Show PET PEST by ROBERT DENNIS THE HE footsteps footstep s came down the city room and halted at the door of clint Ll Li office penny alder felt eyes on her boring down through the barrage of typewriter keys she was tending sending up something about clint lipton put a chip on her shoulder miss alder the voice was too polite to belong to her pet pest Is 13 clint comin back today she looked up tip at theold the old man who stood in the door of clients clints room a shiny anin serge suit bagging around his lean stooped figure like a piece of wilted lettuce she nodded an assistant society editor had troubles enough lot let clant lipton take care of the sports department and his own pests old hughey lawler was his leni the old fellow touched the tha yellowed saw brimmed straw hat clamped down over his thin fringe of white hair ive ave got some dome news about the kid for clint to write up tip hebald he said sald as he crossed the narrow aisle oh penny replied helplessly helpless if 11 it was about the ile kid old hughey would stand and gab forever course ive got to give it to clint ive been keepin Clint right up u p to date on the kid he swallowed at something so hes told me mc with dull fascination cirin ci tion she watched the old fellows adams apple climb up and down the stretch of turkey yUke like neck above the oversize over size collar clint clant al also had said that the next time old hughey tried to fold his ears cars bac back k lie he was going to did I 1 eyer ever show you the picture pi to the kid sent me when ho he was waa ral out on the coast hughey pushed a postcard post card portrait under her noso nose a while you walt photograph of a young fellow in sailor blues lues his hat cocked at an angle over one belligerent eye 11 A fine lookin boy miss alder 11 shed seen the face before her glanco glance strayed in through the open door of clients dints office to where a shaft of ladd la to afternoon sunshine spotlighted a photograph tacked on the walla bare kid in fighting pose shed always looked down her short straight nose at those pictures of clinas clints brown brawn and beet beef friends the guys with minears tin ti nears ears arid and bent noses the guys heaving forward pastes passia the tough he guys and glint clint alth Ms his head of wild rusty hair end that habitual frown wedged between his hiis deep set gray eyes was part 0 of f his muscle menagerie as far as she was con berned my grandson miss alder oud have thought the scrappy kid in the sailor suit was an admiral from the pride in old hughees Hug heys vote voice you esk ask clint if the kid on his bis way of being welterweight champ before ho wanted to enlist ill bet he be was dennys pennys comment dropped like a pebble into the deep pool of hughey lawlers Law lera pride ile he gushed words penny alder actually was wag glad to see clinas clints rust colored head appear she almost welcomed his deep frown when he spotted her caller old hughey turned to clint ive got something for you to writs write up clint clant clinas clints nod toward his office was about as friendly as an umpires thumb 1 I can only give you a min ute sure the old fellow turned penny found the lipton frown a aimed I 1 m ed at her youre a pal he because became the kid would want it written up on your page where his bis friends could kedit sea it he aint comin back clint get it at t arst and then her chest went all tight tighter lor that old man in there the way he stood the tha tone of his voice said that evereth everything ing hed been living for had bad been wiped out by a telegram sent to the next of kin clini kept frowning you know what to say eay abo about ut the md kid clint old hughey prom prompted apted tell acm lcm em about that sweet left of Ws bis and how nobody ever got past im it the old fellow talked on and on clint listened his face deadpan penny alder aider listened too she was still at her fier desk when clint and hughey lawler came out that picture the tha old fellow said anxiously I 1 want to loss lose it P ill get it back to you glint clint was letting him go without even one word of sympathy sure well thanks I 1 guess I 1 W S gai I 1 WV P 1 1 0 Z Q R you got your your hat on said bald clint gruffly 1 I suppose that means its another no date accused you know that old guy gets me down she looked up at him and that chip was on her shoulder for holding him he be scowled youre going to break down and go out to dinner and places place with me tonight Is that a pass or a penalty take your chelse only get gel your hat haton on he wheeled away penny stared after the back or of his sunburned sun burned neck why could he annoy her more than any other man shed ever known ills his very vitality the way that shaft of late sun put sparks spark in his rusty rust hair everything about ahn bothered red her lots lets have hav it fast hughey clint clant said I 1 J ive v agot got a date what he thought she closed her bar typewriter desk with a bang she looked in again clients clints frown wa was concentrated on that latest picture of the kid ile he reached for a yellow telegram old hughey held out 1 I come to tell you first clint the old fellows shoulders slumped wont be comin around any more clint I 1 mian mean there wont be any more news about the kid clint glowered as hughey lawler slowly started away then suddenly he strode after him you yoo cant just walk out on your friends like that hughey he gripped the old fellows arm hard drop around anytime you feel like talking about the kid penny doubted her ears but the smile the old boy gave clint was real enough sure I 1 will clint aunt clint lipton turned and came back mackto halt at her desk you got your hat on his voice gruit gruff 1 I suppose that means its another no date 1 I 1 she he began her eyes searching his 0 K go on say it so I 1 gave gava him the brushoff brush off by hanging out the welcome sign shed never tried girled to look beyond that scowl he always wore like the kids left lefi li I 1 easy to get past his bis guard you really like old hughey lawler she said abruptly sure if I 1 like the old pest I 1 lit let him bother me would I 1 17 but you understand you never give a guy a chance to see bee it if you can like him for a moment penny matched frowns with her pet pest she could feel his puzzled eyes follow her as she stood slowly and moved toward the coat rack he was right she been able to understand why shed lot let him bother her but it was becoming clear she must have liked eked the real clint lipton all along T even when she was carrying a chip on her shoulder tor for a tough guy who exist when penny alder turned tu arned she a h waa we s trolling and had her ha hat it on r |