Page:Jay Little - Maybe—Tomorrow.pdf/307

 evening and had not returned until early Sunday morning.) He went to the kitchen. Out of a cupboard he got a glass and tiptoed to the large refrigerator. Filling it with milk, he selected three cookies out of a pottery jar. He paused a moment, listening, wondering if he had awakened his parents, but no sound came from their rooms; except for the low snoring of his father, the house was silent.

With the glass of white liquid and cookies in his hands, he went back to his room and slumped into a chair. He turned on the radio and nibbled at the pastry. As he listened to the organ music, he couldn't help thinking of Blake. He reached over and turned up the volume. He loved organ music, and the deep mellow tones seemed to climb and intertwine in the large tropical leaves that arose from behind the bed. As he listened he felt such a sense of loss and desolation sweep down upon him that he snapped it off. Bob, he thought, where did you go last night? Did you have a date with Joy?

He was alone again and didn't like it. He wanted to be around people and again he didn't … what should he do … where could he go?

"I'll go to church," he said, biting his lip. "Church always makes me feel good." He looked at his watch … yes, he had time to make the eight o'clock mass if he hurried.

In his bathroom he took a quick shower and carefully combed his hair. He critically examined his image in the mirror and then reached for the pink powder puff. It stopped in mid-air.

"No," he snapped, "I'm not using you any more." He threw it into the waste basket.

He reached for his favorite suit behind the closet door and donned it quickly. With one last glance in the door mirror, he gave his cravat a final jerk.

"You look all right … Gaylord Le Claire," he said out loud … "you look fine without powder …" he grinned and thought of Blake again. "I'll see you after church," he said in a low voice … "and you'd better have a good excuse about last night too."

He ran a finger over each eyebrow, left the mirror and started for his car.

The sound of the mighty pipe organ, together with the chanting 297