A tree grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith [195]
Papa…!
52
ONE SUNNY DAY IN THE SPRING WHEN FRANCIE WAS SIXTEEN, SHE walked out of the office at five o’clock and saw Anita, a girl who operated a machine in her row, standing in the doorway of the Communications Building with two soldiers. One, short, stubby, and beaming, held Anita’s arm possessively. The other, tall and gangling, stood there awkwardly. Anita detached herself from the soldiers and drew Francie aside.
“Francie, you’ve got to help me out. Joey’s on his last leave before his unit goes overseas and we’re engaged.”
“If you’re engaged already you’re doing all right and don’t need anybody’s help,” said Francie jokingly.
“I mean help with that other fellow. Joey just had to bring him along, darn it. Seems like they’re buddies and where one goes the other goes. This other fellow comes from some hick town in Pennsylvania and doesn’t know a soul in New York and I know he’ll stick around and I’ll never get to be alone with Joey. You’ve got to help me out, Francie. Three girls turned me down already.”
Francie took a speculative look at the Pennsylvania fellow standing ten feet away. He didn’t look like much. No wonder the other three girls refused to help out Anita. Then his eyes met hers and he smiled a slow shy smile and somehow, while he wasn’t good-looking, he was nicer than good-looking. The shy smile decided Francie.
“Look,” she said to Anita, “if I can catch my brother where he works, I’ll give him a message for my mother. If he’s left, I’ll have to go home because my mother will worry if I don’t turn up for supper.”
“Hurry up, then. Phone him,” urged Anita. “Here!” She fished in her pocketbook. “I’ll give you the nickel for the call.”
Francie phoned from the corner cigar store. It just happened that Neeley was still at McGarrity’s. She gave him the message. When she got back, she found that Anita and her Joey had gone. The soldier with the shy smile was all alone.
“Where’s ’Nita?” she asked.
“I reckon she’s run out on you. She went off with Joe.”
Francie was dismayed. She had expected it to be a double date. What in the world was she to do with this tall stranger now?
“I don’t blame them,” he was saying, “wanting to be alone. I’m an engaged man myself. I know how it is. The last leave—the only girl.”
“Engaged, hm?” thought Francie. “At least he wouldn’t try any romancing.”
“But that’s no reason why you should be stuck with me,” he went on. “If you’ll show me where to get the subway to Thirty-fourth Street—I’m a stranger in this city—I’ll go back to the hotel room. A person can always write letters, I guess, when there’s nothing else to do.” He smiled his lonely shy smile.
“I’ve already phoned my folks that I won’t be home. So if you’d like….”
“Like? Gosh! This is my lucky day. Well, gee, thanks, Miss….”
“Nolan. Frances Nolan.”
“My name’s Lee Rhynor. It’s really Leo but everybody says ‘Lee.’ I’m sure pleased to meet you, Miss Nolan.” He held out his hand.
“And I’m pleased to meet you, Corporal Rhynor.” They shook hands.
“Oh, you noticed the stripes.” He smiled happily. “I suppose you’re hungry after working all day. Any special place you’d like to go for supper…I mean dinner?”
“Supper’s okay. No. No place special. You?”
“I’d like to try some of this here chop suey I heard about.”
“There’s a nice place up around Forty-second Street. With music.”
“Let’s go!”
On the way to the subway he said, “Miss Nolan, do you care if I call you Frances?”
“I don’t care. Everyone calls me Francie, though.”
“Francie!” He repeated the name. “Francie, another thing: Would you mind if I sort of made believe that you were my best girl—just for this evening?”
“Hm,” thought Francie, “fast worker.”
He took the thought out of her mind. “I guess you think I’m a fast worker but it’s this way: I haven’t been out with a girl in