“Oh, yes. Wait a minute.” Andy scribbled an acceptance.
“Here,” he said, and handed the boy a quarter.
“T’anks!” exclaimed the urchin. Then with a roguish glance he added: “Gee, but you college guys is great!”
“Hop along!” commanded Andy briefly.
Should he go, after all? He had said he would and yet——
“Oh, hang it! I guess I’d better go!” he said aloud, just as though he had not intended to all along. He turned up the light and began throwing about a pile of neckties. He tried first one and then another. None seemed to satisfy him, and when he did get the hue that suited him it would not allow itself to be properly tied.
“Oh, rats!” Andy exclaimed. “Why should I care?”
Why indeed? It is one of the mysteries. “Vanity of vanities” and the rest of it.
As he entered Poli’s Andy was aware that something unusual was going on. The ushers were grinning with good-natured tolerance, but there was rather an anxious look on the faces of some of the women in the audience. Some of their male escorts appeared resentful.
Andy had been obliged to purchase a box seat, as there were no vacant ones in the body of the house. As he sank into his chair, rather back, for the box was well filled, he saw a college classmate.