came down, she dashed up the stairs, removed her makeup, and hastily redressed. She was out the stage door before anyone else.
There he was, coming toward her. Her heart gave a little skip. How handsome he was! So clean-cut, his deep blue eyes bright now with the gladness of seeing her. Catching hold of her in his strong arms, he gazed down at her face as if he could never be done with looking. She laughed a little, averting her head, breathless with ardor and embarrassment.
With evident pride, yet with a touch of shyness, she introduced him to the company as they emerged throughthe door. The girls swarmed about him like a flock of bees. “You’re kinda cute. You haven’t got a brother by any chance?” “Say, kid, where’d you pick this one up?”
Somewhat abashed by their good-natured jibing, Jules’s face reddened. And then Jack came by.
“Hiya, son!” he said, giving Jules a resounding slap on the back. “Ouch!” He grimaced comically, shaking his fingers. “This boy’s got muscles. My hand’s busted!”
Ella could see Jules stiffen. “It’s getting late,” she said quickly. “We’d better be going.”
“So long, Jules.” “Come see us again!” Smiles, a wave of the hand, and a broad wink from Sally. Jules tipped his hat to the girls, nodded to Jack, and off they went.
As they reached the corner, Jules pursed his lips and exhaled slowly. Sensing his unspoken criticism, Ella bridled with a strange rush of loyalty. I’m like a mother, she thought in silent vexation—a mother who can say anything she likes about her child’s shortcomings. But just let anyone else point them out …
“I know you think they’re kind of crude, Jules. So they are. But you’ve got to understand all kinds of people and accept them for what they are. Besides, I’ve found out that underneath their rough speech and flashy appearance, they’re really nice. They’re warmhearted and generous. Good sports, too. And certainly hardworking.”
Jules looked at her. “You needn’t apologize for them. I’m no snob.”
“I wasn’t apologizing,” she returned. “Just explaining.” She broke off abruptly, suddenly feeling very tired. She had so looked forward to this night. Now see how, right at the start, they were pulling apart again. She tried to smile. “I must admit I don’t care too much for that Jack.”
“That makes two of us,” Jules affirmed with conviction.
He hasn’t mentioned one word about my performance, Ella fretted. Well, she wouldn’t ask him. And then in the next moment, she found herself saying, “Well? How did I do?”
“You were very good.”
“But?”
“It’s not exactly like singing in the Temple choir.” He stared straight ahead. “Last year when I was in the army and the High Holy Days came around, I kept remembering how we both used to sing together in the Temple. And I’d think—Well, maybe next year. I guess …” His voice sounded despondent. “… it won’t be this year either.”
Ella tried to change the conversation. “How’s your job?” she ventured.
“Oh, all right. The work’s pretty routine but the place is pleasant enough.”
“I suppose you can’t wait till fall when you’ll be back at school.”
He nodded. “I’m anxious to get going. It’ll be good for me. Keep my mind off …” He turned his head away and scanned the dark shapes of the brownstone buildings along the street.
It’s no use, Ella realized unhappily. No matter what we talk about, we always come back to the same thing.
On the long subway ride home, they tried to cover the gulf between themselves with small talk. From the station to Ella’s house they walked, arms linked, but their thoughts were separate and lonely. It’s been so hopeless—the whole evening, Ella brooded. Her inward lament sounded louder in her ears than the echo of their footsteps on the pavement.
They were at her door. She raised her face to his. Her voice low, she asked, “Will I see you
There he was, coming toward her. Her heart gave a little skip. How handsome he was! So clean-cut, his deep blue eyes bright now with the gladness of seeing her. Catching hold of her in his strong arms, he gazed down at her face as if he could never be done with looking. She laughed a little, averting her head, breathless with ardor and embarrassment.
With evident pride, yet with a touch of shyness, she introduced him to the company as they emerged throughthe door. The girls swarmed about him like a flock of bees. “You’re kinda cute. You haven’t got a brother by any chance?” “Say, kid, where’d you pick this one up?”
Somewhat abashed by their good-natured jibing, Jules’s face reddened. And then Jack came by.
“Hiya, son!” he said, giving Jules a resounding slap on the back. “Ouch!” He grimaced comically, shaking his fingers. “This boy’s got muscles. My hand’s busted!”
Ella could see Jules stiffen. “It’s getting late,” she said quickly. “We’d better be going.”
“So long, Jules.” “Come see us again!” Smiles, a wave of the hand, and a broad wink from Sally. Jules tipped his hat to the girls, nodded to Jack, and off they went.
As they reached the corner, Jules pursed his lips and exhaled slowly. Sensing his unspoken criticism, Ella bridled with a strange rush of loyalty. I’m like a mother, she thought in silent vexation—a mother who can say anything she likes about her child’s shortcomings. But just let anyone else point them out …
“I know you think they’re kind of crude, Jules. So they are. But you’ve got to understand all kinds of people and accept them for what they are. Besides, I’ve found out that underneath their rough speech and flashy appearance, they’re really nice. They’re warmhearted and generous. Good sports, too. And certainly hardworking.”
Jules looked at her. “You needn’t apologize for them. I’m no snob.”
“I wasn’t apologizing,” she returned. “Just explaining.” She broke off abruptly, suddenly feeling very tired. She had so looked forward to this night. Now see how, right at the start, they were pulling apart again. She tried to smile. “I must admit I don’t care too much for that Jack.”
“That makes two of us,” Jules affirmed with conviction.
He hasn’t mentioned one word about my performance, Ella fretted. Well, she wouldn’t ask him. And then in the next moment, she found herself saying, “Well? How did I do?”
“You were very good.”
“But?”
“It’s not exactly like singing in the Temple choir.” He stared straight ahead. “Last year when I was in the army and the High Holy Days came around, I kept remembering how we both used to sing together in the Temple. And I’d think—Well, maybe next year. I guess …” His voice sounded despondent. “… it won’t be this year either.”
Ella tried to change the conversation. “How’s your job?” she ventured.
“Oh, all right. The work’s pretty routine but the place is pleasant enough.”
“I suppose you can’t wait till fall when you’ll be back at school.”
He nodded. “I’m anxious to get going. It’ll be good for me. Keep my mind off …” He turned his head away and scanned the dark shapes of the brownstone buildings along the street.
It’s no use, Ella realized unhappily. No matter what we talk about, we always come back to the same thing.
On the long subway ride home, they tried to cover the gulf between themselves with small talk. From the station to Ella’s house they walked, arms linked, but their thoughts were separate and lonely. It’s been so hopeless—the whole evening, Ella brooded. Her inward lament sounded louder in her ears than the echo of their footsteps on the pavement.
They were at her door. She raised her face to his. Her voice low, she asked, “Will I see you
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