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By Root 2079 0

Orange, just before her trip abroad. She was being a bridesmaid and he an usher at a wedding there, and she was elated when he said: Lord, God, don t introduce me to Caroline Walker. She and I are old pals. Or are we, Caroline? He was about the best there was at the wedding, and she probably kissed him more frequently and more ardently than she did the other ushers. He must have thought so, because he stayed over in New York for her last week before sailing. The wedding fuss ended Sunday, the last day of May, and she was sailing on the Paris the next Saturday. He tried to monopolize her time, and all but did. He took her to see shows Lady Be Good, with the Astaires and Walter Catlett, which she had seen in Philadelphia; What Price Glory? ; Rose Marie ; Richard Bennett and Pauline Lord in They Knew What They Wanted ; the Garrick Gaieties. It was a stifling week, although only the first week of June. The whole country seemed to want to die, and, led by a former vice president who once made a remark about what this country needed, die many of them did. Joe kept saying Jee-zuzz, unable to forget the heat, and after the first act of What Price Glory? he had no trouble persuading her to not go back. He had his car, a red Jordan roadster, in town, and he suggested driving out to Long Island, Westchester, anywhere. I ll swear for you and tell you some war stories, he said. And you ll think you’re still at the play.

He had enough sense or intuition not to try to talk much until they got out of the city. The heat was awful; it got up her nose, and everyone whose eyes met hers had a silly smile on his face that seemed to apologize for the weather. And she guessed she looked that way herself. They finally came to a place on Long Island which Joe told her was called Jones s Beach. How are you fixed for underwear? he said. Oh. So that s it?

Yes, I guess it is. I won’t go in unless you do.

Her heart was thumping and there was a shaking in her legs, but All right, she said. She never had seen a grown man with all his clothes off at one time, and when he walked away from his side of the car and stepped toward the water she was relieved to see that he was wearing shorts, part of his underwear. You go on in, she said. She wanted him to be in the water when she moved from the shelter of the car in her brassiere and step-ins. He got the idea and did not look until she was swimming a few yards away from him. What this is going to do to my hair, she said. Too late to worry about it now, he said. You cold?

Not now, she said. I should have built a fire. I didn’t think of it.

God, no! And have people see it and come running down? Gosh, I m glad you didn t.

He came out first. Better not stay in too long, he said. You can use my undershirt for a towel. He went back to the car and started the motor and held his undershirt, which was damp from perspiration, near the engine. Better come out now, he said. She came out, pulling her soaking step-ins about so as to get a maximum of modesty. Her brassiere was no good at all, and she was so angry at her swinging breasts that she wanted to cry; no matter how nice he was he couldn’t fail to notice her chest.

Don t be embarrassed, he said. I ve seen a naked woman.

Oh she mumbled. You haven t seen me. Or hadn t.

Please don t. You ll take the enjoyment out of the swim. Go on back and swim a little more and then come out without being self-conscious. Or anyhow, embarrassed. Go on.

She did as he said and felt better. She felt fourteen years old. Less. She bad not overcome her embarrassment, but she no longer was afraid. She dried herself with his warm undershirt. I don t know what I m going to do about my hair.

Here. He threw her a clean handkerchief. That ll help a little. It didn t. He gave her the coat of his dinner suit and made her put it on over her evening dress, and they had cigarettes and were only vaguely aware of the discomfort. I guess we could have saved all this trouble by going somewhere to a regular beach, or pool.

I m glad now we didn t, she said. Are you? That s what I wanted you to say.