IN
THE CHINA MAIL THURSDAY SUPPLEMENT, MARCH 18, 1987.
spite of the new black net, nothing had happened. Tommy had liked it, of course, and so had everyone else, but she had been hoping for someone new to impress with it.
Wearing a new dress for the same old crowd was like being a movie star with no one to look at you. An audience was essential; without one the dress, no matter · how perfect, was incomplete. So it had been just another Satur- day night dance. The dress had. made her feel that something was going to happen. Nothing had. Susan Vance, who was rich, good-looking, and the most. popu- lar girl in Reading, Pennsylvania, looked into her mirror with an ex- pression of dissatisfaction, and kicked off a shoe.
As she did, there was a slight, but definite, cough.
MOVIE STUFF
This, Susan thought, was what you got
for acting Like Someone in a Movie.
childhood favourite of mine, named Raggy-lug."
He didn't move, and, as far as the shadows allowed her to see, looked doubtful.
"Come, come," coaxed, mnst I lure you with rots?"
Car-
"All right," he said and, wriggling out from under the low bed, inquired, "Will you go to the Junior Prom with me?”**
He was a very good-looking young man and seemed quite sane, even smart, in a double- breasted dinner jacket with a maroon carnation in his lapel. He was tall, and had black hair and blue eyes
"I am not. accustomed," he said coldly, "to meeting people from under beds”
"It's certainly not my idea, either In fact, I believe I-de- mand an explanation. This is like something out of a Jean Har low movie.”
If it was, she was definitely en- joying it. With a practiced eye she measured the impression the was making, standing in hers black dress in the middle of the all-white room. If he looks so well in his black, she thought, I can't be going so bad myself.
entertaining total strangers. 2.30 in the morning. We'd better stay here quietly, and I'd better put on my shoes, since I've got company." She did so..^
"But suppose they wake up, and find me here? Try to be sen- sible, won't you?”_ *
-
"They won't wake up, if we're quiet. Besides, I didn't ask you to be under my bed when I came home.
By the way," she added, “how did you get in?”
"It was quite simple," he said, modestly. "It isn't hard to get up on the sun-porch roof, and from there you can practically room. It's very step into your inviting
"You don't mean you were walk- ing down the street, and noticed how easy it was, and decided
one in just for the fun of it?
Oh, no, but it's very
ven go to the
and
Out
his puise WES
shado
seemed to have a lot
know your name. You're Susan Vance, and you were at 2 dance down at school last year with Bill Stauffer
"Bill Staufer You're from
By Rudolf Shook
"Sit down and tell me won't you?" she suggested“Are you very young, or something like that?"
CHE seated herself on a chair
She was a courageous girl, so more as a formula than from near the door, and indicat alarm, for it was probably a night. sound or her father in the room across the hall, she looked, as people do, in the closet, and then under the bed.
.:
The funny part of it was, there was a man under it.
"Please don't shout," he said, in a low, sober tone. "I mean well"
This singular remark so amaz ed her that she didn't shout. Kneeling, she peeped under the bed to get a better look.
"I suppose you have a gun.” she said.
"No, I don't," he said, with dignity. "What do you think I am, a burglar?” ·
Τ
CAN'T see you well enough to tell. I may have been brought up with a lot of silly notions, but in a case like this, my mind just naturally runs to burglars.
“Tre not a burglar."- "Well, that's something. haps you've come to ask me to be. your Valentine, or to go a-May- ing?"
He didn't answer.
“Maybe 're from
hunt?"!
"Don't be funny.
Im
not You
miled, graciously.
"Any-
way, charming as this informal chat is, I wish you'd
your little house
4ou remind
ed the white corduroy chaise longue. He sat bolt upright on it, and lighted a cigarette.
"Tam John Stuart, and 23, and Im a little frightened at meet a girl who is very likely signed up for a cigarette ad so
conventionally. Don't you th we'd better go downstairs. talk?"
"I'm afraid we can't parents are quite public-spirited, but I'm afraid they're not up to
Ursinas?
Darn, I thought you ere a plumber, a man of the people, anyw and maybe I could get me some good renounc ing done
"I'm of the people, all right. But, to go on, I
you then, and I thought I'd like to take you to the Prom. Stauffer was sore at me then, and I couldn't get in troduced to you. I wish you'd consider it. I'm really all right. " But what gave you the idea I'd
After all, it is a
usual. I've been to a in my time, but I never got a like this before.
I just kind of hoped. tell you how much it would Sto me, I really
bid
can't
"Please don't be eloquent. I have feeling that I ought to salted By the way, when is it
"Next Friday
"I don't have a date that night. "Then will you go. He jump ed up, then sat down again, look- ing embarrassed and eager
"I don't know.
be prudent, but be making a success me let's say Tuesday, tell you.
"Fine. And now, Miss Vance, I really must be going."
He crossed the room and took her hand. "Please try to go. It means so much to me.”
With his eyes looking down at her, she knew she would.
"Good night. Oh . how are you going out
the way I came in." He was at the window, and out in a sec-
AY and Monday she kept deciding to accept, then to
all her career of be- hat the social pages call- mlar and active” she had faced a situation like this Never one so doubtful, nor exciting.
Tuesday, when he called, she accepted Wednesday, she tele- phoned Tommy Booth and asked him to meet her downtown.
Can it be a lady in distress? sid-Tommy looking nice and orthless behind his cocktail. He attractive, Susan noticed; rstood why the town said they were in love. However, the town was mistaken. They had same tastes, they even, as was peated significantly, had keys to each other's cars, and used them without asking permission, but they were not in love. They had each other too long for
She told him the story.
ds idiotic," he said,
Are you going?" would, but it is a lit tle unusual You see, I can't tell Mother how I met him, or she wouldn't let me go."
(Continued on Page 8)
37
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