to me and gave me a quick hug about the waist. I wish she hadn't, al- though I was glad to see what an effect it had on her. For when she hugged me, I responded to her beauty. For one of the first times in my life, I responded to a pretty girl and an exceptional one at that. For a fatal instant, I forgot who and what I was, standing there, as I kissed this girl in the red dress while I stood there so manly in my own satins and laces. She pulled away from me, and the flame that had danced in her eyes was gone. She stared at me for an agonizing moment, and then she moved away, out of reach and said, "We'd better be going."

Angry with myself for having twice acted the fool, I was in a worse mood than she, but the not-yet cool breeze of the late August night restored me somewhat and by the time we arrived at the restaurant ant we were both in high spirits again. We had decided on one of the better places in town and we were, I was amused to note, given quite the treatment. The head waiter practically fell on his face escorting us to a table - directly under one of those diffused-light things, and it was soon obvious that we were the center of attention. I must admit that it wasn't until I was halfway through a second Manhattan that I realized that I was included as well; somehow I'd sat there very proud to be seen with such a pretty girl as Beth and feeling very masculine and expansive, until the sibilant softness of the satin reminded me of what I looked like. And unless the mirror had been totally false, I was not all that bad, but I knew who was the fairer of the two bonny Beth.

When we'd finally finished our meal and were sipping at an after dinner drink, Beth excused herself. As she made her way back toward our table, I noticed someone approach her and engage her in a brief but animated conversation. When she finally sat down, I asked her what was wrong, because it was obvious from her expression that something was troubling her. "Nothing it's all right. Never mind." She blurted it all out in such a way as to be totally unconvincing. We left soon after that.

Once on the sidewalk, as our heels made sharp sounds through the night air, I asked her again. "Look," I said, "If I'm interfering with anything just say so you've give me so much of yor time the last two days, I can't possibly demand any more of you." But she was adamantly silent and for a long while we just walked.

——

Finally she stopped and said, "Uh- there's a party tonight — and we've been invited. I don't know though it's, well, it's a party thrown by, uh, some of Cynthia's friends. Do you want to go ?”