The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-07-30
Chapter six
Sixty-Five Floors I'm

-AtnIIEGn
interest. seu
Gosh. Marie" said Henry in a
breathless fashion, ''you were
great Boy. was I proud OF your
so was +" said Luella. "But
kept thinking about the time
you sang a solo in the Methodist
church choir and forgot your
words. Remember"
Eyes, / remember said Marie
But there's no time for reninis-
cling"
"And the time" said Luella.
when you forgot to take off your
apron, and there it was when you
got up to singI"
Marie frowned. She turned TO
Tommy. -
..Oh, Tommy, darling, I'm sor.
ry!" she said, catching his hand.
Lucia, Henry, this IS Tommy .
She laughed. formally SPEAKING
Mr.; and Mrs. Pell, this is Mr.,
Mcintyre"
Hello. Luellal Howdy, Henry!"
said Tommy.
:, Howdy, yourself" said Henry.
Then. grinning, he looked at Lii
ella, and said, Say, 'howdy' to
Tommy, honey"
HoWdy, Tommyi" said LueIla.
Marie let her lovely eyes move
over the three people gathered
about her.
"This is one of the happiest
moments of my life," she said.
MY three dearest and best
friends all here with me at one
time! Now, let's get the elevator
Tor the Rainbow Room. We're
going to celebrate"
Tommy took Luella's arm. and
Henry took Marie's. as they en-
tered a car that shot them up to-
ward the stars.
Slxty-five floors above the side
walks of Manhattan, Marie de-
manded a table near the dance
floor and got il.
Yes, Miss Mason" said the
dignified man who met them.
Yes, Miss Mason. Right this
way"
When they were seated. Tom.
my looked at Marie and smiled.
Just like that!" he said. "And
she gets what she wants"
Like rubbing Aladdin's lamp"
said Luella.
Marie shrugged. "In New York,
my dears," she said, "one has to
be demanding-or one gets lost
under foot"
Champagne cocktails for all
Of u.s." Tommy said then. MY
treat-for old home week" He
turned to Luella. "Oh," he said,
maybe you'd prefer something
else, Luella. Marie always takes
champagne cocktails, and So"
"I've never tasted one" said
Luella, "but I'm dying to-"
Then champagne cocktails it
shall BET"
The waiter went away. General
conversation began.
Lucia could feel Tommy Nc
Intyre's gaze upon her now and
then.
He had sort of puzzled. sur
prised look. Probably expected
to see a dumpy little country gal"
she thought She smiled to her
self, rather liking the taste of the
champagne, a beverage she had
seen only in the movies.
And so you really liked me?"
Marie was saying to Henry.
"You were swell, Marie" said
Henry-and Luella. hearing, had
the feeling that she had heard
Henry say those words at least a
dozen times. "And while
watched you and listened. | kept
remembering how YOU looked be-
side the river on the night when
you told me you wanted career
more than ANYTHING else in the
whole world Remembers"
do II" said Marie. 'Of course
! do
Looking Back
AS IF she hadn't been remem-
"A bering every moment or that
night from the first glimpse she
had got of Henry waiting for her
there in New York's tall building.
So handsome, so sure of himself,
with his football shoulders, his
narrow hips, his long straight
legs. and the smile she would
never forget if she lived to be a
hundred and one years old.
She had rather dreaded meet
ing her two old friends In so pub
lie place, not that she expected
them to be boobs with haySeed IN
their hair, but fearful lest they be
-well--not just quite right;
small townish, maybe small :.
townish trying to look sophisti-
Gated.
But il hadn't been that way at
all Henry was perfect, and even
Luella looked 4 little like Park
Avenue. Henry Luella
I but especially Henry,
sit was pretty decent OF you,
too" Henry was now saying, 10
use that old song Of mine. GER
tainly never expected to hear II
sung over the radio"
81 thought you'd be pleased,
said Marie. 1T goes over wen,
Careful Marie" Tonmy
warned good-naturedly. Henry
will be demanding royalties
s'Not Henry" said Marie. Hes
willing for me to use it for the
sake of old times. Aren't you.
Henry?"
NYou bet / ami" said Henry.
He was flushed with excitement:
"How about another round or
coektails?"
aSuits me-" said Marie. .I've
been good little girl for a long
time"
sI'm willing" said Tommy