The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-16
OUT OF DANGER
CHAPTER XVIII

!, "Parris, you"
Drake was and Is my best
friend, Randy. Drake was just
aS necessary to me when I came
back as, maybe, I haven't been to
dim"
you - can't tell you - can't
ay It'll" \
Paris showed a chair toward the
sfsitchen table and sat down. Randy
TODD for moment looking at him.
whats the matter, Randy?"
"You said just now that you
considered Drake all right-just
' IS he always was. What about
Voup"
Paris looked puzzled.
Randy finished the preparations
7 for coffee. eyes, Paris, you.
J I've known ever since you got
back here to Kings Row that
d you're not happy. ! don't mean
to NEEDLE with your business in
any way, but - I just wondered
II there Is anything I can do for
you"
you're sweet kid to think
about me, but it's just a matter
Of readjustment. II didn't like
Kings Row when I came back"
Il know that. I could see It,"
''Well-Drake kept me here"
IT guessed that, too"
He was not only my good
friend in trouble, but he was
sort of professional job"
And now you want to go
away|
you were never more mistaken
In your life. I've got my job
it's work I like and want to do"
I'm glad, Paris. I'd hate to
see you go away"
II never expect to. It's a little
hard to explain, but in some way
that lies considerably beyond the
ordinary meaning of the word,
this Is home. I was pretty sud-
denly and violently uprooted, and
when I came back there didn't
seem to be anything here that I
thought was here. My friendship
with Drake was about all that was
left Of parent soil - do you under
stand what mean?"
II think So"
Drake, and old Professor Ber-
dorff. Well--it took me while to
put down roots again. The hospital
Is new ground of course
Randy nodded. She was afraid
10 speak.
Randy, do you know what
mysticism is?"
"No-yes!"
IT kind of know, I guess. Be-
lief in something that is behind
something else that isn't there"
PnEris laughed, and Randy set
cupy on the table. For the first
time Paris SOW IN her face the
tmpish look she used to have as a
little girl.
We'll that1l do as a starting
point hate mysticism, as I hate
everything that isn't clear. And
that's ridiculous, too, because just
abdwt all my work is concerned
with chasing spooks that aren't
there. have to try to keep my
self and my ideas realistic, but
Authorizations - I'm getting Off the
track. I started out to say some
hing else. I'm not exactly in love
with Kings Row, nor with the
town, or the way it looks, nor
any places in the town, nor the
people that live here. But I'm
attracted to all of the stages Of
being I went through right here.
Maybe like the place where the
town is-because I honestly think
the town itself is pretty awful -
and the place happens to be the
scene Of all memories. I guess
I'm not being very explicit"
II understand something Of what
you mean. Go on"
Randy poured the coffee and
sat down on the opposite side Of
the table.
II thought and felt certain things
here. Now lot Of people carry
their spiritual homes around with
them-either inside of them, or well,
maybe the way q snail carries his
shell on his back: can't do that. I
have to have a place. And, strangely
enough, this is my place. I know In
bSAAAS 0OAV Va W0y OAAab = VIC BSb w VIC
here. ] used to love to walk about
the country and-just look at it. I
have TO learn to do that again."
He stirred his coffee vigorously,
and drank rather absently.
Are you homesick for Europe?"
II guess I was for while, but
its curious, Randy. I'm In some
ways more European than Ameri-
can, but I don't much like Euro
peans = not deeply. They're older
and more cynical, and that very
cynicism-no, it's more like fatal
ism-acts like a frost. We don't
know as much as the Europeans,
butch, and Kings Row is down.
right backwards, really - but we've
got something that can grow into
something else. The Europeans don't
seem to me to have that. They are
already what they are - finished
product"
Paris laughed. I'm talking
too much"
TITS your own medicine, Doc
tor"
"VVhaf20