Show ON SECOND THOUGHT by J A WALDRON 0 george matthew adams E varied lights the garish THE colors colors the vocal buzz and the jazz were there As the evening wore loudness increased and here and there the gaucheries gau cheries natural to the class that had made the great white way a naughtily descriptive phrase were noted john blount and his wife from the hinterland like so many others who have made this metropolitan locality profitable to caterers cateress cater ers and their hangers on were guests they had finished a dinner in some details strange to them and seemingly bored by each other were watching the mildly exciting scene from a small table that had two empty chairs opposite them while the blounts were sipping mild drinks ordered to insure their places for although they took no pleasure in each others company they found entertainment in the place a waiter placed another couple at the table As the four began aegan to scan one another a surprise developed blount blushed as he sought recognition in the second womans comans face and bowed to her with an air of embarrassment the other man also showed confusion for mrs blount had recognized him and he smiled weakly as he held out his hand to her A clumsy introduction followed initiated by the women who anerd nerd nervously in turn made the men acquainted quain ted and included each other by incidental gestures the newcomers were the ram says and then embarrassment settled on all four blount and ramsay eyed each other guardedly with a suggestion of antagonism yet tried to make conversation on subjects not related to the situation the women more adept disguised a possible hostility under superficial smiles and chatted aimlessly but the immediate matt matter er absorbed the men and blount returned to it seems we know one another in a fashion he said or rather that I 1 know your wife and you know mine I 1 so it seems replied ramsay uneasily the women saw that the situation rested with them oh I 1 knew mr blount in chicago ages ago said mrs ramsay yes it confirmed blount we met in chicago and I 1 knew mr ramsay in pittsburgh volunteered mrs blount the lady is correct ramsay admitted that was the place I 1 all right and then to blount so youre from Chi chicago rago not lately used to live in the windy city as they call it were from kalamazoo my headquarters if I 1 have any steady place ive made a little money and like to look around do you like pittsburgh oh I 1 dont live in pit pittsburgh now returned ramsay located in kansas city ive got a few iron men too were here on a little vacation same here we all come to the big town new yorks all right eh ramsay cracked a smile for a few days yes but not permanently unless youve got loads of money millions nothing less will do here ill take kalamazoo for mine with my stake the idea A man can get along all right here on a fair income perhaps in a way As a piker id rather be a big toad in a smaller puddle as they say 0 the women had failed to negotiate mutual subjects and tried to seem satisfied with things as they were but unsuccessfully the band crushed freshly r mauling an old dance melody into approved jazz ramsay pulled himself together perhaps like to dance he ventured to blount indicating mrs ramsay as a possible partner by a nod 1 I dont dance replied blount but mrs blount lives on it ashes been ragging me about it want to renew old acquaintances it he asked his wife do I 1 why not be a pleasure I 1 expectedly expect edl mrs blount was on her feet at once its my middle name dancing said ramsay swinging around and a d taking mrs blounts hand excuse us pl easel easell and the pair slipped into the dancing throng while mrs ramsay and blount were a bit flustered at the suddenness of it but mrs ramsay quickly recovered presence of mind she took the seat mrs blount had vacated it was nearer blount so youre married again john and she hitched a little closer scanning the passing dancers it t appears have to plead guilty too maryl blount encouraged her proximity by feeling tor for her hand yes I 1 married ramsay a year ago it seems an agel so you know I 1 took my maiden name when you you and I 1 were divorced and moved to kansas city and hs he know you were married before no why should I 1 have told him now she moved a little nearer 1 I think hes a little jealous of you thinks youre an old beau of mine think so yes and you were a little jealous of him you both showed it t but bu t dancing with my WIN a funny way forham for him to show jealousy there are various ways of showing jealousy you used to know s lot 99 some of my guesses were wrong M mary ary I 1 admit that in sorrow I 1 used to be more foolish than I 1 art ani now he looked at her admiringly geet geel you look good to melts mel mrs ramsays Ram says gratification sent the blood to her face she tried to hitch a little nearer do I 1 look as good to you as mrs blount does better beyond words no comparison but I 1 wonder where they knew each other pittsburgh you hear 1 I mean I 1 wonder how well they knew each other pretty well I 1 should bayl say ramsay is is a thirty third degree philanderer mrs ramsay looked again at the passing dancers just see em Is 0 blount looked mrs blount and ramsay glided past they danced with the grace and intimacy of professionals fessio nals or lovers enjoying it all right did ramsay ever tell you he had been married before mary yes but I 1 had to corkscrew it out of him no detail he may have been married more than once when I 1 met him he admitted having been divorced but he tell me who got the decree whenever hes angry hes a nagger says his first wife was more congenial than I 1 arre am and that she was better looking she must have been a pe peach ach then john I 1 dont flatter me im not flattering youl you As ive said you look good to me do you think mrs blount is better looking I 1 said the contrary and I 1 mean it tastes differ of course you used to say I 1 was homely when you were angry john please dont we say things we dont mean when we are angry I 1 always thought you were an upstanding man and you and I 1 were so conge congenial nial when you jealous of mel then you and ramsay arent congenial not so congenial as we used to be john honest do you mean that blount sighed seems like old times good old times mary to be sitting here with you he squeezed her hand H her er fingers closed on his she hitched a little closer looking furtively at the passing dancers to tell the blessed truth john dear john ive wished many times and I 1 wish now I 1 know what youre thinking and I 1 wonder do you know mary I 1 feel like picking you up and running away with youl johni john she sighed and looked again at the dancers johni john if we only could their hands remained locked both scanned the dancers mrs blount and ramsay were not in sight I 1 in n fact they were n not 0 t dancing they had just emerged from the cloak room with their wraps it lucky billy that I 1 always keep my check I 1 its t S a habit with me mrs blount was excited and looked behind her nervously A commendable habit ill bayl responded ramsay things are coming our wayll and then to a I 1 porter did you get a cab jj right outside sir they hurried to the street both looking behind and entered a taxi im a little frightened billy said mrs blount as she sett settled led back and felt for his hand and yet andyes An dyet what we both wish we had never been divorced what follows dont worry I 1 well fix this up in some way and they look chummy too |