Evening star., 1938-03-06

- 0NSu"1 7OS'
DE SAT on top of bus, one of long
line of scarlet, lofty vehicles. For five
years, imprisoned within palms and
banana trees and the immense mo-
notony of the rubber plantation, he had
dreamed of the London buses. Well, here he
was Doing what he had vowed to do on his
first day home Riding on top of bus to
Piccadilly Circus Thousands of men perspir-
ing in the tropics would be envying him al
most to the point of madness, could they but
know. Even as he had envied his pal Jimmy
Struthers last year. How deliciously cool and
gentle the rain was, wetting the pavements
Just enough to reflect the street lamps. the
shop lights, the advertising signs, springing
successively into brightness in this delight
fully gradual dusk!
What the devil had happened to Jimmy?
Jimmy's leave must be up. Probably at this
moment he'd be having sundowner in the
Planters Club. yarning of his idyllic expert
ences to those still condemned to exile. (But
one always came back to the East; it got into
ones blood he d hate not to 60 back.) Funny
he hadn't heard word from Jimmy, save
those first few non-descriptive postcards But
they didn't have to write. The bond between
them went back long time when, hardly more
than schoolboys, they'd been flying officers
together in the last year of the World War.
Piccadilly Circus The light rain had for the
moment ceased. Yelling newsboys bore flut-
tering placards: WAR IN FAR EAST THREATENS
WORLD PEACE. He bought paper. Several
young women sidled toward him. But he had
something else to do. He had to 60 and buy a
buttonhole from the shawled flower girls at
the Eros fountain.
ERE yer are, dearie. That's nice one"
The fat oldish woman pinned the carnation
in his lapel. Just 'ome, sir, amt yer? Yer can
see it wiv 'arf an eye." She laughed, ma
ternally ''They all comes ere fust thing -
makes 'em feel they're RELY back in good ol'
Lunnon Town. He wondered whether Jimmy
also had come here first thing. Then they
goes an as one at the Lahnge. Thank yer,
sir Thank yer kindly. sir Apply times, sir, an
good luck!' He had grossly overpaid her.
Probably full of other exiles on leave Well,
that was better than nothing. He wouldn't
confess it to himself, but he was trifle lonely.
Presently, of course, he'd have to 60 down to
his people in the country. But he wanted
taste of London first. Some fellows were
lucky enough to have a girl waiting for 'em.
There was Marion Vysey, the girl he'd got to
know before going out last time. He had
known her through her brother - fellow he'd
originally met in the Lounge. A really nice
girl. Understanding. Straight. Fine eyes.
He'd given Jimmy her address, noted in his
pocketbook Probably Jimmy hadn t bothered.
Perhaps he'd look her up himself. Many times
her eyes had haunted him in sleepless sticky
nights out East. He hadn't known her well
enough to write, had been rather in awe of her.
He stood, with whisky and soda, at the
bar of the Lounge, at that moment practic-
ally empty. Life wasn't 50 bad. Thank God.
one could wear a decent blue-serge suit He
opened his paper, scanned the headlines:
VOLUNTEERS FOR CHINESE AIR FORCE BEING
SOUGHT. One war was enough for him, thank
you But all right for fellows out of job.
Thank the Lord, he'd got first-rate job The
home bosses thought the world of him. Really
efficient managers weren't 50 plentiful.
A girl perched herself on the high stool next