Appointment in Samarra - John O'Hara [24]
Yes, but Mother told me that she was in Mr. Schultz s office when
God damn it to hell! said Julian. He stopped the car. Cross-link broke. I might as well fix it now while I m sober. He got out of the car and fixed the link. They did not speak to each other during the five-minute wait. Cars drove by and one or two stopped, recognizing Julian and the car, asking if they could help, but he sent them on. He started the car again. Hyuh, baby, he said. What were we talking about? Had we finished with Chuck?
Mm.
What s the mattah, honey sugah lamb pie, what s the mattah you all?
Listen, Ju. Listen to me, will you?
Listen to you? Why, Mrs. English, one of the most attractive features of the Cadillac is the minimum of noise in the motor. Just let me show
No. Don t be funny.
What s the matter? Did I do something wrong? Did I say something? Christ, I thought we were getting along fine.
We were, but something you said worried me. See, you don t even remember saying it.
Well, come on. Out with it, dearie. What did I say?
When you stopped the car. When you got out to fix the chain, you said something about you were going to fix it now, while you were sober.
Oh, he said. As if
I get it. You don t have to draw a map.
Now you’re annoyed. Aren t you?
No. Yes, slightly. I don t know. What the hell. I don t blame you.
I m sorry, darling. I don t want to be a wet towel or anything, but I couldn’t go through another half hour like that last night I d rather die.
I know. I m terribly sorry, Callie. I won’t get drunk.
Please don t, she said. Please. And I ll do anything. Let s get through these holidays without any more mess or jam or anything. I don t want to give you a pep talk
I know you don t. I don t blame you.
You’re my sweet Ju and I love you. I don t mean don t drink. You know.
Uh-huh. I promise.
No, don t promise. Just don t. You don t have to. Lots of times you go to parties and don t get crazy. So be like that tonight. I ll do anything, any of the things you like. Anything. Do you know what I ll do?
What?
I ll come out in the car with you at intermission and stay with you, the way we used to.
I know, but that s what I d love. It would be fun.
We haven t done that since we ve been married.
Yes we did. At Lake Placid.
Yes, but we haven t here, at home, and I want to, don t you?
Yes, but what about, you know, business? he said. She hated to name the contraceptive devices. I won’t bother. We can start having a baby.
Do you mean it? he said. I never meant anything so much in my life, she said. And there s one way to prove it.
Yes, that s true. Just by being here. Just by coming out here. They had arrived at the club parking grounds. Uh-huh.
Oh, my sweet lovely Caroline, he said. Not now, she said. I said intermission.
They got out of the car. Ordinarily Julian would have stopped the car at the steps near the vestibule, where the women got out of chauffeur-driven and husband-driven and beau-driven cars, but tonight they had not thought of it. Julian drove the car in and out of lanes, twisting and maneuvering until he had got as close to the verandah as he could, to make as short as possible the walk through the snow. Arm in arm he and Caroline, their arctics flopping, went up to the verandah and around to the vestibule. Caroline said she would be right down, and Julian went out again to the verandah and all the way around the clubhouse to the men s locker room. It was a grand night for a party. It was cold, and the snow-covered golf course seemed not to be separate from the farmlands that bounded the course on the second, fourth, and seventh holes. In the summer the golf course was so neatly shaved that it made him think of a farmer in his Sunday suit surrounded by other farmers in overalls and straw hats. But now in the night there was no way of telling, if you did not know, where club property ended and real farmland began. As far as you could see the world was white and blue and purple and cold. You learn by living with your mother and father and people that it is bad to lie in the snow for a long time, but when all the world is covered with snow and moonlight it doesn