Show " Xiter SEWING FICTIO Cornet The Gentle Extortionist y CHAR'JFS Things hare a faith in people— heart was wn throat way of working out for the best and giving you people like Marty Stone who fancied himself business man and Doc Howell who found that softer than his head but who couldn't cure the FROM V my imall office I can ice anyone who passea through the wide front doorway before he can ee me In that brief period I can lie up a prospective customer and that's how it was with Fred Miller He was small and There was nothing spectacular about him except his tie but it was an Like a nervous monkey be batted his eyes rapidly to adjust them to the of the garage I had time to catalog him am a ciach for a lot of extras Seeing me In the office he came over hesitating at the door until I aald “Come on in" I stood to hake his thin hand He had blue eyes that were deep-sIn their orbits they hung on mine like those of a dog that Isn't aure of a kick or a caress The flesh beneath them sagged into pouches and hi face was deeply lined He bad the unwholesome pallor of a van who spends a great deal of time “What can I do for you?” I asked “Why" he said “I want to buy a car ” “So do a thousand other people in ihs town” I reminded him “I know That's why I’m here now 1 want to get on your list for a future delivery" Even as I told him it would be at least two years before he'd get hia ear the way things were moving I was remembering things that I had beard about him — how his home bad been broken how his wife had taken their boy and gone out to the “Here’s something Fred wanted were so full he could hardly find coast It was said that Miller had agreed to some fantastic alimony if only she would let the boy come to him for at least a part of the year He had some sort of minor post in one of the government agencies in town I knew it couldn't pay very much I didn't see how he would be able to pay me for the price of a new auto but two years is a long time and much could happen in I could althe Interim Anyway ways sell a new car So I felt around In my desk and finally came up with the list “What kind do you want? Coupe? Sedan’” “A coupe please " wheels’" “With or without Fred smiled tentatively He wasn't ure whether or not he was supposed to laugh “I'd like wheels of cojrse" be answered “Want to put something down?” to How much do “Yes I'd Ilk 4 you require’" “Suit yourself Even If you give me the full purchase price It won’t bring your car any sooner" He nodded "Fair enough I’ll leave you two hundred" I took the bills and gave him a if he had a Then I asked receipt trade-i- “No Mr He looked startled Stone I haven’t Is It necessary to have one?" “Oh no Not absolutely necesis still nice to hsve sary " A trade-ithough for there is money lu those Used cars a car st all" “1 don't really have want “That's why be explained this one Mv boy will be coming to and he's getsummer visit me every lit ting pretty big now” His eyes up talking about the kid 'In two years he'll be eighteen snd hell want a car This is no tov n for a or boy if he has to walk everywhere depend on others for transportation uto for him I plan to have a nice ” when he's ready for it That'll be fine" “Yeah yeah There was something holdng back In him when he talked about that kid and it made me uncomfortable As though he might talk about him the rest of the day if be had any wasn t Jiving But encouragement him any “We'll see what we can do" said and stood up He arose immediately “you're "and ve busy" he was apologetic taken so much of your bme “Not at all” said “come in and aee me again” will" he answered “you “Oh me around so tired of seeing me out Bv you'll want to throw get a pretty Marty's in hit tha way Mr Stone how uiuch will the car cost?" “Hard to say Fred right now it sells for eighteen hundred But you guess with me as to what it will cost two years from now" I'm sure he only me He said like he was almost talking to himself “Eighteen hundred About what I figured I'll have it” He wasn’t like most of my customers he didn’t keep harping on me for the new car Until summer came at any rate Then one day he brought the boy in He was lots taller than the old man alieady and devoted to him From then on until th: boy went back to the coast they were in the garage at least once each day poring over pictures of the new auto mechanics my questioning and discussing it between themselves Even after the boy had gone back to the coast Fred would come in and pick up any new literature I might have on the car I knew what he’d do with it too make notes in the margins write letters about the auto and send them all on to that boy Time went along The wife and my boys went off on a vacation I never liked going home to at empty house so I would put it off to the last minute and hang around the club till bedtime That’s how I found out that Fred liked the social life and late hours I sort of figured that accounted for the bags under his eyes But Doc Howell set e right He and I got away for a few days hunting and somehow on the way to the yon io have” I told him dear handle Ills PATTERNS For eyes the Fred Miller crept Into mountains our conversation Doc thought It a shame th way his wife treated him “That woman milks him for every cent he can get me" He owes everyone Including I thought about all the times I had seen Fred down at the club Now it costs money to belong and if one gets Into the game very too Fred that's expensive often didn't stack very high with me right then because I couldn't see how he couli be broke and keep up the acI guess Doc had observed tivities read my thoughts on Fred “Don t be too hart Marty" he said "You may not know it but he isn't down there at that club every night Just for fun He has a sort of job assistant to the I rather he lives steward suspect on what he makes there and sends his regular salary check out to the wife for that boy " He watched th road for a few moments before continuing "Fred is not at all well If he would take it easy get a lot of he might rest and stop drinking last a long time but — ” his voice trailed off Into silence He rarely