Mr. Bridge_ A Novel - Evan S. Connell [15]
At ten o’clock on a Saturday morning the telephone rang. Carolyn was alone in the house except for Ruth, who was still asleep. When she answered the telephone a man inquired if her name was Carolyn Bridge. She said it was and he said he was Mr. Denny, the Golden Ice Cream contest director, and he congratulated her for winning first prize. She did not believe him. She thought it was a trick. However, after talking to him a few minutes she was convinced and told him she would take the bicycle. She already had a bicycle, but she did not particularly want a pony and it would be nice to have two bicycles.
Mr. Denny said the prizes were to be awarded next Saturday at noon at the Golden Grocery on Linwood Boulevard. Carolyn said she would be there. Mr. Denny said he looked forward to meeting her.
This conversation ended just as Harriet returned from next door. Carolyn told her the good news and announced that she was going to celebrate by making a pan of chocolate-nut fudge. She was at work on this when Douglas and his friend Bobby Tipton came into the kitchen to get a bottle of root beer, so she told them about winning the contest. A few minutes later Ruth wandered downstairs looking for breakfast, and she too was informed. Then Mrs. Bridge got back from shopping and reacted skeptically.
“Corky, you aren’t teasing, are you?” she asked.
“No. I won,” said Carolyn.
Mrs. Bridge set her packages on the kitchen table. “Well, dear, that’s wonderful,” she said as she began to pull off her gloves, “but are you sure?” Then Carolyn explained again who Mr. Denny was, and at last Mrs. Bridge felt reasonably convinced. She hugged Carolyn and congratulated her, and said, “It must have been quite a surprise!”
“No. I thought I’d win,” Carolyn said. She went back to chopping nuts for the fudge.
“Have you called your father?”
“I didn’t want to bother him.”
“I don’t believe he’ll mind,” Mrs. Bridge said. She picked up the telephone. “Let me see if he’s there.”
He was, and she handed the telephone to Carolyn.
“Well! Well!” he said after hearing the news. “That must have been a surprise, wasn’t it?”
“No. I thought I’d win,” Carolyn said.
“Oh,” he said. “Now, Cork, tell me. When you first talked about this thing I recall you saying there were two first prizes. Is that correct?”
“A Shetland pony and a bicycle.”
“So I thought. Since you have a bicycle why don’t you take the pony?”
“I don’t know how to ride.”
“Riding a pony is no trouble at all,” he said enthusiastically. “When I was a boy I used to go riding on the farm with my cousin. I believe I’ve told you about that. It was great fun, Carolyn. In my opinion you’ve made a mistake.”
“I already told Mr. Denny I wanted a bike.”
“Give me his number,” Mr. Bridge said.
“I don’t know it.”
“What’s the name of the outfit sponsoring this thing?”
“Golden Ice Cream. I don’t know how to ride a pony.”
“I’ll teach you myself,” said Mr. Bridge.
“Okay,” Carolyn said doubtfully. “But where are you going to keep him?”
“I’ll look into the matter. I expect we can make arrangements to stable him not too far away.”
“Do I have to pay for his food?”
“Of course not. I’ll take care of the expenses. I’m going to call up that fellow and tell him you’ve changed your mind.”
“His name is Jiggs.”
“You told me his name was Denny.”
“Jiggs is the pony.”
“All right,” Mr. Bridge said after this had been straightened out. “You’re going to enjoy riding, Cork. It’s great fun.”
“I guess I will.”
“I know you will. Now, is your mother there?”
“She went upstairs. Do you want to talk to her?”
“Tell her I’ll be home later than I expected and the rest of you are not to wait dinner on me. Julia was late getting to work and everything has been thrown off schedule.”
“Okay,” Carolyn said. “I sure don’t see you very much.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I have