Show vica ON L ITS THE LAW borner by CLARISSA LORENZ M Y HEAD was in the clouds that warm day in april driving up broadway the radio in my jalopy was tuned in on tom 0 neill my favorite voice at of the year I 1 was Us lis bening to the Song shop hour when the sharp blast of a whistle brought me down to this too too solid earth id I 1 d driven straight through a red light As a big burly traffic cop swag over to my battered coupe my knees shook I 1 had a deep re tor for law and order what s the big idea sister he bellowed I 1 in sorry officer I 1 said meekly I 1 was late for school better be late than sorry he said aid in an altogether different voice as he caught 0 neill s lush rendition oft of irresistible you he jerked his head and smiled at the radio you know that guy s not bad he s simply super I 1 gurgled he makes me all goose pimply the blue eyes of the law flickered then fell on the volume of popular melodies on the seat beside me music 1 what do you do for a living piano teacher t f replied at miss pollens day school I 1 gave him a wan smile he pushed back his cap and wiped the moist blond ringlets plastered to his brow ever do any radio radle work that made me wince winge I 1 just wish I 1 had a dollar tor for every audition I 1 ve had pull over he ordered I 1 obeyed with alacrity at the curb I 1 became voluble anything to stave off a ticket I 1 told him that radio was a snare and delusion for any ambitious young girl id I 1 d got no where sorry we have our own staff accompanist sorry noth ing right now but if you 11 leave your name I 1 he grinned and it was like a burst of sunshine he leaned against my car looking at me as if I 1 were a crossword puzzle say how about dinner tonight you could have knocked me over with a feather why I 1 don t be S lieve I 1 began primly you see if he thought I 1 was a girl who could be picked up even by a police man okay sister he grunted I 1 get it then his voice became official again well I 1 ll 11 let you off this time thank you officer I 1 said but don t let it happen again remember I 1 in keeping my eye on you I 1 looked at my watch 8 45 1 id d never make it by nine not when I 1 had to pick up that daily cargo of seven aming kids and convoy them to the red brick bui but ding that was my prison five days a week I 1 sighed art is long and life is short and d t 11 I 1 know it I 1 d probably go on teaching sassy brats five finger exercises until the grave yawned especially now that charlie bad had gone international on me corporal charles brent no 1 heel when I 1 got his bombshell of a letter two months ago telling me cooly he d fallen tor for one of those aussien I 1 kissed all hope goodbye of every marrying an artist charlie played the bassoon before the army made him play the bazooka until today I 1 thought he d broken my heart but that night in bed when I 1 tried to picture him all I 1 could see were a pair of sky blue eyes strong white teeth and moist blond ringlets under a policeman s cap I 1 felt a twinge of remorse at having snubbed him what if he was just a traffic cop maybe something could still be done about it t 0 X J T but don t let it happen again remember I 1 in keeping my eye on you next next morning I 1 wore my new easter bonnet a pink flyaway con faction on my radio 0 neill was giving deliriously with time waits for no one my heart went booma as I 1 approached the crossing OE on broadway there stood my nice giant in a shaft of sunlight I 1 drove straight through the red light at the blast of that tin whistle I 1 jammed on the brake he sauntered over twirl ing his shiny toy well sister he said sternly il if you re gonna make it a habit I 1 have to take steps let s see your li la cense I 1 looked at him in sheer dismay 0 nl went crooning on but my traffic cop seemed deaf this morn ing make it snappy so I 1 fumbled in my imitation alligator bag and fished out the license fodder beryl thompson he read and took down the number name and address banded handed it to me here you are you conceited goon I 1 told my self hotly watching his broad back serves you right the low ceil cell ng depression that hung over me all that day was I 1 eted at 5 35 when I 1 got back to my roo room in and found a message to call ca 11 M mr burnham at the radio station I 1 flew to the hall phone be at the studio tomorrow night at 6 SO 30 sharp he said over the phone the next day I 1 was on hand long before six it s a transcription pro gram mr burnham explained miss miles the studio is out sick and her substitute s having a baby what s the program mr burn ham the Song shop hour studio B here s the music you 11 have plenty of time to run through it before 0 neill gets here 0 neill but he broadcasts mornings doesn doean t he hea he records at 6 the night be fore AS AS THE green balze door of studio B closed soundlessly behind me I 1 felt like turning cartwheels A little before 6 SO 30 a familiar voice broke up my practicing hello sister I 1 looked up and my fingers began to prickle there was my traffic cop bareheaded and in shirtsleeves sleeves pardon the attire he said with mock politeness I 1 in not supposed to wear my coat off duty are you tom 0 neill professionally speaking yes he came over and began polishing polish pol isling ng with his hand the badge on his blue shirt which read the singing cop nobody knows about it e ex x capt the gang here I 1 told em it had to be that way or else if the boys boy down at the station knew I 1 was a crooning canary life woul wouldn drat t be worth livin I 1 sat still looking slightly ga ga say he said his eyes twinkling that s a fine reception considering that I 1 finagled you a radio job you did I 1 gasped but mr burnham said he waved his big hand at me I 1 know when I 1 heard about miss miles I 1 asked him to give you a try out he looked up at the clock okay beautiful let s try that old number why don t you fall in love with me I 1 obeyed mechanically As I 1 said before I 1 have a deep respect lor foi law and 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