I figured talked about his patients he thought he had said too much already I forgot about Fred after that until one fine summer lav I found that the next car on my list was for him But I was dubious about the deal After all I was in business to make there was a lot of names money after his that would be a great deal better business It looked like Fred Miller was about to get the go by at least for a little while Then that same day I twisted mv knee and had to go to Dot's office to get it wrapped Climbing the I met Fred stairs coming He looked just about all in down and very sad I thought to myself “Oh well what can I lose?" and told him about the car His face broke into a million fine" wrinkles as he smiled "That’ he said “that's good The bov will like that" He went on dow- the to life his more a lot sOps with went on up to Docs tread asked Just to make conversation him what was wrong with Fred His answtr was vague as might have known It would be “Cant understand the little fellow he goes right on doing all the tell him are bad yet he things keeps coming in here to have me check him over All I can do is shake mv head tell him to get more rest and stop burning the candle a Trom both ends" He adjusted of pads around my leg couple plugged soma wires into a machine flicked a switch "Doean’t seer to worry him Can you tell me why?" Neither of us knew then but w got the answer later Whea hla car waa being unloaded at the railway dock called him Most of my customers like to be on hand to get a first glimpse of th car for which they have waited a he showed up long After awhile and I waa shocked at hia appearance He was walking alow and easy like the old man he looked to be Hu cheeks were hollow hia sunken eyes deeper than ever The below them pouches hung away down But he was surely happy about the car I told him It would take a couple of days to get it inU shape for delivery “Good enough" he aald “I expect Ihu boy over about then" I never taw Fred again Doc let me know He called me “Come on over will you Marty?" I knew from his tone It was Important to I hung up and went right away He was sitting in hia private office When I came In he pushed a bulky envelope across the desk to me It was addressed to me in an unfamiliar hand Opening It found a Insurance policy with me as the benifleiary The nme of the policy holder? Fred A Miller! I showed It to Doc “Yeah" he aid “Fred died last night Natural causes yet he could have lived a lot longer he Only eventually would become an Invalid ard hia on would want to take care of him On the other hand he could duck out now and leave the lad I guess he chose to have something the boy remember him as something other than a sick old man " I could see the picture But you Just don't know what to say in such cases So I guess I sounded a little I when said "Cars have Irrelevant gone up Doc This two thousand won't cover it now " Doc looked as though he were tn me He pulled out disappointed his check book and picked up a pen “Well I want that boy to have that car Martin How much is tha difference?” “Put that stuff back Doc" I said “you don't have a corner on soft hearts and softer heads ” He grinned then “I want to share it at least" After old Fred had been decently tucked away — and it was amazing how many friends the old boy had — I called the kid over to the garage Doc and I led him to the car Fred wanted “Here’s something you to have" I told him His eyes were so full he could hardly find the door handle “And here’s another thing he told us to give you" He took the slip of paper I handed him and I was glad he couldn't read it right then He only nodded he twice he couldn’t talk although tried He put the car In gear and backed out Doc and I stood on the sidewalk to watch him drive down the street About a block away he pulled over to the curb and stopped My guess see through was that he couldn't the tears that must have been cheeks After all down his tumbling be was only a kid I into my shoved my hands pockets and looked at my feet not talking For a minute Doc didn't Then: “What either say anything was that you gave him’" Hadn’t My tone was defensive Doc treated Fred for nothing’ "You could keep that really didn't think did you’” policy Doc's voice was sort of soft and strange when he finally answered “Fred sure knew a rucker when he saw one didn't he?" 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FOR YOUR CAR Firestone passenger car retread give you the same top quality rubber the same tread depth and tha tame tread design as you get in new tires For icy pavements you can have your tires treaded with special Polar Grp rubber i FOR YOUR TRUCK 6 rtf LK For extra traction in the field and for smooth rolling on the All Traction Tread and for highway get the regular highway service use the Transport Tread Either one will give you thousands upon thousands of extra miles at a greatly reduced cost bv NANCY PEPPER CLASS CONSCIOUS We like to report your kindness to less fortunate teens tn foreign countries because It proves that you teens think with your hearts as well as your heads Most of you have been making collections for “Care'' In your home rooms but as an extra ac- tivity TRANSPORT Ait UAcnoiTJ FOR YOUR TRACTOR Regardless of what make tractor tire you have you can get the eitra advantages of the famous Firestone Ground Grip tread design by letting us retread your tires foreign classes language in lots of high schools are sending packages and letters to teens in the countries whose language they're studying Of course you must write the letters in the foreign language which is good practice for you and good reading for the grateful teens who receive and answer them in their nat ve tongues It's lucky for you that Latin is now a dead language because after you'd written that “all Gaul was divided into three parts" there would be nothing else to say ‘Mill (JETSERG OQSmfcCSBSEEf 339 OP fl® WB QIMtV mm) r m 573W33i® ftfTW 0BSEK& iJHB See Your Nearby Firestone Dealer or Store listen to the Voice of Firestone every Moniei evening ever NBC OsprrifMv llit TW hint— I Tift 4 fcabter Ok t 4 |