The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1940-08-24
GLAMOUR 1--WE

MY NAME WAS Joe Wilson but
w they never called me that. Ey-
or since was knee-nigh 10 duck
had aiwaye been "Skinney." As |
gradually became accustomed 20
Tie name and learned 10 accept Il
without getting hopping mad iron
The tip o. my toe TO the top OF my
head where mop OF dark curley
hsir Las matted 90 my skull. Though
slender as the latter end Of an or-
binary pencil and growing taller
and lankier every day. on top of
having a million freckles spread
over a giglish looking face. wasn't
So bad. thought in an effort to
comfort myself
No earthly mortal can possibly
know the misery I sufferer when.
out ot the clear blue sky. HUE
Tucker made a crack about the
Ann Sheridan figure. Dietrich legs
and Lamour glamour. That was too
much
l. happened in school one day Il
was only in the ninth grade then)
and ] got 50 mad could feel my
soft aiming a thousand dffcrca;
colors and something inside Of me
kept 'iumpIu | remember hear.
ing myself Shout
"Them's aghtin' words Tuck
only ~ which he laughed and said:
AN, take it easy. Skinney Don't
ref 50 mad You'll ruin that Judy
Garland twane. That would ne
n-A-D bad con let's hear you sing
Ike la Durbin does---You know
ia-la-la la Ia"
Them were fghtin' words. bat !
can't recall any fght, nor any at
tempt made. 10 start one. just
stood there and cussed EN- just Ike
| once heard Pa swear at Ma-but
daring 10 take a poke at the Of
fender
Now II was their turn 10 get mad.
and a week later knew just how
mad they really did get for I was
hauled into the school principals
office charged with stealing ami
framed by HUE Tucker.
Now up TO this time | didn't give
hang for girls q was hfteen).
Course not being a stick-in-the-
mud, l did occasionally buy them
some candy while we walked to-
gether and sometimes Id even
treat one to movie or we'd 20 10
various parties where Sam would
never fail TO suggest the game OF
20. Julian and me would really
have a fine time. It's n fact that
I've never been conceiied in nv
life. but ! couldn't help noting that
almost all the girls preferred me
10 the rect Of the boys and came
very near breaking their necks get
ting a chance to kiss me-except,
You might say, Vickie Lawrence.
She was funny kid, always
thought Being sort OF quiet and
reserved made her rather consplc-
nous az every social catherine.
Even tho she wasn't what you
might exactly call pretty, she was
ALWAYS nice 10 everyone.
liked her a little but never told
her or publicized the fact because I
had a feeling she wasn't so keen
on me so you can imagine Cor a
You can't just try TO imagine) my
surprise when she breezed into tho
Office. cool as daisies. Just as I was
being drilled" by the principal and
calmly said. You're wrong, Mrs.
Dean. n you think Joe here stole
that money. can't prove II be-
cause haven't got any proof. but
can give you my word OF honor
that he didn't" Dean swallowed II
hook line and sinker. cancelled the
charges and dismissed us.
Outside we cut across the field
where some eighth-gradere were
practlcing n game OF after-scbool
baseball. ! thanked Vickie and size
responded with a wry smile and a
cool You're welcome. Joe" Then
I asked. How did you know ]
wasn't guiityg "oh - I just
knew"
but how. I don't wear no angel