The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-07-17

over the water and thousands
of clean. white stars dotted the
upturned cup of the sky.
Several persons called to her
as she passed them and she
smiled answer. Most of the con-
ceSsion owners had been here
every season for years. They
formed a clannish resident colony
all their own which was closed
to transients. Jan was accepted
almost as one of them. They
liked her, trusted her, these
curious people, spawn of carnival
and circus who shouted all sum-
mer long at prospective custom
ers with complete and hardened
indifference to heckling and star
ing, happy when warm summer
nights drove hordes of suckers"
to their gaudy beach stalls. This
new world had opened to her
fascinated eyes only two years
ago when. of necessity, she had
to leave school and care for
Lance. Every moment of freedom
she spent in exploring what
seemed unusual, bizarre, and in
triguing in this small west coast
replica of Coney Island. Z
Little by little these people be-
came accustomed to seeing the
small, blue-eyed girl with the
shy smile. In due time she was
permitted the run of the shows.
She learned more from these ele-
mental, boisterous, shrewd peo-
pie than any book could have
taught her about their sort of life.
Her young ears. often shocked,
heard of bloody battles, drunken
mischief, faithlesS wives, rowing
husbands, and all the colorful do
ingS of nimble-witted show peo-
pie.
Jan passed Franks office at the
lifeguard station. saw through the
window he was talking to some
men, and went on out to the
piers end. She liked just to stand
here and look down at the water
battering night and day at the
pilings below.
Usually the unremitting roll of
the surf lulled her, but tonight
it did not. She kept thinking of
Derek and of Johnny, wishing
that scene in the kitchen had not
occurred. Not that it mattered.
Derek had made that quite clear
on the rooftop the day he kissed
her. Nevertheless, it made her
miserable to think he had seen
her the first time she had ever
been in Johnny'S arms, and prob
ably the last.
Too Sensitive
AM I falling in love with.
"A Derek?" she wondered. If
this was love, she thought she'd
rather skip it. One moment exal-
tation; the next depression. She
was becoming too sensitive, too
vulnerable. II ought to get rid
of him." she thought and the
thought made. her feel empty.
Soon after she reached home
Norma returned with Lance. He
greeted his sister with feverish
enthusiasm, telling her in detail
all about the airplane sequences
of the picture. He liked Gable
and Tracy. he saiu, and the
scenes were almost too real.
Tell her what happened"
Norma prompted, looking a little
white. more than a little dis
turbed.
Remember all the photographs
OF me when / won the west coast
air races?" he asked. his face
radiant. After the picture tonight
the lights went on, Jan, and some
body recognized me. Pretty soon
everybody in the place was cram
ing to see ME, saying That fell
low was a test pilot. He knows
all about it. He was over at the
Lockair Plant They crowded
around me. Sis, and talked to me
and wanted my autograph"
They talked a while longer,
waiting for Frank Jan had
stopped in just long enough to tell
him OF Lance'S theatre venture
and he'd promised to run in when
the show was over. When he
came, taking Lance upstairs.
Norma seized JAMS hands
squeezed them fearfully.
u didn't know" she whisnered.
TEST pilot was just a name Of
something. to do with aviation
Oh, Jan. ! couldn't bear it il
Lance were ever to fly againl L
I'd 60 mad imagining disaster.
How did you bear it?"
Il didn't know, either" Jan
told her quietly. He never al
lowed me near the field / was
IN school didn't learn how dan
gerouS il was until-until after
ward. / can't even talk about il.
] get sick inside"
Their hands chung a moment
in silent understanding. then Jan
said. Let's make coffee and
sandwiches for the men and stop
being tragicl"
Following Derek's advice to
forget her painting awhile, Jan
sprawled IN q sun suit on the
beach before the house the next
afternoon. watching the hordes
Of people crawl around on the
sand. for all the world like ants.
happy because the sun was hot
and the water not too cold, over
Ioyed to see their white flesh
burning a painful red, uncaring
OF tonight's irking bliSters-
Through her amber sun glasses
she saw smartly-dressed young
woman turn in on the short
seboblef1 walk to the red house
and scrutinize the "for rent"
placard. Springing up. Jan caught
her just as she reached the wide
nal dnnr with fha cfIrfained r,nrf