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Show b.o MAN OF MYSTERY CORNER By LuQ w Kellems JJT 3:30 Eddie House called his wife from the office. "Know what I've been thinking about, angel? an-gel? Herring! My mouth's simply drooling. What's for supper ?" "Your favorite menu, supper special spe-cial ..." Eddie groaned, "That's too elaborate, baby. I only want herring. her-ring. Just herring . . . Evelyn I are you listening? There was si- 31 lence, then a Minute click in his ear. Fiction There was wife-( wife-( ly understand ing! And just because a man got a hankering for herring! Soon, however, he grinned. She'd have the herring, all right. That was Evelyn's way, flying off the handle, then after consideration, humoring him. He had gone to work by bus that morning because Evelyn needed the car for some special shopping, she said. To be sure of a healthy appetite ap-petite for the herring, he decided to walk home. Pausing when he reached his own back door, Eddie clocked his hike, proud of the four minutes clipped from last trip's walking time. His hand, carefully replacing his watch, touched ' a small square of folded paper in his pocket. He drew it out, opened it and read: "Anniversary gift for Evelyn ..." Their first anniversary! How Evelyn squeeled with delight when she saw the coat. "You're the best husband a girl ever had, darling." could he have forgotten? Days ago he had scribbled down this reminder, remind-er, to be sure. Furtively he glanced at the high kitchen windows. There stood Evelyn, Eve-lyn, her head and her soulders framed in glass like she were a beautiful portrait. She was working at the sink and she was crying! . Eddie felt like a heel. No Wonder she had used the car to shop, and had fixed his favorite menu. She had remembered, while he he had requested herring her-ring for supper! He watched Evelyn sniffle and blink tears. He stood on the stoop, considering. If he went home with a gift, he might convince her the her ring was a gag. All the stores would be closed by now unless Old Jan, the jeweler, was still tinkering In his shop. TJECAUSE EDDIE thought Evelyn D might miss the car if he took it, he walked to the nearest drugstore drug-store and phoned for a cab. Thirteen Thir-teen minutes passed before it came. "Hurry!" begged Eddie. "Jan might remember to close on time." Jan had closed on time. He returned re-turned slowly to the cab. "Flowers are always appreciated," appreci-ated," suggested the driver. "That's an idea!" They drove to Marley's Flowei Shoppe and found it locked. He just had to find something! He couldn't go home empty-handed and face a weeping wife. He was moping toward the cab when inspiration hit him. "Hanfel, the furrier! My business neighbor! He'll come and open up for me." "Wait twenty minutes." Hanfel said when Eddie called. "We're eating. I got herring, yet." He waited forty-five minutes before be-fore Hanfel drove up. "I want a mink, size nine." "A size nine mink, I don't have. I got a Russia Fitch jacket, size nine." "Wrap it up," Eddie said, resigned. re-signed. Evelyn must have been watching for him. She met him at the door. "Anything wrong, Eddie ?" Inside, Eddie proudly displayed the Russian Fitch jacket. "It's a special day, honey remember ?" Evelyn squealed with delight and kissed him. "You're the best husband a girl ever had, darling. And I was afraid you'd forgotten our anniversary Imagine!" Im-agine!" She seemed 'scared suddenly. "Eddie! You were kidding about the herring!" Eddie held her close. "Certainly not, baby! Next to you, I love herring her-ring best." "Oh honey! You're worth all the smelly old herring in the world . . . Only, Eddie remind me to looh through my household hints for some method of peeling onions that always go with herring so thy won't make me cry ..." |
