magazine across the table. "The whole damn thing's
behind the times 1"
When he had finished the cigarette he went into
the bathroom, shaved, and dressed. Returning to the
kitchen he kissed his mother on the neck and asked
cheerily, "Any errands today 7"
"I need some celery, about three bunches. You'll
find some char:ge in my purse."
"Three bunches of celery." As he went through
the door he heard her say, "And Albert, don't you
see Mr. Arthur today 7"
"No, Thursday," he mumbled over his shoulder.
In the front room he stopped, looking out the
window. Leota Perkins had come out of her house
and was walking past, toward town. She was wear-
ing a white dress with big red polka-dots, cut low in
the back to show her rich skin. As she glanced briefly
across the street, Albert saw her large eyes, strong
features, and the contour of her rounded breasts.
At the corner she waited for a car to pass. She
seemed to be humming and keeping time with her
foot.
When she had got out of sight Albert went out
and followed her up the hill. The glaring sunlight
dazzled him, it was getting hot, and he realized
with surprise that spring was about over. The grass
was thick and high and the trees were full-leaved.
Yesterday in the country, he remembered, corn was
sprouting in the fields.
He crossed the courthouse lawn, on the way to
the A. and P. At school now Harry would be sitting
in front of the library, chewing grass-blades, and the
upperclassmen would be strolling up and down with
the coeds.
Albert went to three stores buying celery. The
best price was at Kroger's, three bunches for a dime,
and he bought there. Coming back he stopped in
the drugstore to get cigarettes and met Joe Thorn-
burg. They drank a cup of coffee together ana talked
about friends from college. As they walked down
the street Joe asked: "You been reading about this
general strike in Ohio 7 They're going pretty far
over there."
"Christ almighty, I'm for 'em," Albert said. "Let
'em strike."
Joe shook his head. Frowning, he muttered,
"Well, I don't know."
At home Albert took the celery into the kitchen.
His mother was washing dishes. "Any mail 7" Albert
asked, laying the package on the table.
"N
0
mail."
"Guess I'll write a letter. Have you got a stamp 7"
She sighed. "I think you'll find some in the desk
drawer."
He went into the front room and wrote a letter
of application for a job to Mr. Frank Watkins,
President and Publisher,
The Gazette,
Moline, Il-
linois. "Dear Mr. Watkins," he wrote. "My friend
John Thompson has informed me that there might
PARTISAN
REVIEW
be an opening for a reporter on your paper. If so,
I wish to apply for the position. I am twenty-two
years of age and a graduate of Ashley University
with a good record in English, which was my major
field of study. I have done a great deal of writing,
although I have been unable to get located since
graduation, and so am experienced only in college
journalism. However, I am willing to work hard
and am sure I could make good. I would enjoy liv-
ing in Moline, as I have many friends near there."
He made a list of his references, hesitated a mo-
ment, and added: "Since
1
want very much to get
started, salary is of secondary importance."
He typed a neat copy of the letter and put it in
an envelope. Sealing it, he debated whether to write
to Elizabeth. Maybe if he took a hard, cold, formal
tone she would answer him 7
Standing at the door, he gazed out gloomily.
He decided not to write. He looked in the desk
drawer for a stamp, but there wasn't any. He
looked in his wallet and his mother's purse; then
he went through all the drawers of the desk, jerk-
ing them out when they stuck.
Albert went into the kitchen, but his mother was
on the back porch. There was the celery. "God
damn it," he said, and threw it into the sink.
After lunch Albert paced through the house and
finally went out, saying, "I've got to mail a letter."
From the postoffice he wandered over to the library.
He got Shaw's
The Apple Cart
from th~ stacks and
sat reading it, glancing up now and then at the
women and girls.
'When he had finished the preface and the first
act he put the book back on the shelf and went over
to the place where the psychology books were kept.
Opening one, he looked up "Sexual Maladjustments"
and began to read. It was a chapter he had read be-
fore and he looked up "Masturbation".
One of the library girls, curly-haired and wearing
a smock, came into the passage. Albert put the book
back quickly and took one from the opposite shelf.
It turned out to be
God and Caesar,
by Garrison
Owen. J-Ie pretended to read it and watched the girl.
\Vhat would happen if he grabbed her, back there
in the stacks 7
She was there several minutes and Albert kept
looking sideways at her, but he did not have the
nerve even to say anything. When she had gone he
got the Shaw book and went into the reading room
again. It was clean and pleasant in the room, and the
people were quiet.
He finished the play and went out, walking down
Main Street toward the Bijou Theatre. It would be
good to be like Shaw, living in a city, going to plays
all the time, and working hard. He saw himself in
New York, the American Shaw, probably with Com-
munist instead of Fabian Socialist ideas, a vegetarian
non-smoker dressed in health clothes, logical and
ruthless.
