Show I t I T I THE FICTION ION CORNER I I WALTER BUTTONS BUTTON'S IDEA j L By JOHN SHARDA I I W Walter Iter loved his wife but wished she did not neglect herself to the art for which or orL L e Ii he herself seIf elf so wholly he kne knew she had no talent He u. u foun found nd d a way at last to make her understand his feelings I I BUTTON put the last z I TT Ws ALTER of 01 plum pudding into and swallowed ved slowly mouth his plate he hea of i the edge Under generous tip and pushed ked a tucked back from the table CareR Care- Care chair r gg his R is he Put O on his coat and hat hatAI Sauntered sauntered to the cashiers cashier's counte coun- coun AI paid his check and casually He lie i te good cigar from the wide il IJ selected a of boxes After Alter pausing assortment t 1 light t it H be strolled out of the to Outside he made his restaurant 2 quickly to his battered pre- pre i it I II r. r W rat ar coupe he reflected home way Vay j I O on the t finished meal he had ju just the meal Ie about tout his wife wouldn't wouldn t approve Emma Eama cf 1 f such extravagance But it had f worth it He hadn't known that teen n could be so good That steak fod zil broiled until it was mediL medi- medi hd ad been L l well wen done the way he liked it j snowy wh white te mashed potatoes upped tamed te with a delicious rich gravy 4 even better than it had I I And such service 1 Business iness had kept him in town everal hours past his usual quit- quit time He had phoned Emma I to say jay ay that he be would be late and could auld grab a bite to eat on the way tome bome He knew how she hated to go goto trouble to fix lix him a snack to tanY any bene Whenever he be had to work late at atte 2 tte fee te office lUll J gj He e turned his his car into the d drive ive I that fl-at led to his small unpretentious 1 7 bome As he locked the garage he noticed a bright light upstairs in the Walter shrugged his shoulders Ik I llers ders ers disgustedly She's painting I he said half hall out loud Why I doesn't she have a good hobb hobby like Nl 1 reading yding detective stories He was wasu u an avid reader of such literature I IR 1 h himself Emma had taken up oil oU fainting inting almost a year ago much T te 10 Walters Walter's contempt She considered consid- consid Wd ered herself quite talented and doz- doz Ic tens eos o of hideous pictures were displayed diss dis dis- s played throughout the house More than half ball of the bedroom had been converted into her studio as Emma Emma Em Em- i I ma na fondly called it Most of the theme t feme me it was cluttered with half hal finished fin fin- d paintings easels brushes and W un of of paint Walter Valter entered the house and went f fei uJ dI rs It would be best to let her herbow herOW herl l bow now OW immediately that he was r. r home i Emmas Emma's harsh unpleasant voice I I peeled greeted him before he was in the I room got anything for fJ you iou 1011 to eat eal She was busily daubing daubing daub daub- ing t away at a canvas her hair hairr r 1 rumpled and her face smudged l Thais all aU right Emma replied replied re re- re- re plied Walter WaIter I I stopped in at nt the J Regal Begal restaurant after work i What The Regal restaurant r cried Emma Walter WaIter Button you I how know good and well we cant can't afford af aft af- af rford ford such fancy places places' I i It was a very good meal Emna Em Em- na Ita answered Walter his voice meek meek and low I 1 I dont don't doubt It one little bit kis bs wife said with as much sarcasm In IB ln her ber tone as possible For the kind of prices they charge the food A 1 be tit lit for a king She turned 5 back kick to her work with a grimace 4 Caller stepped over a little closer li 10 lobe be could see what she was paint paint- qi fa hg bg He studied it intently for Cor seval sev- sev 2 1 eral era al seconds Then his face lit up Chats Chat's a picture of a rainbow isn't It I t Rainbow Emma shrieked Just shows how much you mow kaow about art art arL Walter shifted his j I het et uneasily I f Wen Well ell what is it if it its it's not a he ho cautiously d I Its an abstract t c painting sa said id mma thou though h of f course you ed d understand that It J a slice of bacon frying in a aWalter ai aj j i Ii Pan Dan Walter Valter looked at the picture t Win again and muttered something un- un un-I un e his breath v What did you say SK Emma suspiciously I I 0 J i-I i j 1 Just said I think Ill I'll go down down- rP r staIrs and read awhile sa said id Wal I ter J t His Ills wife sniffed contemptuously I Those ose silly detective stories I Walter waiter gave no indication that he hard je rd her last statement He went I and picked out a maga JJ fr from rn the supply on hi his desk deskI With a Sigh of contentment he set Ved M ed down in his old comfortable if l I chair This is the kind of r Creation CreatIon a person should have e told himself It II was long ong Past i ton when he finally wn his Ms j J reading and went to bedi bed t i The e great idea i came to Walter j li t breakfast the next morning He I V ad d t come down ravenously hungry I Gloomily Walter looked at his I L I. I te The bacon was only half halt done u be e eggS however were fried tried so soU rd that they were crisp The U toast too was burned and the or 5 Juice had been P poured nl Into an a awn Washed glass Blass that had contained j wn Ik t the night before I JI L it There The ere dl must be some way to get crP ma a to Improve her cooking he pY ler dered And I wish shed she'd watch looks looks more Emma often 50 ged ed around the house with her 6 Ir s fr fr orra unkempt and her face soiled d e e j tiso household chores She was ft setting getting stout He vividly rett re reo re- re I l tt e had the few occasions when dared d l to criticIze Emmas Emma's II YI Q oi of doing things 4 tt o. T ll It enly he knew what he be would I j I would take quite a bit of 1 trouble and effort on his part but it would be worth it if it worked worker He managed to choke down the breakfast aSt and in a