Standing in the Rainbow - Fannie Flagg [92]
Betty Raye said, “Yes. It was fine.”
But that was all she volunteered. Mother Smith picked up the ball. “So do you think you’ll be seeing him again?”
Betty Raye looked surprised at the question. “No, I don’t think so.” As far as she was concerned, she had gone out with him once. Why would she want to do it again? Dates were too hard. She just wanted to serve vegetables and be left alone. After she left Dorothy said, “Too bad. I was hoping things would have worked out.”
“Me too.” Mother Smith sighed. “But when there’s nothing there, there’s nothing there and you can’t do a thing about it.”
However, no two people interpret the same event the same way. The following Saturday morning Hamm walked into the drugstore and nodded at Bertha Ann and Thelma, said, “Hello, girls,” went straight back to the pharmacy, stuck his hand over the counter, and shook Doc’s hand. “Sir, my name is Hamm Sparks and I just wanted to ask you if it would be all right with you if I married Betty Raye.”
Doc, who had heard about this character but had never met him, was a little thrown. “I don’t know. I suppose it depends on her. What does she say?”
“I haven’t asked her yet but I can assure you that you won’t have to worry. I have a fairly good job now and as soon as I finish college I intend to do even better in the future. I’m thinking about going into public service and people tell me I have a pretty good shot at it.”
“I see,” said Doc.
Hamm said, “Yessir, and I sure would appreciate if you would put in a good word for me,” and handed him his card. “ ’Bye, ladies,” he said on the way out.
“Who was that little banty rooster?” Bertha Ann asked.
Doc laughed. “Betty Raye’s boyfriend. Or so he thinks.”
Thelma was surprised. “Your Betty Raye?”
“That’s what he says.”
Bertha Ann said, “Well, whoever he is, he sure is a cute little thing. Doc, you tell Betty Raye for me she better watch out or I’m liable to steal him.”
Thelma, still amazed that Betty Raye even had a boyfriend, said, “Well, I guess it’s true what they say.”
“What?” asked Bertha Ann.
“Still waters run deep.”
“I could have told you that,” Bertha Ann said. “It’s those quiet ones you have to watch out for.”
Doc did not mention the young man’s visit to Dorothy, Betty Raye, or Mother Smith. Where women were concerned, when the subject was romance he had learned that it was best to stay out of it and let them deal with it on their own, so he wisely kept his mouth shut and let nature take its course.
The Boyfriend
AS IT TURNED OUT, Doc was glad he had not said anything. After the first date Betty Raye heard no more from Hamm.
After a month went by Betty Raye had more or less forgotten about Hamm Sparks but that thought had never occurred to him. It had not taken him long to make up his mind. He had known after that first date that he wanted to marry her, so why wait? He was almost twenty-seven, in a hurry to get married and get started on his career, so the next day he got busy making plans for both of them. The first thing he had to do was get the money. The next day he talked the district manager of Allis-Chalmers into letting him sell in three more areas. It took him almost a month, working nights and all weekend, but he finally earned enough money to make a down payment, plus a little left over. The next Friday Hamm put on his brand-new blue suit from Sears and drove over to Elmwood Springs with the box in his pocket. He had not bothered to inform Betty Raye he was coming because he wanted to surprise her.
He walked up the steps to the house and knocked. Dorothy came to see who was there.
“Hello, Mrs. Smith, is Betty Raye here?”
“Well, hello, Hamm.” Dorothy opened the door. “Yes, she is. Come on in. We are just sitting down for supper; why don’t you come in and join us.”
“Thank you, I think I will, if it’s all right.”
“Of course it is, all I have to do is set a plate. You just go on in the dining room and sit down.” She called down the hall as she went to the kitchen, “Betty Raye, everybody, Hamm is here.”
When Doc looked up and saw the new blue suit coming in