I had sobered up considerably by the time Tom and Bill, who had to catch the ferry at Point Richmond, got up to go. The Grigsbys took their kids home to put them to bed and Hugh came out of the house looking apologetic. Felix shook hands with everybody, but Randy put his arms around Anna and kissed her on both cheeks.

"We've had a ball!" he said. Then, his hands still on her shoulders: "Felix and I want you folks to have dinner at our place. When can you come over?"

"We'd love to but we're leaving a week from tomorrow," said Anna. "Going to L. A. for a while."

"Well, listen," said Randy, "how about next Saturday evening? Then you'll have Sunday to sober up. Don't mind me, Anna. me, Anna. I'm just kidding," he said, slipping his arm around her and giving her a squeeze.

"Suits me," said Joe.

"Well, I think that would be just dandy," said Anna. "Okay with you boys?"

"And when you're in L.A. you’ ve got to see my folks. I'll write Mom you're coming. They'll show you around.

I was glad about the dinner at Randy's. I knew Anna and Joe would like Randy's cooking. He would probably go all out for them. It would be a good climax to their stay in the Bay Area. Also, Randy had told me Hugh wouldn't be there.

Joe seemed pleased too.

"I like those two fellows," he said to me one late afternoon when we were by ourselves in the patio. "Some people might not. But I like them. Felix Felix is the quiet kind and,

hell's bells, Randy likes to kid along. Randy's all right. Hell!" The aroma of his cigar drifted towards me. I wondered just what he did mean.

"I've known guys like Randy," he said.

There was another silence.

"You fellows sure've got a nice place here," he said. "Nice house, nice lot, nice view. Nice to see two guys pal up the way you boys have. You get along all right too." "Sure, I said.

"I sort of wanted Bob to stay in Deep River and take over the store. But now well, I guess it's just as well he didn't. Not much in Deep River for a young fellow. You know" he lowered his voice-"we'd do anything for that kid. After he come home from the service, we could see he wasn't happy in the store. Hell, little two-bit store in a two-bit town. I says to him 'Boy, if you want to light out and go somewhere else, it's okay by your aunt and I, but we'll sure miss you! He wanted to come to Frisco. He was on T. I. for a while during the war and got to like it here. But we sure do miss him."

"Now that you've sold out, you' 11 be coming to the Coast often," I said.

out.

"That's right. We'll be coming We're not getting any younger and we don't like the winters back home. I remember the winters Bob used to come after school to work in the store. Saturdays too. He was a good boy. Worked hard. In the summer he worked all day, but we always managed it so as he'd have a good long vacation. He'd go fishing and camping. I used to think about him a lot. He was al-

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