U.S.A_ - John Dos Passos [230]
He heard her voice laughing on the stairs and a man's voice; the key clicked in the lock. Joe closed his suitcase and stood up. Del had bobbed her hair. She flew up to him and threw her arms around his neck. "Why, I declare it's my hubby." Joe could taste rouge on her lips. "My, you look thin, Joe. Poor Boy, you musta been awful sick. . . . If I'd had any money at al I'd have jumped on a boat and come on down. . . . This is Wilmer Tay-loe . . . I mean Lieutenant Tayloe, he just got his com-mission yesterday."
-164-Joe hesitated a moment and then held out his hand. The other fel ow had red hair clipped close and a freckled face. He was al dressed up in a whipcord uniform, shiny Sam Browne belt and puttees. He had a silver bar on each shoulder and spurs on his feet.
"He's just going overseas tomorrow. He was coming by to take me out to dinner. Oh, Joe, I've got so much to tel you, honey."
Joe and Lieutenant Tayloe stood around eyeing each
other uncomfortably while Del bustled around tidying the place up, talking to Joe al the time. "It's terrible I never get any chance to do anything and neither does Hilda . . . You remember Hilda Thompson, Joe? Wel , she's been livin' with me to help make up the rent but we're both of us doin' war work down at the Red Cross canteen every evening and then I sel Liberty bonds. . . . Don't you hate the huns, Joe. Oh, I just hate them, and so does Hilda. . . . She's thinking of changing her name on account of its being German. I promised to cal her Gloria but I always forget. . . . You know, Wilmer, Joe's been torpedoed twice."
"Wel , I suppose the first six times is the hardest," stammered Lieutenant Tayloe. Joe grunted.
Del disappeared into the bathroom and closed the
door. "You boys make yourselves comfortable. I'l be dressed in a minute." Neither of them said anything. Lieutenant Tayloe's
shoes creaked as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. At last he pul ed a flask out of his hip pocket.
"Have a drink," he said. "Ma outfit's goin' overseas any time after midnight.""I guess I'd better," said Joe, without smiling. When Del a came out of the bathroom al dressed up she certainly looked snappy. She was much prettier than last time Joe had seen her. He was al the time wondering if he ought to go up and hit that damn
-165-shavetail until at last he left, Del tel ing him to come by and get her at the Red Cross canteen.
When he'd left she came and sat on Joe's knee and
asked him about everything and whether he'd got his sec-ond mate's ticket yet and whether he'd missed her and how she wished he could make a little more money because she hated to have another girl in with her this way but it was the only way she could pay the rent. She drank a little of the whiskey that the lieutenant had for-gotten on the table and ruffled his hair and loved him up. Joe asked her if Hilda was coming in soon and she said no she had a date and she was going to meet her at the canteen. But Joe went and bolted the door anyway and for the first time they were real y happy hugged in each other's arms on the bed.
Joe didn't know what to do with himself around Nor-folk. Del was at the office al day and at the Red Cross canteen al the evening. He'd usual y be in bed when she came home. Usual y there'd be some damn army officer or other bringing her home, and he'd hear them talking and kidding outside the door and lie there in bed imag-ining that the guy was kissing her or loving her up. He'd be about ready to hit her when she'd come in and bawl her out and they'd quarrel and yel at each other and she'd always end by saying that he didn't understand her and she thought he was unpatriotic to be interfering with her war work and sometimes they'd make up and
he'd feel crazy in love with her and she'd make herself little and cute in his arms and give him little tiny kisses that made him almost cry they made him feel so happy. She was getting better looking every day and she sure was a snappy dresser.
Sunday mornings she'd be too tired to get up and he'd cook breakfast for her and they'd sit up in bed together and eat breakfast like he had with Marceline that time in Bordeaux. Then she'd tel him she was crazy about him