Evening star., 1940-03-17
Il Short Story Complete IN This Issue

COmlCdl Stuft. hdd Deen waiting TOO long 10
that letter Three weeks is way too long. 1t i
a lifetime, when the letters before it have beer
getting thinner and thinner and you hav
been getting all sick inside, just hoping ant
waiting for that letter to show up.
| walked over to the big leather loung
near the front of the lobby and Topped int
it while l ripped the envelope open. M.
throat felt full of cotton. My hands shool
a little And the taxis sCooting along 44tl
Street right out front, sounded million mile
away She had written:
Dear Eddie: - It's so hard to write this
instead of telling you but I've put it
off too long now, and you We got to know
that I'm going to marry Clement Lacey
this Saturday. I've hoped you'd come
home so | wouldn't have to write it.
don't know how to write it. | mean, the
way things have changed But it's year
since We been home Eddie. The way
felt about you. II never feel about any
other man as long as live, know that.
But, feeling that way did not get us
anywhere and don't think. now, that it
ever will Six years | loved you and
waited for you to do something about it.
Not that | blame you for quitting the
job in your fathers store and going to
New York you had your heart set on
being a fine musician and playing in big
famous bands and you had a right to try.
didn't stop you. And know you can t
help it that you We stayed away from me
50 long. But have been seeing Clement
steadily for over a year. He loves me
deeply and wants to take care OF me and
is in position to do it. And honestly,
Eddie. have grown so tired of wonder
ing, always wondering about the future.
Although | do not love Clement quite
the way loved you. love him enough
to make him happy and to be happy.
think. Please don't hate me because Id
die if couldn't go on thinking of you as
my friend, always. But those dreams we
had. Eddie. are Just never going to work
out know will never forget you even if
we don t ever see each other again. Don't
forget me. Eddie With love - jamie"
| sat there staring out at 44th Street fC
don't know how long, with the letter IN m
hand Maybe she had given up hoping tha
those dreams we d had would work out, but
hadn't - that was the rub.
felt kind of Choked up and didn't kno'
what ought to do next Until, finally | &C
up and went over to the elevator Then. late
up in my room tried to sleep but it WASH
any use. thought about maybe gettln
drunk, but knew that no matter how drum
got, Id only feel worse and worse. Their
was Just one thing in the world that could d
me any good right then and it was jamie
knew it for fact had to see JAMIE, had
talk With her, touch her, or else lwould go nut
My dough- when | spread it out on tn
dresser, totaled eighteen bucks Not enough
So, my tenor sax and my clarinet came out {
the closet, fast $50 long sweethearts, sal
to them.
The pawnshop was on Third Avenue and
came out of the place with forty bucks. PIT
the eighteen had, that was plenty.
Back at the hotel. found could catch
sleeper at midnight, which suited me fine.
went downstairs and paid the three days rer
and by the time got to Grand Central l VIZ
feeling little bit better. Not much. But
little bit.
IT WAS almost five the next afternoon whe
| landed in the home town. knew I'd make
L e. I roI Crvi