they were at Forno’s ... every one came to Forno’s once maybe only once ... but they came ... see that big fat woman Beauty ... Alex pointed to an overly stout and bejeweled lady making her way thru the maize of chairs ... that’s Maria Guerrero ... Beauty looked to see a lady guiding almost the whole opera company to an immense table ... really Dulce ... for one who appreciates beauty you do use the most abominable English ... Alex lit a cigarette ... and that florid man with white hair ... that’s Carl ... Beauty smiled ... The Blind bow boy ... he asked ... Alex wondered ... everything seemed to ... so just the same ... here they were laughing and joking about people ... there’s Rene ... Rene this is my friend Adrian ... after that night ... and he felt so unembarrassed ... Rene and Adrian were talking ... there was Lucricia Bori ... she was bowing at their table ... oh her cousin was with them ... and Peggy Joyce ... every one came to Forno’s ... Alex looked toward the door ... there was Melva ... Alex beckoned ... Melva this is Adrian ... Beauty held her hand ... they talked ... smoked ... Alex loved Melva ... in Forno’s ... every one came there sooner or later ... maybe once ... but....
up ... up ... slow ... jerk up ... up ... not fast ... not glorious ... but slow ... up ... up into the sun ... slow ... sure like fate ... poise on the brim ... the brim of life ... two shining rails straight down ... Melva’s head was on his shoulder ... his arm was around her ... poise ... the down ... gasping ... straight down ... straight like sin ... down ... the curving shiny rail rushed up to meet them ... hit the bottom then ... shoot up ... fast ... glorious ... up into the sun ... Melva gasped ... Alex’s arm tightened ... all goes up ... then down ... straight like hell ... all breath squeezed out of them ... Melva’s head on his shoulder ... up ... up ... Alex kissed her ... down ... they stepped out of the car ... walking music ... now over to the Ferris Wheel ... out and up ... Melva’s hand was soft in his ... out and up ... over mortals ... mortals drinking nectar ... five cents a glass ... her cheek was soft on his ... up ... up ... till the world seemed small ... tiny ... the ocean seemed tiny and blue ... up ... up and out ... over the sun ... the tiny red sun ... Alex kissed her ... up ... up ... their tongues touched ... up ... seventh heaven ... the sea had swallowed the sun ... up and out ... her breath was perfumed ... Alex kissed her ... drift down ... soft ... soft ... the sun had left the sky flushed ... drift down ... soft down ... back to earth ... visit the mortals sipping nectar at five cents a glass ... Melva’s lips brushed his ... then out among the mortals ... and the sun had left a flush on Melva’s cheeks ... they walked hand in hand ... and the moon came out ... they walked in silence on the silver strip ... and the sea sang for them ... they walked toward the moon ... we’ll hang our hats on the crook of the moon Melva ... softly on the silver strip ... his hands molded her features and her cheeks were soft and warm to his touch ... where is Adrian ... Alex ... Melva trod silver ... Alex trod sand ... Alex trod sand ... the sea sang for her ... Beauty ... her hand felt cold in his ... Beauty ... the sea dinned ... Beauty ... he led the way to the train ... and the train dinned ... Beauty ... dinned ... dinned ... her cheek had been soft ... Beauty ... Beauty ... her breath had been perfumed ... Beauty ... Beauty ... the sands had been silver ... Beauty ... Beauty ... they left the train ... Melva walked music ... Melva said ... don’t make me blush again ... and kissed him ... Alex stood on the steps after she left him and the night was black ... down long streets to ... Alex lit a cigarette ... and his heels clicked ... Beauty ... Melva ... Beauty ... Melva ... and the smoke made the night blue....
Melva had said ... don’t make me blush again ... and kissed him ... and the street had been blue ... one can love two at the same time ... Melva had kissed him ... one can ... and the street had been blue ... one can ... and the room was clouded with blue smoke ... drifting vapors of smoke and thoughts ... Beauty’s hair was so black ... and soft ... blue smoke from an ivory holder ... was that why he loved Beauty ... one can ... or because his body was beautiful ... and white and warm ... or because his eyes ... one can love....
Richard Bruce.
... To Be Continued....
Sweat
It was eleven o’clock of a Spring night in Florida. It was Sunday. Any other night, Delia Jones would have been in bed for two hours by this time. But she was a washwoman, and Monday morning meant a great deal to her. So she collected the soiled clothes on Saturday when she returned the clean things. Sunday night after church, she sorted them and put the white things to soak. It saved her almost a half day’s start. A great hamper in the bedroom held the clothes that she brought home. It was so much neater than a number of bundles lying around.