Nevertheless, when I scanned the New York section my eye was caught by a story under the headline, “Superman’s Ex Gets Axe.” Sure enough, the story recounted in breathless terms how Glenda Preston had been relieved of her responsibilities at the law firm of Denison and Lowser, and that Connor James, whom the story dubbed “her paramour,” had also left under a cloud. A senior partner at Denison and Lowser was quoted as saying their behavior on company time had brought disrepute on the firm’s good name – as if any law firm has a good name! But I remembered how she’d acted toward me at the cocktail party and was glad that there was some justice in the world after all.
This time when I called Alex I was surprised to get through to him. When I started to tell him about the article in the Daily News, he interrupted me. “Oh, yes,” he said, “I’ve heard every word of it, because Glenda herself called to tell me about it. She roasted me up one side and down the other, accusing me of planting the story. Even when I pointed out details that I couldn’t have known, she still refused to believe I wasn’t behind it.”
“So how do you feel about it,” I asked.
“I guess I’m still processing it all,” he said. “Everything has happened so fast, and I’m not sure what to make of it.” He paused like he was trying to make a decision. Finally, he went on, “Elle, this week has been the craziest of my life, and there are some things I need to talk about with you. Could you possibly meet me Saturday afternoon at the Central Park Zoo?” When I agreed, we set a time and then he rang off.
As I hung up, I felt encouraged that he wanted to talk with me about his life. But in a little while my doubts began to grow, and by that evening I needed to talk them over with Terri. She understood my concerns about Alex, and she even suggested more reasons that I should be extra cautious. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt,” she said.
“The thing I want to know,” I told her, “is why he wants to meet me at the Zoo? What’s up with that?”
She was on it in a flash. “It’s the kids,” she said. “That place is always swarming with kids, and I bet he wants to do his Superman thing with them. Maybe he’s even got some media lined up to film him in action.”
My heart sank; it all made sense now. This was going to be the unveiling of his new career in show business. I hoped it would turn out the way he wanted, but I knew that it wasn’t going to turn out for me at all. I wanted to be his girlfriend, not a prop in the Alex/Superman show.
I hate to admit it but I shed a few tears that night after I went to bed.
The next afternoon I almost didn’t go, but Terri insisted. “Look, at least he had the decency to want to tell you to your face. Give him the courtesy of listening to his story, even if it may not be the one you want to hear. Who knows – it might be something completely different.”
I knew she was right, so I did my best to calm my fears and headed uptown to the Park. I caught the F train to 57th and 6th, then walked around The Pond and up the East Drive till I came to the entrance of the zoo. There was a cluster of children laughing and playing near the ticket booth, and I fully expected to see Alex entertaining them. But there was no sign of his red and blue costume anywhere.