Peter Loves Joan

About the Book

A Multicultural story set in a contemporary urban environment in 1988 “Ultra” conservative low crime Cincinnati, Ohio.

One question will enter your mind as it did Peter’s. Has the time stood still?

Peter And Joan-Mulligan’s Bar, is set in a contemporary urban environment, and is a fictitious account of Peter, Joan, and Loretta, interacting with one another humorously, and sometimes even painfully while overcoming the intertwined web of obstacles that they encounter throughout the story.

Peter and Joan are African American, & met and got married when she was taking a trip to the 1988, Kentucky Derby. Peter was the Gazzelle Company bus driver. They were both from New York City, where they returned, and relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Since college, Peter has worked for a firm as one of three accountants prior to leaving it for the relaxation and freedom of the road. He maintained the same upper middle class style that he and his engineer father enjoyed together before his death. He lost his mother at birth. While Joan came from a poor background, in which her nurse Mother is the sole breadwinner, and her alcoholic father seldom held a job.

Once in Cincinnati, they find an apartment, Peter applies for a job with the local Metro bus company, while looking in the classified, following leads of other employment, he is called by the Metro company.

Peter’s compassion sensed a fragile side of Joan, and he subconsciously vowed to protect her with his own life. This promise soon caused their life to become intertwined in an emotional roller coaster. Peter is laid off while he and the union grieve a situation. An unpopular, unwanted Communist card was found in his file. He’s hired as a cab driver. He meets Loretta an aristocrat while driving to and from the Greater Cincinnati Airport. When her male friend doesn’t show, she offers him a deal that he must refuse.

Peter is once again fired.

His love for Joan renders him incapable of seeing her hurt once more. He acts hastily and foolishly to avert her being hurt. He literally, but uncommonly prostitutes himself for the love of his life, Joan. Peter will keep Loretta’s books and work with her on take-over trade disputes and mergers. Loretta has her fingers on the pulse of several National Corporations left to her by her late husband. The job doesn’t end in the library; the bedroom is also part of the arrangement.

Loretta’s business affair with Peter becomes more than lightly touched with irony when a third party passes the HIV Virus to Loretta, who passes it to Peter. A doctor friend of Loretta’s suppresses the information keeping the files at his home. The doctor is murdered in his home holding a tab from the file with Peter’s name. Peter seems to be the only suspect. Truth told Joan sticks by Peter who is arrested.

Loretta ends the arrangement becomes a friend of Joan’s and together with Peter, the help of the very best lawyers and even a police detective take on the fight to clear his name and give him his freedom back.

Because of the trust of these three near immortals, it is at this time that the three proudly and magnificently raise their friendship to a different level working to free Peter. They become hero and heroines united in friendship, and form an eternal bond.

Peter had to adjust to still another dilemma it’s like rubbing salt in a wound. Loretta goes to sleep, and doesn’t wake up. There are no drugs involved, her heart just stops.

The story leaves you with a sense of all that is profound. And although his life was constantly altered by secrets and planted information that there are still people to believe in. And also with the thought that Peter having been resilient, did the best that he could wi

About the Author

Biography Mildred Helton Ware, is a native of Russellville, Alabama born on October 26,1929. She came to Cincinnati, Ohio at age 11. She passed up the Grailville College scholarship for marriage. There were seven children from the union. She was working when the oldest sons finished Moeller High School, by holding the oldest one back both parents and the two boys were able to enroll in Raymond Walters College. Some times during those first twenty-eight years Mildred found the four oldest children grown and gone, as well as the mister. And still with three minor sons she reorganized her life. Still working Mildred and youngest son were given scholarships to Xavier University. She became St. Mark’s parochial School first African American President. In 1956 vice, and voted in two separate years as president. Where-by she started their first Scholarship program $500.00 for a girl and an addition $5oo.oo for a boy to go to a girls and boys school. She was an officer and member of two church clubs. Brought The Children Theatre, and The Young Peoples Symphony back to St. Mark’s. Moved to Silverton, Ohio, in the very late 1961. She became corresponding Secretary for the Silverton Democratic Club. She worked at the polls as a clerk then judge for her party. Also corresponding secretary for the newly formed neighborhood Association and drew up the by-laws. A Leader Campfire Girl ; Northeastern Chairman of The United Fine Arts Fund. She worked with St. John’s in Deer Park’s Festival Chairman, Cathy Honsaker, soliciting people by phone for several games for the three-day affair. Mildred joined the Sycamore Senior Center in 1976. She’s participated in two writing clubs. One was taught by a former editor of, “Writer’s Digest Magazine. One a senior group, and each brought interesting tid-bits to the table for others to read. “ I get high off of people.”