| Show I FEATHER C IN HER HAT I i 1 By Evelyn Witter I M MARCIA A placed the red feather on the red beret with a vengeance Tonight she decided decided de- de she would explode her bombshell bombshell bombshell bomb bomb- shell at her husband and the two boys boya It wasn't that she didn't love them She adored them It was that she was tired ot of doing and doing for them without thanks or appreciation Now she decided todo todo to do for b. b herself Shed She'd heigh Neigh off to New York and have herself a time See the places they were always always al- al al always ways talking about on TV Of course Carl and the boys might object to having to take care of themselves for a couple of weeks and to her spending the bank acc ac- ac c but after all she had given n up a new spring outfit for baseball togs and had done without a winter winter winter win win- ter coat for meat in the freezer Lately shed she'd finished three handmade handmade handmade hand hand- made Western shirts after hours of painstaking stitching If they had said Thanks she would have felt it was all worth it I Just then the back door slammed I open and Jerry and Jack breezed In Marcia Marc a realized they looked older than their early teen ages S She had done well by them They were were taller than she and the turtle turtle- necked T shirts hugging their bodi bodies s showed muscular develop develop- m ment h Hi iii M Mom ti-l ti they Y greeted her with grins Dad home yet Why dont don't you turn on on n TV Jack switched the knob Marcia had to smile atthe at atthe atthe the sight of them They were rea really really real real- ly good boys Just too tive She h heard ard Carl come up the back steps and put his lunch pail o othe on n the k kitchen table Hi ya honey he called Carl was a fine man but but he did take her too much fo for or r grant granted d Got the right channel Carl Car 1 checked the set and sat down this program you wan want want t tto to see so badly Marcia turned turne d t ds toward Carl She thought there waa was wa wasa was s a mist in his eyes but she couldn't be certain because he look looked d down gave her hand a little squeeze and said Wait and see see The announcer began And now Tootie presents your Good Scout program Each week RooUe- RooUe Tootie chooses the best letter of ot a hundred-fifty hundred words or less telling who is the best good scout you know The winning Best Scout receives receives receives re- re re re- a round trip to New York a suite at the Waldorf a complete outfit designed by none other than Howe and Lopas dinner Marcia sighed Even th the whole bank account couldn't go that far for her But go she would The announcer was taking a paper paper paper pa pa- I per from his pocket He was saying saying saying say say- ing ing This weeks week's winning letter I reads as follows We nominate our mother who is Is' Is the best Good Scout any boys ever II had bad She does more for tor us than is necessary in the usual line of duty We can bring one of the fellows or the whole team home after games and she she- always lays lays' out a spread But then she always says yes to us if it is at all possible She likes to go places and wear pretty clothes but she takes care of us first which means sometimes she goes goes' without Her newest good deed is three thre cowboy shirts all made by hand Wed We'd like to say Thanks in abig a abig abig big way by having her elected the best Good Scout of ot the week This letter is signed Jerry and Jack Marcia sat numbed The blood pounded through her in fast throbs throb Her heart wanted to sing while the tears of long pent up feelings spilled over and ran down her ber cheeks She opened her arms and the boys came into them kneeling kneeling kneel kneel- ing before her with expectant upturned upturned up up- turned faces Carl kissed her hand Marcia pulled the red feather featheroff off the beret in a single yank ank ankI I wont won't need this now she giggled The rea real feather in my my hat is your love and appreciation Happiness flooded over Marcia as left leU- I |
