“Mrs. Little called this afternoon,” my mother said, “and she told me you had asked Mamie Little to go to the new school reception with you. That's very nice.”
I didn't say anything. It was Lucy, and I was mighty mad at her for telling Mamie Little I was going to take her; but I was kind of glad, too. I thought, “Well, anyway, Swatty and Bony are going to take girls.”
The reception was the next night, so when Swatty and Bony came over the next afternoon I told them I was going to take Mamie Little, and Swatty said that was right, everybody was going to take a girl.
So I asked him who he was going to take, because he had never let on he had a girl.
“Garsh!” he said, “I ain't going to take any girl!”
That made me sick. Me and Bony had stood right up like men and had asked girls, and Swatty had promised he would take one, and now he was backing out. So I said:
“Aw! You said you would take one!”
“Well, don't I know it?” Swatty said. “Of course I said I would, but I forgot.”
“What did you forget?” I asked.
“I forgot I was married,” Swatty said.