The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-24


to be alone. I was going to turn the
offer down fiat until Tom showed me
what a damn fool I'd be. That's the
only reason I came to New York al
all.
Listen. sap" He said. you're
acting like an old woman. Why
New York's the greatest town in the
world. Say you don't meet anybody
for a little while. What of it? Some
day you will. You'll meet another
guy you'll get along with fine. On
better yet, maybe you'll met a girl
And if you do, it will be curtains fol
me. You'll never even think of me
Wait and see"
I thought he was wrong for a
long time after I got here. Jeez
I thought I'd go nutsl I lived al
hotel and every day I suppose
l saw million people there anc
in the subway and on my way tc
work. And I didn't know a soul
Not a soul, mind you. I used tc
wander all over the town. I'd &c
down to the ghetto and the Bowery
and up around 14th-st. I'd tramp
through the Forties and Fifties.
used to like to be around the For
ties when the shows were letting
out. I'd mooch along, watching the
jeWelled women and the men in
their evening dress. And I'd like
to see them until it occurred to me
that l didn't know a single soul
among them. Then I used to &C
back to my room and read or play
solitaire or write Tom.
1 used to write Tom at least once
a week. Some times, twice or three
times. Id tell him all about the
job and what I was doing and what
1 wasn't doing. I'd tell him where
I'd been and all the people I didn't
meet. I'd tell him what lousy
lonesome town New York was.
II
And then I met Bette. At one
of those informal office receptions
that are always happening in New
York. She was the boss's secre-
tary, and they tell me she was good
She would be. She was good at
everything she ever did. And she's
a locker. Black hair. Kind of pale
Eyes like Halle Selassie's, liquid and
sad and, come to think of it, merci-
less. No. I didn't mean that. I'm
just feeling bitter. Let me have
another drink, please. Don't put
water in it. I'll have the water on
the side. That's right. Here's look
ing at you.
COMMITTING went out of me to
~ reach Bette, and something
came from her and reached me. ]
know what it was now. You see,
1 was like a kid who's been lost
a long time and finally finds his
mother again. She took Toms place
as my pal. And what pal she
was! We went everywhere together
She had little apartment and ev-
cry once in while she'd cook din
ner down there 1t was only a
step from that to falling in love
And we fell hard. Both of us
She pushed Tom right out of nv
life. I went on writing him when
ever I thought of him. But that
wasn't often in those days. And
then I quit writing him altogether
because I practically forgot him.
I'll bet haven't written him twice
in the last year.
Still, when I got his wire telling
me he was on his way here to New
York to work, I was tickled to
death. You can see how that was,
can't you? I'd told Bette a lot
about Tom and I was glad that now
the two people I thought most of
in the world were going to meet. 1t
made Bette sore when I told her he
was coming. She said she had
heard so much about him that she
was all set to hate him. Nobody,
she said, could be as swell as I was
always saying Tom was. Or if he
was, he shouldn't be alive. Let me
have another drink. Just a dash
Of soda. I felt that last one.
=
XXTELL, Bette didn't hate him.
w The three of us went every
place together, and I was never so
happy in my life. I could see how
well those two liked each other. I
mean I thought I could. I didn't
really see until the day before yes
terday. Then I got off early and
1 thought I'd sneak up to the
apartment and surprise her. I sur
prised her, all right. And Tom, too.
I found them in each others arms.
Have you telephone here? If I'll
just sit down in that booth What S
that? You mean to say over there,
the waiter will bring telephone
and plug it in? Why, that's just
what they do in pictures! It's an
improvement. If prohibition did
nothing else, it made palaces out of
saloons. Thank you, waiter.
Let's see. R-H4-Hello! Bette?
Bette, this is Jim. Yeh. Your
husband-once. Bette, you noticed.
didn't you, that I'd taken some of
my clothes. I'm going to send for
the rest a little later. Not right
away I don't need them. Sure
I'll explain. That's why I'm calling
you. You see, Baby. after seeing
what I saw, I knew you and
were washed up. I thought this
was the best way to do it. Get
out without a lot of conversation.
No. Baby. Because there isn't
anything to talk over. I know how
you feel about Tom. OF course
not! Why should I blame you?
People can't control love. I Just
happens to you and when it does.
it's just too bad. Il know you do,
Baby. No. I'm not sore NO. /
don't hate you. I-Oh, stop crying
In I'll right. I'm finel Goodbye
Daring.
God! Alone. All alone.
Waiter Bring me a Scotch,
please. No, not scotch and soda.
Scotch straight. No, I don't want
any water IN tho eide IT, t,olt .,,s+l.