Show rl F AC 7 ION comber BANDBOX BETTY by MARY KEMPE CHEATHAM EAT iron from the down H HEAT town pavements torrid light tell fell in bars through the venetian blinds in mr humphreys private office carrying with it a coppery odor like that of a penny clutched too long in a perspiring palm pahn it was a hot day all right and the city lay panting under the noonday sun leave the door open miss bar clay called mr humphreys as betty returned from lunch let the air circulate whew he added mopping his brow weve got to get some air conditioning in this hotbox betty smiled removing her white gloves and her crisp white hat mr lir humphreys said the same thing every summer she laid her gloves and white purse neatly away in the bottom desk drawer and sat down at the typewriter with her blonde hair sleek and smooth and her pa e green dress miraculously unwrinkled she looked as cool and fresh as an iced limeade how do you do it it miss Barc layl marveled mr humphreys entering the cubicle of an outer office where she sat as secretary and receptionist you cant be as cool as you looka anyhow lets leas put this fan out here somewhere tome where to stir up a little breeze he looked around vaguely pulled out a chair a few feet from bettys betty a desk set the tan fan on it plugged in the cord and returned to his own large desk through the open door marked private betty gazed doubtfully at the fan whirring away on the chair before her she anchored the fluttering pa pers on her desk with paperweights and with a little frown of annoyance smoothed back the tendrils of hair which were beginning to blo v loose from the bun at the nape of her neck she caught mr hum looking at her and smiled after all mr humphreys was the boss if it he wanted to go around putting electric fans on chairs t was no business of hers anyway mr humphreys was nice nice and quite quite happily married they were all quite happily mar a ned ried thought betty with a sigh as she began on her transcription all AU the really nice members of the of flee ace force in the other departments all the nicest salesmen that bus busl ness of romance in an office was just something you read about in magazines Is mr humphreys W in she looked up as a tall broad shouldered red haired young maa man strolled toward her desk and thrust a business card into her hand be fore she knew what was happening he had pulled up his trouser legs slightly to preserve their meticulous crease and had begun to assume a sitting position over the whirring fan dont don t sit down betty shrieked simultaneously with mr humphreys shout the young man catapulted away from the chair as though a bomb suddenly had sprung from the fan blades backed against bettys betty IS desk he stared then grinned mr humphreys flown to the rescue was mopping his brow again but not from heat that he said shakily was a narrow escape he disconnected the fan and stood bewilderedly holding it her composure regained now that catastrophe had been averted betty became once more all cool efficiency she glanced at the card she chuckled she could not help it it would you yoa she asked have had coverage for THAT the card read john J thomas insurance the young man chuckled too 1 I came here he remarked to tails talk to mr humphreys about accident insurance sure sure murmured mr hum still shaken come right in have one of the boys put that thing on a bracket tor for you he said to betty indicating the fan when they emerged from mr humphreys sanctum john thomas had a pleased expression on his face and no doubt a policy in the bag it was really her fault faults you know he remarked to mr humphreys loitering at the door she looked so cool I 1 didn dian t even see that chair miss barclay always looks cool in summer said mr humphreys proudly and neat all the year round t I 1 N 0 h M muggsy gave her a broad grin the more effective for three miss ing teeth you re pretty she said I 1 like you like she ashes s just stepped out ot of a bandbox john continued betty gushed flushed she had had the expression applied to her before since her first days with the corn com pany she knew she had been fa mili arly referred to by the other employees as bandbox betty but it was disconcerting to be discussed in this fashion the least she can do be he teased Is give me a dinner date fair enough echoed mr humphreys it if its it s all right with miss barclay well conceded betty but I 1 warn you I 1 have all the insurance I 1 need dinner with john thomas was distinctly pleasant it was cool in the orchid room and the table ap point ments were perfect the floor show was good the food even better from cocktail to parfait the courses were faultless john himself met every requirement as an escort betty began to be glad mr hum had put the fan on a chair mot not a hair out of place john commented they drill it into you countered betty at secretarial school white collars tidy fingernails all that ILL BET john said suddenly eyes twinkling YOU WOULDN T EVEN GET MUSSED AT A PIC NICI she had a number of dates with john their tempo always smooth and pleasant her work suffered no misplaced commas mr humphreys was happy john seemed happy and betty was almost happy only that was all that ever happened never once had john attempted atter noted to kiss her or even hold her hand he was she concluded finally a confirmed bachelor just as I 1 she thought poking savagely at the typewriter keys am a confirmed old maid it was a saturday almost noon quitting time john had not called and the future suddenly became a whole series of weary calendar pages neatly torn tom off day by day and deposited in the wastebasket As she walked from the building there was johns john a convertible parked at the entrance get in he called we were re going on a picnic it was amazing how his red hair could brighten up the day dayl betty was happily in the car before she even noticed his female compan ion ton oh she gasped for there huddled between john and a balg ing picnic basket vas a startling apparition a little girl with freckles wide blue eyes and the same red hair relax smiled john muggsy t if just my niece mece every year about time I 1 take her on a picnic oh said betty again uncertain ly muggsy gave her a broad grin grm the more effective for three missing teeth you re pretty she said I 1 like you she climbed into bettys lap and settled herself with a corn com fordable for table sigh youve got a pretty dress she added stroking it with a hand which was just a trifle grimy betty looked down at her wrinkled skirt but under the child childs s weight it could not be straightened john busy with getting the convertible out of the saturday traffic appeared not to notice he looked different in wash trousers and sports shirt muggsy too wore a washable print dress betty ruefully considered her office apparel but made no comment As they drove the wind whipped at bettys betty a hair she had no net and all she could do was keep pinning the strands back in place when they reached the picnic spot muggsy jumped up and down in de light cn C n I 1 wade uncle john en c n I 1 wade she called casting oft off shoes and socks and stepping into the creek I 1 im in going to look for crawdads she declared peering stealthily under rocks in the shallow stream now and then letting her dress tail dribble in the water betty was gazing into a pocket mirror trying to smooth her hair come help me john called piling twigs in a little rock fireplace YOU unpack the lunch while I 1 build a fire to make the coffee and broil the steaks the fire smoked ashes fell into the coffee the charred stick forks made smudges betty did her best to stay neat but muggsy was everywhere at once dribbling steak juice mu mustard and catsup A stinging sen bation crept behind bettys eyelids as she recalled jonns joans admiring words ILL BET YOU EVEN GET MUSSED AT A PIC NIC she pulled ineffectually at her wrinkled frock dabbed with a handkerchief at stains wiped the dust from her shoes it was unfair of john to put her to such a test the picnic dragged mercilessly on ork to an amusement park where muggsy wanted to ride a roller coaster betty shuddered she hated roller coasters she hated flying turns but she found herself hurtling through space with john and muggsy in any number of crazy fashions when they emerged her bun was nas quite gone the blonde hair hanging loosely about her shoulders her shoes were full of shavings from the amusement park grounds she the had a run in her hose and her face was smudged and devoid of makeup john stared at her and laughed aloud what he asked has be corae come of bandbox betty someone she thought should slap his face but before she could put the impulse into effect he had seized her hands and pulled her close to her amazement he kissed her tierce fierce ly bea before ore all the people in the amusement park with muggsy gig gling at them both everything seemed to fade away as she kissed back that he breathed is more like it 1 I couldn coulden t have stood it be he said to have you respond with nothing but a neat little peck |