“My gracious, it certainly is crowded,” said Ruth, pointing to the people standing.
“Lucky you people were here,” said Kuppelton.
“I don’t,” said Ruth, “see how the town stays so crowded all the time. I could understand it during the war but now ... well, it’s just impossible to go anywhere or do anything.”
“I know,” said Holton. “Took me months to get a room.”
“Is it nice?” asked Caroline.
He shook his head. “It’s very depressing.”
“I guess I’m lucky to be living with my family,” said Kuppelton. “It’s real nice out where we are and there aren’t so many people. I’d hate to have to live in the city.”
They talked of the places where they lived and then they started to talk of the places where they would like to live.
Kuppelton watched Holton as he talked and he tried to learn, by concentrating intensely, what he was thinking; to learn if Mr Murphy had said he would promote him. Holton’s smooth forehead, however, was a wall and Kuppelton could not pierce it, could not discover the dreams behind it.
Marjorie came over to their table and put two plates of veal in front of Caroline and Robert. The veal was a uniform tan color, floating in a sea of red sauce. Two saucers of dark-green spinach floating in water were put beside the plates of veal.