-nighter home, of course.
“This is not me, I am of migraine, I’m sorry, should have warned you, I have meds but will be a zombie all night.”
In New York City, the evening of the formal event and debut of Julia’s couture gown was as that of a fairy tale. Remember the sisty-uglers from Cinderella, the stepsisters? Yes, they were present.
“Is he here, where, who is SHE?”
“Just a fling, perhaps, he’s not serious”
“He met her at the Afterglow party of a movie premiere”
“Look at how he looks at her, have you ever seen that? I didn’t know he’s capable of love.”
“Apparently, so.”
P.J. and Julia felt alone in the big, full room as if nothing else mattered in the moment.
“Mon Amie, Amor, we have arrived.”//
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As a medical technician working in ophthalmic, ancillary success happened for Julie Iverson as a writer of continuing education. An accolade of first place came from a novel experiment for the contact lens industry and award-winning APA white paper.
PUBLISHED WRITING
2025 WRITER OF THE WEEK-Arrhythmia weekly: Black Leather Ballerina 200WC
2025 Blood & Honey Lit: Launching of the Golden Chair
2025 Cosmic Quest via Strange Quark Press: My Neurogram Took a Trip
2023 inducted: Marquis Who’s Who
2021 first place HAROLD STEIN MD award (IJCAHPO)
2014-2022
Ophthalmic Technician Magazine
Pentavision
OTI Optical Training Institute
Quantumoptical.com
1963 Nebraska Farmer News Paper: essay published
Retiring from the medical field has opened a door for short story telling and essays
About the Author
