Nancy Ruhling's Astoria Characters

Romaine Paige is sitting on his bed trying to figure out his future, which may or may not be written on the Whiteboard on his wall. His wife – there has been no wedding ceremony or marriage license, but that’s how Romaine thinks of her – left him three days before Thanksgiving. “She told me that separation makes the heart grow fonder,” he says, tears coming to his eyes, which register heartbreak even when they’re dry. “She said that she would come back but that I needed to re-define…

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“Would you like me to make breakfast?” Because the asker is Peter Giannakas, the chef at Ovelia, the answer is an enthusiastic YES. “I’ll just fix something simple,” he says as he begins frying organic eggs in Greek olive oil. “A traditional Greek family-style breakfast.” Within minutes, he brings the platter of eggs to the table. Then he presents country-style pork sausage made with leeks and orange zest; grilled halloumi cheese from Cyprus; grilled pita bread seasoned with…

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Ginger, a toy poodle whose name matches her fur color, prances into Central Park Pet Spa. She has an appointment for a shampoo and haircut. The grooming salon on Ditmars Boulevard at 38th Street is new, and she’s never been here so it’s unclear whether she knows about her upcoming beauty treatment. She’s only a year old, so when her mommy walks out the door, she cries like a baby until Reda Elabd, the spa owner, scoops her up in his big hands and plies her with puppy kisses and treats. By…

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“I am not a watchmaker,” Marcel Zalaznik says emphatically. “I am a watch repairer.” A watchmaker, he explains as he sets a tray of gold rings in the window of Grand Jewelers, can build a timepiece from the center wheel up. His father, Jack, who owned the shop before Marcel knew how to tell time, was trained to do that. A repairer such as Marcel merely makes sure the watches keep running on time. “It’s like being a doctor,” he says, a holding a Rolex that’s awaiting rehab.…

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It’s really hard for Jordana Guimaraes to stay in the same place. Or keep doing the same thing. “I call myself a modern-day gypsy,” says Jordana, a statuesque woman with Cleopatra hair and eyes of fire. “Moving around a lot – that’s how I learn the most.” The proof is in her life, which, to her delight, has led her to Florida, New York and Minnesota and to a variety of jobs. Jordana, a woman of winter who likes to keep her apartment as cold as snow, spent the first 12 years of her…

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