The guardian., 1941-01-11
Second Thoughts
By ROBERT M'CHESNEY
ASSOCIATED Newspapers.l
WNU Service.


only 10 a. m. then. Jerry took the
receiver off the hook with a sigh. It
did seem as if the era prior to uni
versal telephone service must have
been much more peaceful for busy
housewives than this hectic age of
constant interruptions.
The first call had been from Bills
Aunt Mary, announcing her intend
ed arrival for lunch; later, the
butcher had called giving the exas-
perating news that he'd not be able
to send broilers that day-Aunt
Mary dotted on fried chicken. To
make matters worse, Mary Ellen
had cut her thumb badly and was
very gloomy in consequence; little
help could be looked for from that
quarter. And now-this!
rs that you, Jerry?"
eyes, dear"
Your voice didn't sound natural
somehow. Say, Jerry, we're invited
to dine with the Fanchers tonight
at their new studio-apartment. It's
sure to be wow of a party"
But, Bill"
"But me no butts! We're going.
wouldn't miss it for the world. It's
been got up in a hurry-Jack Just
called up some of the fellows and
told them to breeze in about seven
with their wives"
But, Bill, dear"
Nov listen, honey, I'm in a rush.
You know what I'll need. won't
have time to come out to dress, so
you put my things in that light over
night bag and come in on the six
o'clock train-Hello, Dick! Yes, I'm
ready to start now-Remember,
Jerry, the o'clock. I'll meet you
at the station"
The receiver at the other end
clicked and Jerry sat still, her
mind in a whirl of resentment and
anxiety. Aunt Mary already on her
way-Bill out of his office for the
day probably.
care you perfectly sure that you
have taken proper care of Mary
Ellen's thumb, Geraldine, dear?"
asked Aunt Mary the moment she
saw that member swathed in white
cotton cloth.
Aunt Mary had decided will of
her own and though Jerry assured
her that the injured thumb had been
thoroughly soused with antiseptics
from the family bottle, luncheon had
to be postponed while the bandage
was removed, lotion applied and
fresh bandage secured by Aunt
Mary's capable hands.
The clock was Ginning five as the
door closed behind Aunt Mary and
Jerry was free to race frantically
upstairs to pack Bills evening
clothes in the bag At 5:45 Mary
Ellen had deposited the overnight
bag by the hall door and retired to
the kitchen to nurse her still painful
thumb. The telephone was ringing
maddeningly as Jerry ran down the
stairs. Mary Ellen being out of
sight, she feverishly took down the
receiver, only to get no response to
her hurried o-hello-hello.
At the first stop a pretty girl en-
tered the car carrying a smart-look-
ing bag. A bag! Jerry leaned swift
ly forward and groped beside the
seat where her bag should have
been. 1t was not there-it never
had been there-it was right where
Mary Ellen had put it by the hall
door. The train going the other
direction had already passed the
next stop-anyWay, Bill was to meet
the siX-o' 'clock-the full horror of
the situation broke over her. What
would Bill say?
She knew what this going to the
Fanchers' meant to him. Angry,
helpless, tears filled her eyes as the
fatigue of the trying day overcame
her and she visioned Bills impa-
tient irritation.
"Oh, you're always forgetting
something" >" he would begin in the
tone that she knew so we'll"
A sensation of bitterness surged
over jerry. Did marriage ever
mean anything for a woman except
exactions? Bills comfort, Bills
pleasure, Bills relatives, why, they
filed her life to the exclusion of
everything else.
The train came to a stop and Jer-
ry rose with sigh.
Hello, honey, Pm glad you got
my message. Mary Ellen thought
you must have run in next door,
for the bag was still in the hail."
said Bill, tucking her arm through
his. II was half afraid you wouldn't
come in town since the party was
called off. I'm sort of glad it's off,
to tell the truth, for it was certain
to have been an all-night affair.
hated to have you disappointed,
though. What do you say we have a
little dinner all by ourselves and
then take in a show?"
After having braced herself for
indignant disapproval, Jerry's reac-
tion to the changed situation was a
bubbling joyousness that made Bill
burst forth spontaneously: II say,
honey-girl, we have better times
when we step out all by ourselves
than at any party that was ever
thrown"