The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1950-01-14
A Face in the Rain

came to the club he would play September In The
Rain" for her and she would reward him with warm
smile Joe learned and more about her time
went on. She yivacious. always wanting to do
something yet she was caprcious and unpredctable
at times. Like the time they walking home and
she suddenly said Joe isn't it awful? That and
woman there. Isn't he a Negro?"
And Joe turned toward the couple walking along
he street The obviously and the
woman a blonde Just like us Joe ught but
he he'd told Laura that he Negro. Why
should he when he so happy?
Joe felt cold Jury raging inside his heart but he
DIDN'T say word as he took her home.
Joe knew that he should have quit there and then
but he avoided her for two days he felt deep lone
illness. The vision of Laura filled his mind day and
night. He knew then that there life for him
without her
So he called her up one night and said Honey,
I've been out of town for the past few days When
going to you?"
"Oh. right now if you want joe But you should
have told you going out of town, she replied
Joe knew that he being hypocrite but he
couldn't help IT, The only time he happy when
'e was with her. They liked the things-jazz.
and test living. She especially had mania for fast
vingshe wanted to squeeze out every drop that the
Joy OF living could give her
He asked her why night but she gave him
Of her queer smiles and said Never mind, dear"
Joe felt protectiveness for this strange girl with
the wstful smile and the quick changing chameleon
like nature. The tavern with its piano longer
in his mind only Laura
So night it happened. He playing as usual
at the bandstand and Laura was watching from one
of the booths him. A drunk suddenly yelled,
Play, niger play Come on, boy, play that
piano"
Joe quickly looked at Laura He could see her face
n la he and of her.
out into the night and Joe did not her again
Joe bitter. Yet he had known that this happi-
ness not for him He knew he couldn't conceal
that he Negro forever despite his light skin. He
Scorned her for her desertion yet he still loved her
with hopeless despairng love. And there
imply loneliness, cursing
So he played mechanically on and at the piano,
his fingers beating out the melody automa ticaly-
or this thing that the whites could steal
rom him this feeling for jazz They called it the Am
erican music but it really the Negroes music his
music
So one night two years later, Joe took stiff shot
OF Scotch and stumbled into the night not with
drunkenness but wi that numbing feeling of despon
lcncy and emptiness.
just around the corner he saw several girls stand
NO around under the dim streelight They there
every night nd Joe felt pity for these denzens of the
night This district had deteriorated during the past
more shabb.er place haven for pick-ups and girls
-elking cheap excitement.
AS he passed he group, Joe looked at them anus
ngly But suddenly his heart tugged he looked at
one Of the girls who leaning against the wall =
eyes mascara Streaked lips painted in loud hue her
whole men reeking with cheapness
Rut it came to Joe like bolt out of the blue Who
this girl with the wstful look still lingering around
her eyes? 1t couldn't be- he thought but it 1t
Laura! She was frowsy and hard to recognize but it
Laura, all right.
joe walked on his mind gripped in a steel vice
numb The lights OF the radio store flashed against his
eyeballs he kicked vcously at the dog that to
nbhe friendly at his shoes It away whining into
he night.
He sobbed quietly Although he had lost her he
had kept shining bright image of Laura in his mind
Now it shattered rudey.
He had to make he retraced his steps and
walked quickly to the only to catch glimpse
of her walking away with her arms around a mans
waist
a light rain fell Joe walked home, wash
ing the streets of the city clean But this rain could
not blot wash out the aching memory =.
SO he went to his room and sat there. How long he
couldn't remember Then he went out past the now
deserted and towards the smoky foul air of the
bistro. The rain falling his shoulders trying to
make him realize that it friendly but the Joe that
heted rain knew only friend.
He pushed at the door and walked to the faithful
piano. His fingers numb dull but his ears took
in the beat and slowly his fingers responded to Sep
TENDER In The Rain" Joe felt a load lifted from his
shoulders he began to lose himself in the Jazz
buC drops of tears still gstened in his eyes His
face young again, he smiling, at vision
a vision in the rain
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