Show II THE TyE FICTION CORNER CORAIER NO OTHER WAY WAYBy By WILLIAM WILLIAl COLE JUDY TUDY DY kept her eyes on the Jersey J shore line all the while she was talking I 1 I dont don't know what to do she be said He asked me if I could to let him know tonight She had tried to tell Ted about Lloyd Richards earlier that evening first first when they met and then when This they were having dinner in the cafe- cafe Weeks Week's teria but teria-but but each time she had made the Best mistake of looking at him mm And then F. F Fiction they were in in the narow narow narow na na- row park by the ther r river i v e r and she couldn't put it off any more He he says we could be married tomorrow she went on t Hes staying in town another day And there it was She sat back and pressed her hands in her lap She didn't want Ted to see how they were trembling But Ted wasn't watching His arms were hooked over the back of the bench and he was staring out on i the Hudson His short-cut short hair and dark brooding face stood out sharply sharp sharp- ly against the cluster of lights from the Palisades She reached out to touch him to him to clear that face even for a moment then moment then she fought back the Ute impulse Oh Im I'm going to kill mm him I she thought wildly If he just sits there and takes it like that I 1 think you should do it Ted said Judy went limp She dug her nails nans into her flesh and felt nothing I uI I promised Id I'd call him she said weakly Hell be waiting Imagine Making a crack like that Shed She'd fix him good goad Why shouldn't you Ted said again This Richards can give you the things you should have He straightened his ms leg and his ms heel tore a rut in the dirt path What can I give you Nothing Ted Nothing at all you big lug Only everything a girl What could I give you Ted went on have some l life e with me Dinners in cafeterias Evenings in parks On our honeymoon for variety wed we'd go to a museum You'd have some sweet life It sounded sweet enough to Judy but she didn't say as much This was the beginning of a familar routine There was nothing that could be done until it ran itself outA outA out A UA lawyer Ted said He addressed addressed addressed ad ad- dressed the single star that hung dimly above Twenty five thousand lawyers in New York weren't enough I had to starve too It didn't do any good to tell him that things were bad all over that they would pick up that after all he was only out of law school a short time It didn't do any good when he was like this to tell him anything He glared at the people sitting on the benches around them as though they were directly re re- re Let me tell you he said youve got to be somebody to starve to death in this town Do you think they'll let iet anyone s starve No YouVe You've got to have background You Youve You've ve got to have a college diploma and a law certificate and an office to hang them up in and then okay you can go ahead and starve The woman on the next bench was eyeing Ted nervously Judy stood up Lets walk a bit she suggested She slipped an arm through his and walked lightly beside him a slim girl in a simple dark dress Her brown eyes were troubled as Ted hurried her along He couldn't stay depressed long not long not when she was with him When they were to- to closed it quickly When he be let go go goof goot of ot other her she hung on to his lapels Ted spoke through her hair You were saying something about some guy named Lloyd JUDY UDY waited until she could feel u solid ground again beneath her Dont joke about it Ted please The man wants to marry me He does Ted shook his head headin in wonder You dont don't say so 50 This was more like it This was Ted Judy sighed If she could only keep him like that I dont don't suppose I want to marry you Ted said I suppose my intentions intentions intentions in in- arent aren't honorable He was still smiling but it was very much on the surface I ul suppose suppose suppose sup sup- pose if there weren't a darn good reason we wouldn't have marr married ed long ago Two years to be exact Two years that could have been among the happiest happiest happiest hap hap- in their lives Tell me Judy said She tried to keep her tone light Just for the i record What was that wonderful reason again Ted turned away wearily Lets skip that for once he said She was as tired of the subject as s c b by t 11 t A r. r 4 r 1 r Ii e 4 rf t f 1 i t She slipped an arm through his and walked lightly beside him a slim girl in a simple dark dress gether he was soon the real Ted And that couldn't help but make a success That was why it was important important important im im- im- im that they Ted freed his arm and tried to drop it around her Judy stepped aside Ted looked surprised and anddrew anddrew anddrew drew her into the shadow of a tree Judy He was smiling at ather ather ather her now its it's getting late she saidI saidI saidI said I have to call caU Lloyd Lloyd Who's Lloyd She looked at him hun furiously Weve Veve only been talking about him for the last last l Gosh honey 1 Ted ran his hands back over her hair Youre so swell Ted now pi pl 1 Judy wrenched her mouth to one side and then he was They had been over and andover andover andover over it countless times without getting getting getting get get- ting any place Yes Ted said he knew all about it Two could live as cheaply as one sure And Judy could keep her job Sure Okay he said he didn't think she could support him in the manner in which he had become accustomed And so until the time he could handle that end of it decently himself Judy knew it was useless but still she persisted She had used the same phrases so often she knew them by heart Dont you see darling wed we'd at least have each other Those other things arent aren't important Wed We'd at least Lets ULet's not discuss it Ted said Well just have to wait Why should we wait She clenched her hands angrily We dont don't know how long it'll be I want to settle it right it-right right now He turned back to her slowly I ul Isee Isee see Before you speak to your friend Mr Richards She had forgotten about that but now she met his gaze fully Yes before I speak to him Its always good to have a guy in reserve isn't it Ted said She gulped in some air All right my boy I O. O Kl KI She waved at him airily So uSo nice to have known you she said and walked away What was so nice about it Ted called after her Oh it was pretty nice Theodore dont don't kid yourself But Judy didn't glance back She crossed the drive and went on down the street Back in the park there she knew he was miserable And that made her miserable too But they couldn't go on like that indefinitely There was no other way Besides it wouldn't last long She knew his moods perfectly Lets Let's see now She looked at her watch Two minutes for despair then the next two for thought and then in about two or three more She slowed down She wasn't so sure now They'd fought before and sometimes hadn't made up for days But then he didn't have much to worry about He could just let it slide He could let everything slide This time She was near panic when she reached the corner corner and and then she heard heavy footsteps behind her She caught a glimpse of Ted as she rounded the building And his wild frightened face was enough The only thing that troubled her now was where they would live uptown live uptown or out in the suburbs As for her conscience that didn't trouble her at all Consciences sometimes were pretty much of a bore And as for Lloyd Richards Richards- well she wouldn't even have to call him Lloyd knew her answer She had given it to him that afternoon |