Evening star., 1941-06-29
THIS WEEK MAGAZINE

walked INTO lne DdheTy, lSltlnS the
door bang shut behind her. AT the
sound Andre glanced up from his
letter. And there it was - that look:
somber and deep with sadness, for
all his eyes were so bright blue.
But there was also something else
in his stare, and for an instant she
was puzzled. Then she understood.
He didn't recognize her. Why, he
didn't even remember her at all!
Before Isabelle realized what she
was doing, she had whrled and rushed
from the shop. When she recovered
her faculties, she found herself stand
ing by a fire hydrant on the sidewalk,
out of range of his view through the
bakery's windows. This was further
shock to her self-esteem. A person of
her age and experience to be so lacking
in poise! She ached to go back into
the shop and show him that she didn't
remember him one bit more than he
remembered her. But if she went
back, he d think she was odd in the
head if not actually out of her mind.
From the corner OF her eye she saw
Andre opening the bakery door. Good
heavens abovel AS fast as she could,
without creating a furor, she ran to
the corner. where she sQuirmed her
small self into the center of group
of waiting pedestrians and went with
them across the street as the traffic
lights turned green. Give her Ameri-
cans exclusively and forever from now
on, thank youl Boys like the boys in
her crowd. They might not have the
very bluest eyes in the world, or the
smoothest manners, but you could
understand what they meant by their
look when they looked at you.
She spent the evening with two
such gentlemen, by name Clifford
Reed and Chester Armstrong Clifford
was the most popular boy in the
crowd. with Chester tagging not far
behind. And it would have been clear
to the veriest babe in arms what they
thought about certain person when
they looked at her. When they brought
her home from the movies after a
snack at the Tanglewood Grill. they
stood on the front porch steps for
half an hour, arguing in loud whis-
pers over which one of them was to
take her to the party at the Country
Club Saturday night. Though they
knew they'd see little of her once she
was there; she would be too busy SELL
ing her wares for the refugee kids.
Isabelle didn't say anything. She
just looked beautiful perched on the
porch railing. half in moonlight and
half in the yellow glow from the hall
lamp shining out through the front
door She knew as we'll as they did,
that both Chester and Clifford were
going to take her to the club. She was
happy. She had forgotten Andre.
OHE didn't remember him again
until she was in her bed and on the
brink of sleep. Embarrassmentc cringed
through her as she saw him standing
there by the cash register. looking
as if he had never laid eyes on her
before in his life. She buried her face
in her pillow and tried to see only the
dark. But she could not make him go
away until at last she herself went
away into sleep.
In the morning. with the sunlight.
she felt better. He wasn't so vivid,
and her embarrassment was less acute
Still it was bad enough. And it didn't
help any for Kay Oliver, accompanied
by Isabelle's other dearest friend,
Susan Clayton, to drop by and start
in Immediately to talk about Andre.
II can't fathom the guyr'Kay said,
Topping down on the chaise lounge.
II can't either" Susie sighed. sink
ing down on the bench before the
dressing table.
But Pm going rapidly broke try
ing tor Kay held up a paper sack
hiilOinu with vanilla wa fere bought at