Appointment in Samarra - John O'Hara [74]
It s been postponed. Won’t you come in?
Well, I don t think I ought to really. But that s news. She was confused by Julian s smile. I don t mean it s news when I don t come in.
Well, come on in and have a drink, he said. God knows why he wanted to talk to her, but she was somebody. Well, for a minute. I meant to say it s news if you’re not going to have the party. Is it postponed? Sickness in the family? Is Mrs. English not feeling well, or what?
No. I think you d better call Mrs. English at Mrs. Walker s. She’ll tell you about it.
Oh, dear, said Miss Cartwright, lighting a Spud. Now that means I have to get something to fill the column. I don t suppose I could run it and say the following will attend when is the party postponed to, Mr. English, or is it indefinitely?
Indefinitely, I think. Do you like Scotch or rye? Or would you rather have a Benedictine or something like that?
Rye and ginger ale, if you have it, she said. Is that your car outside? he said. My brother s. That is, it belongs to him and another boy. It s just an old flivver, on its last legs, but it saves me a lot of steps and trolley fares when he comes home. He always lends it to me when he s home, but he takes it to college with him. He goes to Brown.
Oh, Brown.
Yes. Providence, Rhode Island.
Yes, I ve been there.
Oh, did you go to Brown, Mr. English? There aren t many from around here go to Brown.
No. I went to Lafayette, but I ve been to Brown, just to visit.
Aren t you going to have one?
Yes, I think I will.
I hate to drink by myself. They say that s the sign of an insane person, when they drink alone.
That s probably one of those things started by the saloonkeepers. You know, like three on a match was started by the match trust in Sweden.
Oh, that s very interesting. I never heard that. Yes, I did. Come to think of it.
Won’t you take off your coat?
I really shouldn t. I can only stay a minute and get the story. Uh. Postponed. Would you care to tell me why you’re postponing it, Mr. English?
Mrs. English would be able to tell you better. I think you ought to ask her, because it s really her party. I d rather not talk to the press, because after all it is her party.
Oh, I see, said Miss Cartwright. Oh, don t hang it up. Just put it on the chair or some place. This is awfully strong. I m not used to drinking. I don t suppose I average more than a drink a week, all year round.
I ll give you some more ginger ale.
This is an awfully attractive house. Did Mrs. English do it herself?
Yes.
She has terribly good taste. Oh! Foujita! I love Foujita! Is it a real Foujita or a copy? I mean
It s a print. You look quite different without glasses.
I have to wear them when I m driving or walking. I couldn’t get a license unless I wore them and if I drive without them I m liable to be fined or have my license taken away. Why don t you try a Spud?
No, thanks. I can t get used to them.
That s what I thought, but I did finally, and now I can t smoke any other kind. I hope I m not keeping you from anything, Mr. English.
Far from it. I m glad you came.
I shouldn t have come, but I did want to get the list of guests right. People are so touchy. Not that Mrs. English is. She s very considerate, and believe me, that s a lot. But I ve made some mistakes lately about who was at whose party and so on, and some of the Gibbsville matrons have raised the devil down at the office. So I only have this list we printed in Gwen Gibbs a month ago and I wanted to be sure if there were any changes. Additions and so on, to the original list.
It s a tough job, isn’t it?
Oh, is it ever tough? It isn’t really, most of the time, but once in a while we have a sort of wave of indignation or something. Women call up and just raise the devil because names were left out or parties weren t given the prominence they thought they ought to have. And of course I always get it in the end, they pass the buck to me. Some people named Bromberg, Jews, they almost got me fired last week. They took out their ad and everything, just because I didn’t use a story they sent in about some imported English perambulator they bought for their baby. You should have seen the story! I couldn