Evening star., 1937-10-31

ISABELLE shot the car into the parking lot
back of Berger's department store. I'll
back it in. she called over her shoulder to
the attendant. He must think she was GER
ta;nly different from most people, with the
hundreds of cars he had to park in day - to
have person who was thoughtful and, well,
gracious.
eff you don't mind. I'll back it in" The at
tendant's voice came to her as she backed the
car smartly into the fence.
"Oh!" Assuming all the girlishness : and a
little more = that was hers by right of her six
teen years, she looked around to find young
man. hands on the car door. patient smile on
his lips. "Oh." she repeated. her voice fiat.
Hello"
Of all the people in the world who absolutely
Tked her since she was mere child this Bud
haines was the prize exhibit. You would answer
the front door and it was Bud Haines as little
boy selling magazines or asking if he could cut
the grass, or sweep the sidewalk, or clean out
the cellar. Anything to get few cents. How he
had kept up with school, too. was one of those
mysteries she would never understand. Never
for she d heard he d funked something at High.
That had left him behind when all the rest
of the boys had gone off to college. But lot he
cared with his slogans and his salesmanship
and his personality with smile wins"
While Bud wrote out her parking check
Isabelle paced aimlessly i it seemed - and
caught glimpse of the rear of the car. The
tenders were intact but the bumper had dent
no parent would ever believe had been there all
along. Well. there went weeks allowance.
It was too disgusting.
When she returned to the parking lot she
found the bumper miraculously untouched as
Bud drove the car we'll out into the middle of
the lot.
"The bumper?" she pointed at it.
''The work of moment" he assured her.
We're always happy to render any assistance
we can."
Her weeks allowance all hers again, she
failed to notice his quotation marked phrases
in the rush of words expressing her gratitude:
why. Bud! Why. thanks million times!"
"It wasn't anything, honest"
His voice, his whole face seemed to change -
like an actor dropping mask" or something.
He was sort of attractive when he looked like
this. Why, very attractive! She discovered she
was feeling fiustery as if she we're talking to
perfect stranger.
Twice again during the week she had to stop
by Berger's. She found out that Bud liked the
st. Louis Blues, toasted cheese and tomato
sandwiches, black roadsters with tan tops, girls
who didn't wear dark red nail polish (she never
did,. brown gabardine trousers and white linen
coats on men, and the Silver Willows Room at
the Hotel Tarleton.
She saw him there Saturday night when she
arrived with Clifford Reed and three other
couples. Bud was sitting alone at a table for
two and he was wearing brown trousers and a
linen coat. He looked simply marvellous. She
wished he'd glance up and see her while she
walked down the black and silver stairs; for she
looked simply marvellous. too - at least every
body had said so.
Clifford was giving this party for her and it
had been mentioned three times in the society
columns under Here and There with the
Younger Set" But Bud Haines did not glance
her way until she and the rest of the crowd we're
seated at their table. Then he smiled. She
smiled.
"Hey. look?" Kenny Taylor exclaimed. ''Old
High-Pockets Haines!'
sLJiohPockets7" Isabelle WAC haf1aed