Show Same Old Line By LEALON LEAtON MARTIN JR Newspaper Syndicate Features t HARRY H ARRY shoved through the theA A crowded streetcar and got oft off just a block from the Recorders Recorder's of of- fice flee A lady shoppers shopper's bag full oi of hard objects caught him in the side as he squirmed through the mob on the platform He grimaced and proceeded across the th street There was always some some- something something something thing about Washington he thought Lucky if nothing worse happened to you you Then he remembered on the verge of lapsing into the old bitter thinking Peg Pegi he said aloud and her name rang a bell in his heart Of course everything was different now how When he reached the building he peered through the heavy lenses oi of his glasses at the lettering over the he lintel The myopia that had put him himin himin himin in F 4 made it difficult to distinguish the words but finally he read Dis District District District of Columbia Harry pushed open the door and went in He was thinking Well it wont won't be the same old queue here because the papers say this busi busi- business business business ness isn't rushing When he saw the sign his mind raced back over the year hed he'd been in the Capital One word was responsible Recorders Office Follow the theLine theLine theLine Line of Arrows the poster said That word line uline I It seemed as asif asif asif if it had haunted him ever since hed he'd come to a Government Bureau His life had been bounded and hounded by lines from the time hed he'd stepped off the train at Union Sta tion Right then and there it had begun Hed He'd gone to the baggage room for his luggage luggage and and waited his turn for an hour Sorry it isn't here tHe clerk had told him finally Hed He'd gone back three times times and and always stood interminably interminably before before he retrieved it Each little bit of daily routine was slow and difficult You were held up everywhere Hed He'd heard the city was appalling but he hadn't believed it was as bad badas badas badas as all that until that until hed he'd lived if that was the word through six months of it You came to your job half half- whipped And then if you worked for lor the Administration but hed he'd he promised Peg he wouldn't t think that thai way any more Again her name made his heart ping Peg had lifted him out of it all Just over a month ago hed he'd been ready to leave to shake off the whole sickening business There was the time hed he'd stood for a solid hour and a half before his favorite res res- restaurant restaurant waiting to treat himself to his once-a-month once steak in the swanky Brillon cafe Hed He'd been famished and almost drooling in anticipation when the head waiter beckoned One sir This way sir When Harry gave his order what he heard was Steak sir No steaks sir Sold out Now the cheese souffle What was worse he was pursued even to the office Harry soon dis dis- discovered discovered discovered covered that here too there were lines imperceptible of red tape and protocol and frustration You tried to push an important piece of work work and and you ran into invisible barbed wire that stretched every every- everywhere everywhere everywhere where and you couldn't find your way out of the maze Then oddly it was red tape that had brought him and Peg together just when he had been planning to quit Mr Herbert She was very businesslike businesslike-a a brisk little figure in ina ina ina a simple attractive brown linen dress when dress when she first stood before him Harry looked up and up-and and imme imme- immediately immediately immediately was enchanted Yes Im I'm Herbert he admitted What can I do for you Im OBrien O'Brien from Procurement Mr Herbert Her ert She waved a sheaf of papers and her tone was sharp Do you realize that this agency requires five copies of authorizations and youve you've prepared only four And A d so the war effort will bog down eh Mr Herbert for your information information information tion documents prepared here must follow a certain line lin You must adhere to it The word line uline did it Sit down Miss OBrien O'Brien he said earnestly then And in no time at all because her sympathy was as Irish as her name shed she'd been won over She said impulsively Im an old- old timer I think I can help you if you like He hadn't known of course what was to come the love that would grow between them but hed he'd reached in his desk when shed she'd gone and taking out the resignation he had written carefully destroyed it Following the arrows Harry rounded the last corner This would be it He didn't feel a bit nervous He and Peg had laughed when they read about weddings dropping oft off in Washington Its one place you wont won't have to stand in line she said because it says here that for months the Mar Mar- Marriage Marriage Marriage License Bureau hasn't had enough to keep it busy A guards guard's heavy hand came down on Harry's Harrys shoulder Just a min min- minute minute minute ute buddy he said fall in line over there if you want a license Why why Harry stuttered blinking at all nil the people ahead of him I thought Yeah I know the man said pa pa- patiently but this is June J Jane e buddy |