matter of min mm- utes he was in his car and on his way to the office Walter had found through long him experience to think that the best time f for was when he was driving driving ing mg along by himself Long before he reached a parking place his plan had taken form He would have a talk with Emma A long heart to heart talk taIk He would be t tactful but firm Hed He'd tell her that she must improve her cooking and her ap ap- or else Just what else else meant Walter WaIter didn't quite know himself But-and But heres here's where the brilliance of his plan was evident first evident first he must prepare for the talk with Emma In the past Emma had always countered with witha a long list of ot his faults whenever he mentioned one of hers As a re re- re- re sult suit Walter got nowhere with his line of attack II This time he promIsed promised prom prom- himself its going to be dif dif- di- di ferent Ill keep a list of all the poor meals she cooks And Ill I'll mark down each time she forgets to do her hair or wash her face Then Ill I'll have some concrete evidence to show her when I get ready But 11 11 r C She looked up ip p and smiled What is it Walter before I start on this list Im I'm going to concentrate on improving myself so she wont won't have any comeback He was talking aloud to himself himsel inthe in inthe inthe the solitude of his car The Thc hours dragged by at the office office office of of- fice at a pace which seemed much slower than usual Walter Watter could hardly wait to get home and put his scheme into operation At lunch lunchtime lunch lunchtime lunchtime time he hurried out and bought himself him him- sell self the new necktie that he had admired in in a window display All AU afternoon his mind spun with excite excite- I ment Hed He'd show Emma T THE HE next two weeks were busy L ones for Walter In fact he was wasso wasso I Iso so busy that he almost forgot Emmas Emmas Emma's Emmas Em mas ma's cooking and her appearance Each morning he arose a full CuU hour earlier than had been his custom so that he would have time to shave I Imore more carefully comb his hair with I great exactness and shine his shoes until they gleamed During the day he practiced good posture walking and sitting with his chest out stomach ach in and back straight Each day after work he would stop in at the y Y for a brisk workout or swim Color came back to his cheeks and there was a new spring in his step In the evenings he cut down the time he spent in reading detective stories He made it a point to ask Emma if there was anything around the house that needed repairing If there was he fixed it quickly and efficiently Before he retired for the night he laid out his clothing for the next day selecting his apparel with unusual care At the office he worked conscientiously and took pains to turn out more than was wasI expected His boss soon took notice I of this and hinted that Walter could soon look forward to a nice little littIe I raise It One Sunday morning Walt Walter r woke I i up with the satisfying realization that he had indeed transformed himself into a new man He arose and dressed rapidly but with care He displayed pardonable pride as ashe ashe ashe he looked at himself in the mirror Today would be the day Hed He'd have that talk with Emma Shed She'd have nothing to say No excuses She wouldn't be able to find a thing wrong with him in return He busied bus bus- himself In the living room while Emma prepared breakfast Wh While he tidied h his s desk and bookcase he thought of what he would say When his wife called Breakfast Walter he felt that his speech was all prepared He politely pulled out her chair at the table Then he sat down himself Ill I'll wait he thought until were we're almost through with the meal It took Walter only a few mouthfuls mouthfuls mouth mouth- fuls to realize that this was quite a breakfast Golden brown waffles light and fluffy flurry with plenty of maple syrup The chilled orange juice was served in a sparkling clean glass Delicious sausage patties were also on his plate And that toast Done to a delicate brown What sort of magic macic was this I He glanced at Emma then back at the tastefully prepared food lood and back to Emma again Her hair was gracefully arranged Her face was immaculately clean and just the right of up make-up brought out the natural beauty that Walter had almost forgotten was there She was wearing a neat and she appeared decidedly slim slim- mer He finished breakfast In silence He was wide eyed with amazement Forgotten was his speech his j heart to talk After only one cup of coffee he went hastily upstairs to th the r bed bed- room He must have time to think What had caused this change in Emma It must have been gradual He sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the walls Something was missing For an instant he couldn't figure it out Then he knew The II paintings They were gone And there was no trace of the brushes I or the easel Not even a paint can He couldn't stand it any longer Down the stairs he raced Emma was as in the kitchen washing dishes Emma he said I must talk with you ou She looked ed up and smiled What That ThatIs is it Walter WaIter He gulped and blurted out Ive got a confession conCession to make Emma And he told her The whole story When he was done his wife was silent for a long minute Then she spoke Walter dear when you started to make yourself over a few weeks ago I began to take stock of my my- sel self And I decided that there were many things that should be changed for the better It hasn't been easy but Ive I've enjoyed every minute of It It especially when I realized you weren't noticing because you were so intent on yourself Walter groped for a chair and sat down heavily He was still in a pleasant state of bewilderment Oh Walter said Emma one thing more Ive I've given up my hobby hobby hobby hob hob- by of oil pain painting Id I'd like to do doI some reading Could you recommend recommend I mend a good detective story for forI forme forme I me I |