The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-05-22
Boy Is Quiet,
But Mayhab
N0tSO Dumb
BY MARTHA LEE

Every once in a while there Is
born child who grows up to be
sweet, charming. loveable and in
teresting to all who know him-and
a dim bulb and uninteresting boor
to all those who do not know him.
On first glance at such a case, one
would say the reason for this is lack
Of personality. or having personality,
an inability to put it over.
I do not think so. OF course it IS,
TO a certain extent, an inability to
put the personality over, but it is
more a dislike of crowds, an Unborn
hatred for back-slappers and re-
serve among strangers that is very
uncommon in these hey-hey days.
AS a consequence, such a man or
woman is labeled a "snob, queer, p"
peculiar" an Elmer" and few
other terms which vary with the To-
cality. but all mean the same thing.
Name it.
It's Painful Ordeal
Now it is all very painful for the
person in question. He breaks a
suspender strap trying to shoot
Roman candles in Rome, but only
manages to look like he is mimicing
his hosts for his own amusement
and their distress. And as a conse-
quence he climbs further and fur
ther into his shell until he has to be
blasted out before he will ever go
any place again.
All of which means to those who
love him that it is awfully nice to
love some one who is different
sometimes, but it is an awful trial
most of the time. Read what this
girl has to say about the joys and
sorrows of liking some one outside
the flock"
Dear Miss Lee-I am in love with boy,
than whom there is no dearer when We
are together. But, the minute he gets
around with other people, don't know
what happens but one would think he had
been struck dumb
Now when we are toge her. he is witty
and amusing as any boy I have ever
known. He has a keen sense of apprecia-
music and all that. He is a good dancer
and just as clever conversational1y as he
can be.
Crowd Thinks He's Flop
I have always gone with certain crowd
ever since my high school days. I am "a
now. and most Of the boys and girls I
went to school with are married. They
are all right, you know, but all terribly
interested IN the new frigidaire and how
many miles to the gallon and what the
boss said that day. They believe III max
ing serious whoopee the few times they
do it.
And I must admit it is rather boring,
even to me who like them for old times
boy gets over with them. They think he
sake Well, you can imagine how this
is a so and so. And after a few times.
realized it was hopeless and refused
further invitations
But that is not the worst Of It, Ny
parents think the same thing about him.
You see the other boys I have gone with
came in the house and if dad was read
ing the paper, they Immediately struck up
conversation with him. This boy thinks.
since he has nothing particularly inter
esting to say, 1t would be much kinder and
more thoughtful to let my father go on
reading than to interrupt with some IN
important conversation Which I think is
O. k, but not so dad. He thinks this
chap is afraid to talk to him for fear he
will find out something the boy intends he
should not know. And so it goes. Gee.
Miss Lee. what's to be done about It?
GERALDINE.
7 should think 1t would be such a
relief to be with some one who was
not a back slapper and a soft soaper
for a change that even trese little
aspects of the case would be mere
nothings.
He Is Shy to Fault
Undoubtedly his whole outlook on
things is result of his own desire
for solitude and quiet and good
breeding. He is supersensitive and
shy to a fault. but how much nicer
than having some bold chap who
washes in and calls your father by
his first name.
Instead Of dragging him out with
your friends. let him take you out
with him. See him with people he
knows and likes and is in sympathy
with and, if you really love him,
cultivate a liking for those people
who are his friends And draw him
out as much as possible when you
are forced to be with people. He
sounds o. k. to me.