| Show f R S Cornet By SETD AMONG the odd million things AMONG Spence wanted to do was visit Hed He'd had a yen for tor Topley's Topley's Top Top- leys ley's back there on the desert wastes He craved it as a cat would catnip or a homesick Eskimo an iceberg And now as he hurried his I chunky form up the narrow street the tho blue neon above Topley's window window window win win- dow blazed welcome in letters two feet leet high Spence slid sUd into a seat scat H He breathed soda please Topley special He closed his eyes and envisioned a monument of pink and white A girls girl's voice clear and soft reached him Ras bry soda she Informed Without ras ras bries He raised l his s head Her eyes were warm and gray An amused smile bowed her lips Without he faltered Her manner humored his contu- contu I slon sion But Spence didn't see that It struck him she was part of the soda That the dream also took her in He watched her scoop out a gob of ice cream drop it into a tall glass squirt in a crimson syrup and heard the harsh gurgle of carbonated wa wa- ter The glass was placed before him He placed his lips to the straw and pulled Coldness luxuriously flowed over his tongue daubed his palate trickled down his throat and touched off revelations of deliciousness delicious delicious- ness hed he'd almost forgotten It evoked Imagery Lying face upward in a shallow mountain lake elastic stars shimmering on waters above night winds winds' whispering of giant pines drifting drifting in a rowboat and a girl beside him gray-eyed gray and pretty a girl like like and he looked up He felt the Impact of her presence She said You enjoyed that Enjoyed Hed He'd known the price- price of a cold glass of water He grinned Hit the spot like a letter from home Spence expected a smile but she merely picked up his empty glass glassand glassand glassand and erased the moist ring beneath with an efficient stroke of a damp cloth He felt hed he'd missed the target target target tar tar- get but wide He rose awkwardly and plunged a hand into his pocket His coin vibrated on the counter A frustrated ring The cash register crr crr dis dis- missal Spence wheeled half to go In turning his eye caught the tab NO S SALE The girls girl's hand swept to her blouse pocket The clink of metal told him his coin had joined others It was none of his concern yet the act had been so brazen He heard himself himsel saying Dont they treat you right here Spence couldn't make out her ex ex- ex- ex They do she answered succinctly I saw you pocket that money money So wh what t her coolness Irritated him If It the owner caught you you you- Theres nothing he could do about it she began to straighten a arow arow arow row of glasses before her The gestore gesture gesture ture tore disinterest in his ions More it infuriated himI himI himI him I wouldn't have believed it he managed Instantly he was sorry for her He Her r noticed that dark lashes rested on her cheeks He realized also his heart was thumping and there was wasa a quaver in his voice that he 1 couldn't control Why dont don't you ask for a raise I 1 cant can't Then quit Get another job A A. A tall man loomed in the door door- way He was thick shouldered and muscles like Idaho potatoes bulged his arms laden at the Ithe moment with two big paper bags Spence glanced at the girl Beneath Beneath Beneath Be Be- neath her coolness he he thought he detected an undercurrent of excite ment mente She said courteously Did you get everything The man shrugged his shoulders and laid the bags on the counter Yeah he grunted powdered sugar His tone was gruff grufT He tore the bag down the center Spence stared There tucked in between two packages lay a jar of at I I 4 I 74 I I 0 k t x r v r. r f. f I 1 4 I ii W e-W fL t A tall taU man loomed In the doorway lie Ue was thick shouldered and muscles like Idaho potatoes bulged his arms laden at the moment with two big paper bags raspberries Atop the pile glistened another of cherries bright red full exciting and pr prophetic of de de- light Vaguely he could hear the man counting Meaningless numbers Hed He'd have to have a Topley special first then take care are of the girl Spence regarded her expression Injury Injury In In- jury dominated her fair face and a pensive smile hovered about her lips It rebuked him With sinking heart and forward thrust of lean jaw Spence gulped and announced Sir I want to talk to you you son Spence cleared his throat You Yo look like a regular guy he began Now you had a conscientious conscientious conscientious con con- Yo You'd id i'd want to keep her huh You said it the man nodded vigorously Now if it you had a person like that and you felt she was competent competent competent compe compe- tent to take care of the store Spence took a deep breath and plunged would you give her a raise if U she was to ask you Would you ou Guess so the man edged How much Well the mans man's thick shoulders heaved Maybe ten he said at last You heard him Spence turned triumphantly toward the girl Im Ima a witness She nodded Her eyes were glow glow- Ing If It you'll excuse me 21 son on the theman theman theman man was saying Im kind of busy I got a lot of deliveries to make He handed a paper to the girl Heres the bill he remarked Thanks Ill I'll file tUe it Oh yes Spence saw her reach into her I blouse pocket Ive got two new quarters she offered Swell he glowed with delight He placed a fifty cent piece on the counter I just need about six more he said as she rang up the money and Ill I'll have enough for forthe forthe forthe the kids kid's birthday Thanks a lot Miss Topley Spence was up He was p past st the threshold and into the street A detaIning detaining detaining de de- hand touched his shoulder Ho brushed It off Pu Pu leez and a l slim figure twisted twisted twisted twist twist- ed around and blocked his passage the big idea he d de de- de I 1 couldn't help it Once you got started started started-I I couldn't stop you How about having a super special with special with me Spence maraschino cherries cherries cherries cher cher cher- ries floating on a rose pond above submerged raspberries He also discovered discovered discovered dis dis- dis- dis covered lights in her eyes flashes of radiant promise He placed her arm in his ms The action seemed most natural Im glad youve you've reformed reformed re- re formed he grinned They went back into the store |
