Page:Fantastic Volume 08 Number 01.djvu/25

 "But I can imagine. He keeps giving you the buildup, doesn't he? Well, in a way, I don't blame him. You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. I believe that's how it goes."

"That's a left-handed compliment if I ever heard one," Roxie answered.

"I'm a left-handed guy. And right now I'm not interested in feeding you compliments. I want to give you a taste of the truth."

"Which is—?"

"You can't sing. You dance well enough for the second line, but in another couple of years you'll be too old for chorus work. Your speaking-voice is fair, but you'd need a lot of training if you ever hoped to make it in radio or TV as an actress. It would take time and money, and let's face it—you haven't too much of either."

"What are you suggesting, then?" she asked me. "Could be you're out shilling for some Business College?"

"That's a possibility," I said. "But frankly, it hadn't occurred to me. I was going to give you a bit of more obvious advice. The same advice you get from your mirror every morning."

"Which is?"

"Get married."

She made a face. "Clermer's already married."

"He's not the only man in the world."

"I know. But a girl has to wait until she's asked."

"Consider yourself asked, then."

"Steve—"

"I make a hundred and a quarter a week here, average. Sometimes up to a hundred and fifty, if the commissions go good and the residuals pay off. I don't have anything much put aside in the bank, but I've no obligations either. No family, no other responsibilities. We could find an apartment. You wouldn't have to just sit around all day, you know—suppose you did want to take a little coaching, learn a bit about acting? There'd be the time and the money for that. And when you're set, I could see about making some contacts for you. I may not be an agent, but I've got a few connections in the field. How does that sound to you?"

"Pretty good, as far as it goes. But there's one little part you left out. Something about love and—"

"Roxie!" I said that part then, with my arms around her; said it and meant it and felt it. And I hadn't stopped saying it and meaning it and THE SCREAMING PEOPLE