want to be fair to both of you."

We made an arrangement. He was to see Jerry one night and me the next. If he spent one week-end with me, the next was Jerry's. That was his idea of being fair.

His times with Jerry were the exciting times. He told me about themwhere they'd gone, what they'd done, what Jerry had said.

"You wouldn't think it, but his sense of humor is terrific," he said. "It's a dry humor. He lives in Glendale, see, and what do you think he calls it? Glumdale!"

When they were together, I read in my room or went to a movie. It was Ed who had given me what I'd always wanted. It still seemed such a miracle, I never thought of looking for anyone else. Somehow I never thought there might be anyone else.

One night at his place he turned on the light and looked into my face. "Dave, I have to tell you something," he said, and he waited till I asked, "What?" "I don't love you," he said.

Well. I hadn't supposed he did love me. But why was he telling me? Why was he making a point of it?

"It's taken me a while to make up my mind," he said. "It wasn't easy to choose. But I love Jerry."

He was watching me. This was drama, and he was enjoying it. Numb as I felt, I wasn't blind.

"I told him I was going to tell you tonight," he said. "He's coming over later, so if you want to

---

I got up and dressed.

He was still watching me, and I could see he was puzzled.

"Dave," he said, "you mustn't feel bad about this. You're really a very worthwhile person."

I thought of Jerry, and I said with a dry humor of my own, "Thanks." "Let me take you home," he said.

"You don't have to," I said.

"I want to. And I want to give you something." He went out to the kitchen and came back with two little plants in two little pots. "Here," he said. "It's coleus."

He drove me home and let me out.

He said something, I don't remember what, and drove away. I stood under the street-light, and several things hit me at once. I was alone. I was homesick. I wanted to cry. Instead, when I looked at those two damned potted plants in my hands, I began to laugh. I began to laugh out loud, and I couldn't stop. The landlady came running out in her bathrobe. "What on earth said.

I held up the pots and said, "It's coleus!"

She said, "The idea, coming in here drunk !"

"I'm not drunk," I said. "I swear!"

!" she

She led me to my room. "There, you sleep it off. I'll talk to you in the morning."

I didn't sleep much that night, and I was late starting to work the next day. The landlady met me in the hall. I said, "I can't stop now. Give me till tonight, and I'll be out in an hour."

"What on earth are you talking about?" she said. "Nobody's turning you out. I've got sons of my own, and I know what's the matter with you. You're lonesome, that's what, and I'm going to see that you meet some nice young