The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-09-14
Chapter q
PARTY TRICK

PARTY TRICK
ON Sunday morning Margery tele'
phoned.
"Some of the crowd are coming
by this afternoon" she said. Cant
you come too?"
I'D love to-" Carol said promptly
The idea of spending her first Sun
day alone had no charms. "WhenT
about five. Harry'l come over
and get you"
She demurred family at that. but
Margery was firm. Hes got to 60
out for lemons and White Rock any
how - this is very impromptu.
Around five. then"
There was time, Carol decided,
to try the Sherwood pool before
lunch, so she put on her bathing suit
and went down.
The pool was noisy and churning
with children who made up In
energy what they lacked in num-
bers. and the entire bank was
fringed with motionless. PROSTATE
forms, summing themselves: forms
that never moved except to turn at
intervals and sun other portions of
their anatomy.
Most of them were women, and
Carol reflected humorously that she
had never seen such a motley col
lection Of fat thighs. Some of them
were as white as grubs. some were
at the raw-meat stage, few were
smooth golden brown.
Hereafter, Carol resolved. she
would take her swims at night, and
let her own lovely tan go. She hated
the sight of so many fat. soft PEG.
pie PROSTATE in worship before the
sun.
Harry was late, but that was to
be expected; Harry was always late.
He was two weeks late being born,
he explained once, and he had never
yet caught up. He burst in at half.
past five. grinning and unapolo.
getic.
Ready to go. sugar."
"For the last half hour"
"Well. nobody ever means 1t when
they say a certain time: they mean
some time after that"
She laughed. " usually go on that
theory. ut since you're the host
thought you might want me to be
ady."
Il did. but had golf date and
got tied up" He eyed her critically.
"You look good enough to eat. Come
on"
They stopped at drug store for
White Rock and lemons. and then
drove madly home. Three of the
guests had already arrived, and
Harry pulled her into the living.
room and made flourishing gesture
in her direction.
Carol Torrance-Betty and Jerry
McElroy and His Nibs. the Honor
able Porter Murray"
He had shouted the names at the
top of his voice. and Carol was about
to speak when he added in a low
tone:
Carols terribly deaf. folks; you'll
have to talk loud"
She turned on him to say: why
you dirty liar!" but he cut in swiftly
Betty and Jerry McElroy and
Porter Murray" as II he were an
swering her.
Margery giggled and screamed
"Hi! I'm so glad to see you. Don't
you want to rest your hat'?"
THE idea Of deafness had posi-
bilities. she decided, so she com
posed ''er features with an effort.
'No thanks. It's perfectly com
Portable"
Porter Murray shouted. "Its aw
fully becoming: | don't blame you.
and turned to Harry.
That's a damn shame" he sale
in his natural voice. Shed be {
knockout il she wasn't afflicted
How did it happen?"
"Mastoid." Harry explained brief
~. and Carol exploded in a rather
unconvincing cough.
Porter Murray was solicitous. III
was a patent.leather man of forty Of
so. and obviously a squire of danes
Fix her a drink. Harry" he or
dered at the top Of his lungs. ant
Harry began opening liquor ant
White Rock. Carol subsidized ant
smiled ravishingly at Porter Muir
ray.
Two more couples arrived. boil
strangers to Carol. and the gam
went on under Harry's expert guild
ance. Porter exerted himself man
fully. with occasional asides tina
;convulsed her.
49, =-