The Washington times., 1938-09-14
A MANS WORK~~~~~~~~~~~~,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
..... Daily Short Story
Helen Christine Bernett~~~~~~~~~

up carly "0NnSS"J @O SU
mer. IF you would have din
ner and go with me"
"Your other hand. please" For
a moment as she took the broad,
flat hand put forward In obed1'
ence, Valerie Firth felt an intense
desire to slap it hard. Instead, she
bent over it conscientiously and
began pushing down the cutlcle.
It wasn't Joe Green's fault that
his hand was broad and flat ana
that the skin felt unpleasantly
waxy, Joe ran his own grocery
store in that very block and va
lerie knew how hard and honestly
he worked, She didn't want TO 60
out with him but:
SAYS IT'LL BE NICE"
"That would be NICE" she sald
cheerfully, and Joe's broad 1IaG
face frightened. Before he could
sneak a mans head appeared
tilrlIst round into the opening IN
The seven.foot partition that OIL
vided Valerie's little cubicle from
the barber shop proper.
"Oh." said the head, "the bar.
ber said / could get q manicure.
"You can, in a very few mnutes.
UNI Won please wait" Valerie
ehot her best professional smile
and recorded somewhere within
~ tl1at A. WAS a very Rood.look1ng
head, and high up against the par
tition,
who's yer friend?" growled
Joe as the head withdrew.
sNever saw him before"
mapped Valerie. Joe softened.
"Aw, Miss Firth, I'm just a nut
Don't notice it. You don't know
But Valerie did know. Joe Green
vas going to ask her to marry hlm'
maybe wednesday. She nad
pain, not where her heart lodged,
but in her forehead, at the very
thought. And yet she ought 10
think it over.
She was trying to think as Joe
Green left, as the tall head atop
a big body sat opposite to her ana
she brought fresh water ana toolS
from the sterilizer.
Hardly looking at her customer, ,
she held out her hand for his. IL
was a big hand and the skin was
soft. But the fingers were both
flexible and powerful. She be
gan filing, q smooth weu-cs'reo
for nail. .,,, ~
st have them done twice a
week" said a pleasant voice: ,
"Oh," What kind of man had
his nails done twice weekly? val
erie did her best on the nails. AS
he paid for the manicure he spoke
again.
HE'LL COME AGAIN
"Have you time at IL on Fri
day?" She asked for his name tor
the appointment book. Nathaniel
Bedloe. She watched him out the
front door, how well he moved IN
his fine summer suit, and what a
good Panama! She went to the
front of the shop where Mr.. Peter
Smiley, the proprietor, was just
taking off his white coat to 60
home to lunch.
Hello Valerie, how's momma?"
"she's getting better FAST Mr.
Smiley"
Good. Now Tuesday amt such
a busy day. If you want to run
over, Jim would call if a customer
comes"
VaIerie's eyes miSted.
"You think of everything. .
"Me?" Mr.. Smiley's face turned
brick red.
Mr.. Smiley bolted. Valerie
looked after him smiling. It had
been a hectic year. Her own 1oD
lost and q hundred girls OF tar
more experience competing with
her for jobs that did not pay Q
living wage, her father sick-She
had walked past Smiley'S. turned
and gone in.
Smiley's, just round her corner
Smiley's where she had had her
hair cut since she was q baby.
And she had asked MIR. Smiley Tor
space for a table-and q chance.
Smiley had built the cublcle
when Valerie's father died; ne
was the kind of man who just
had to do something-and ne re-
fused a cent Of rent. 1t was true
that Valerie brought customers to
the shop, both men and women.
Smiley had put in special booth
for ladies who wanted his Cos
mopolite hair cuts" Valerie had
made him call them that.
THE LATEST GOSSIP
"Gotta new cuStomer?" Jim, the
assistants eyes snapped. Sport,
amt he? You know wot I tink?
I tink he's one Of them gigoloS!"
Maybe" Valerie was conscious
Of shock.
For four weeks Valerie listened
to barber shop speculationS con-
cerning Nathaniel Bedloe. Sn1i.
ley's was a neighborhood shop.
strangers were comparatively few.
Valerie learned that Nathaniel
had taken a summer sublet of a
small penthouse atop a tall build
ing, that he seemed never TO be
home, except mornings, when he
slept. No one knew more.
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How WOV1nan :.
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