Mr. Bridge_ A Novel - Evan S. Connell [74]
78 Bawdy Story
Out of a sense of propriety women were seldom discussed at the round table; nor was religion discussed, because nobody was interested; nor politics, because this led to arguments. But one day the psychiatrist told a joke about a girl from Chihuahua. Everybody laughed except Mr. Bridge. Simon Lutweiler asked if he had heard the joke, but Dr. Sauer interrupted:
“Walter would cut his throat before he’d laugh at a dirty joke.”
“I confess I have never been able to find anything amusing about smut,” said Mr. Bridge.
“Have you tried?” asked Dr. Sauer, and once again everybody laughed except Mr. Bridge.
79 Wild Party
Possibly inspired by the success of their New Orleans trip, Genevieve and Dr. Sauer moved into an apartment building on a hill overlooking the Plaza and soon afterward announced that they were holding open house. When asked if she would care to attend this event Mrs. Bridge replied that she would not miss it for the world.
“Lord only knows what it’s going to be like,” he told her. “I expect half of Kansas City will be there.”
And so it seemed when they arrived. They could hear the noise before they got out of the elevator.
“It sounds like pandemonium,” she remarked, adjusting her silver-fox stole.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. This fellow likes to put on a show. I have no idea what we’re getting into.”
Mrs. Bridge smiled and insisted she was looking forward to it.
Nobody greeted them at the door, but the door was wide open and since it was ridiculous to stand there ringing the bell they walked in. They could not get in very far because of the crowd. The air was warm and smoky and at first they thought something was on fire. Leading his wife by the hand, Mr. Bridge pushed ahead and found their host playing the drums while the drummer had a drink. Somewhat later they had a chance to talk to him. And, after a while, they belonged to the party and found many people they knew. The Arlens were there and the Montgomerys were there. Avrum Rheingold was there eating and drinking everything in sight. He mentioned a nice little company, the Poseidon Corporation based in Tampa, Florida, selling sea horses by the thousands. This little company was growing like a beanstalk. Avrum Rheingold hinted it could be worthwhile to meet for lunch one day.
The Hodges were there with a lady from New Zealand who did not stop talking. Dr. Foster was there, a drink in his hand, chuckling genially at whatever was said. The Koeppels and the Lutweilers were there. Mabel Ong in her familiar tweed suit, with a volume of poetry under her arm as usual. The Ralph Porters just back from another European vacation; they had not cared very much for Denmark. Grace and Virgil Barron were there. Edith and Leo Snapper appeared; however, they were difficult to talk to. Her imperial manner and her royal coiffure disconcerted Mrs. Bridge, and there was something furtive about Leo Snapper which Mr. Bridge disliked. The Beckerle sisters arrived in ancient beaded velvet gowns which looked as though they had been packed in a trunk for half a century, and Judge Chisholm stopped by for a little while.
But by far the majority of the guests at the open house were strangers.
“Well! That was a three-ring circus if ever I saw one,” she remarked while they were driving home. “My word, it was a struggle to turn around.”
“Great God, that music,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “It sounded like a traffic jam. Horns blowing all over the place. I don’t see how a person can enjoy that.”
“I agree one hundred per cent, but I suppose some people must like it. Otherwise they wouldn’t listen. However, it certainly was bedlam. I did like some of his ‘objets d’art’ though, didn’t you?”
“Nothing I’d care to put in our living room.”
“Oh, well, neither would I. But I thought some of it was intriguing. Grace and I visited the Nelson Gallery last week, and several of Dr. Sauer’s things reminded me of paintings and sculpture we saw in the gallery.”
“You can have the whole bunch, and welcome to them. He