Arizona sun., 1948-07-23
Ne
FICTION
Corner

GIVE told you it makes no differ
Il ence to me, Ralph, and meant
1t. 1t really doesn't"
Dusk dirnmed the coral gold of
Harriet Marne's hair, dimmed the
blue Of the light dotted buildings
rising above the fiat roofs upon
which she and Ralph Pell stood. 1t
filled with deep shadow the narrow
slot of the alley between them, and
the noise of the city was screen
about them, isolating them from the
rest of the world.
That's what you think now, but
you'd get straight in your thinking
in few weeks, or months, or years.
Then it would make a lot of differ
ence." Across the alley, Ralph Pen
leaned bronzed arms on the low
brick parapet of the other building
and shook his head in slow delibera-
tion. Pink neon glow spilling into
the alley from the street eight floors
down glinted on his brown ewes and
made odd shadows in his curly
brown hair. It changed to an i'm
possible color the tan of his knitted
sport shirt. after that, it would
always be there between US. Or
rather, it wouldn't be there"
He laughed harshly and reached
down to feel, through brown trouser
fabric, the device which substituted
for the flesh and bone he had left on
a field in Normandy when gunfre
from the ground met parachutes
drifting silently in the darkness. He
would never forget that.
mo, Ralph" Harriet's small fist
struck the stained brick of the low
parapet bordering her own fiat roof,
as if to drive understanding across
the dark drop of the alley between
them. lit would never make any
difference to me. To me, you would
always be-" She groped momen-
tarily for a word that would not
sting.
"Normal?" His voice was fiat and
bitter.
"Please, Ralph" Her voice rose
a little.
Sorry, but I'd never be that, even
with two real legs" He laughed
shortly. Service medico says I'm
part of a mind, as well as part of
man. Let's don't kid ourselves. Too
much is riding on it. 1t would al
ways be there between us ike-well,
like this alley is between us now.
I'd have as much chance getting
over it as I would getting over this
alley" He glanced down at the
eight-story drop, the silver of pave
ment below. Imagine me doing
that. Be your age. Get wise to
some facts. The best thing for both
of us to do is to forget we ever
Ali" He made savage gesture.
Let's talk about something else."
Harriet said that quickly, almost
desperately.
Lets talk about you peeping at
me on my roof here this summer.
Let's talk about you waiting down.
stairs to introduce yourself as the
pepper. Let's talk about the places
we have been together, the things
we have done. Let's talk about our
meeting up here with the alley be-
tween us in the evening. Let's talk
about" Her voice stopped for
moment on an odd, sharp gasp.
Lets talk about the big ape escap-
ing from the city zoo this afternoon.
Let's
Ape escaping from the zoo?"
Ralph Pell stood, tall and slender
in the night. 81 haven't heard any
thing about it. You're sure?"
''You probably missed it." Har-
riet laughed a little shrilly. 1.-The
ape is big and black and ferocious.
II certainly wouldn't like to meet
him up here on my roof alone, with
no one here to help me. Goodness!
Oooooooooh!" She shivered audibly.
mo chance of that" There was
amused tolerance in his grin. ''The
apes probably back in his zoo cage