| Show DONT DON'T r YOUR LOVE By Elizabeth Hall JOEY Blake stepped out onto the front porch and let the screen door swing listlessly shut behind him Aunt Ems Em's worried blue eyes studied his dark face tight lines ringing his mouth No nineteen- nineteen year-old year should have such unhappy lines such dull eyes Joey what's wrong wrung she asked It help to talk about It I dont don't know exactly what Is wrong Joey's young voice was waslow waslow waslow low and troubled more as If he were talking to himself I 1 haven't seen Sue alone for three weeks She seems stems glad to see me when I Igo Igo Igo go over but theres there's always a gang around I never really get a chance to be with her Sue Is still In tn high school Joey she said You graduated last spring and have worked ever since You know you will soon have to enter the army You have an adults adult's outlook now But Sues Sue's viewpoint Is still that of a child child You shouldn't want it any other way She shouldn't be robbed of her last happy year of school care careS carefree free and untroubled Aunt Em held Joey with a wise compassionate gaze and continued Youve grown so Intense so full of urgency to get to the business of loving and living that subconsciously subconsciously subconsciously she Is frightened I think Sue loves you but she Is not rend ready f for forthe forthe r the adult love you feel Keeping a crowd of her friends around makes her feel safer But Aunt Em you know I would never do anything to hurt Sue She ought to know that too Yes Joey Aunt Em said gen But you would hurt her if you forced her to grow up too fast If It you could make her feel feci all tied up In knots knot like you have been the thelast thelast thelast last few weeks you would be hurtIng hurt hurt- Ing her But Aunt Em what can I 1 do he asked desperately Im afraid Ill I'll lose her I turn cold all aU over when I think of It Go back if you can to the friendly gay relationship you two have lave had bad for four years Aunt Em advised S Sue e wont won't avoid you IOU when the tension relaxes Then when the time comes when she gets out of school next year shell she'll be ready to return to the deeper feeling you want from her Keep it light tight Joey keep it easy She loves you Im I'm sure Just stop rushing her Ill try Im I'm going over to Sues Sue's now I wont be late Joey spoke happily and leaped down the steps to the walk At the Traynor house Joey heard the record-player record going full blast as usual Conviction that Aunt Em was possessed of unusual wisdom grew in him hint Fastening a wide carefree grin on his face Joey tapped on the door One of the gang let him In but he saw Sue across i ithe the room wide alert gray eyes meeting his warily Sue was golden golden- haired skinned peach with a tiny slender figure curved just right for forthe forthe forthe the school-girl school skirts and end sweaters she usually wore Joey's heart turned over as it always did at the sight of her Determinedly he kept the grin in place and flipped a careless careless careless care care- less hand In her direction His assumed assumed as as- ease became real as he saw the tension relax in her face During two records to which some of the gang jitter bugged Joey carried his share of the speculative specula specula- tive argument about the chances of this seasons season's football team and never let his gay expression slip Smiling Sue firmly turned ofT off the record all for tonight kids she said Ive a date with J ey Hello Joey Sue said softly when they were alone Youve been a stranger lately Im I'm glad lo to have you back Joey struggled desperately for a aUght alight alight light remark but came up with nothing better than a lame tion Want to walk down to the drugstore for a malt Yes Sue answered and Joey's heart stood still for a long moment as briefly her hand nestled against his cheek as lightly as a butterfly Then turning swiftly toward the tho thedoor thedoor door swinging their hands like children they want out fut |
