Kiss Your Elbow (21 page)
Authors: Alan Handley
“Aw, mister, have a heart.”
“Let me see that paper.” I grabbed it through the window and looked at the front page. My hands began to shake. “Hey, Maggie, look.” I opened the door and jumped in beside her. “Look at this.” I started to get excited. “My picture's on the front page. My picture, right on the front page. See?” And there it was. Right next to a woman who had shot her whole family, including the dog.
“Let me see,” said Maggie and snatched it from me. She read the caption aloud. “Actor Traps Fiend. Story on page three.” To hell with the story on page three. What I couldn't get over was the photograph. It wasn't one with bandages. They had dug up one of the Trindler glamor-puss ones and even as a newspaper cut it looked fine.
“Listen, Timmyâ¦. Listen to what it saysâ¦.” And she read the story aloud. There were other pictures, even Maggie's, other names and marking spots but I got top billing. Me! Operation Hollywood hadn't failed after all. It had only gone through a strategic withdrawal and was starting up again. The show wasn't postponed, the
paper said. Miss Randall was going to take it over, and it would open in Wilmington as scheduled.
“Oh, Timmy, I think it's wonderful.”
“Wonderful. Hell, it's perfect. Don't you see what this meansâ¦. I've got that startâ¦a little publicityâ¦it's what I've been praying for.”
“I think it's fine.”
“Maggie, you're not going to Mexico. Don't you see there's a reason now?”
“Oh, you mean because the show is opening?”
“Guess again. ”
“I can't imagine.”
“We're going to get married.”
“Well, it's about time.”
“You mean you don't mind?”
“Oh, Timmy, you fool. I'd practically given up. There's just so much a girl can do.”
“Good. That's settled, then. But it's not going to be easy.”
“You're telling
me?”
“There are a couple of conditions.”
“I was afraid of that.”
“Oneâ¦we live on my money.”
“I think that's wonderful. Have you got any?”
“Well, maybe not right now, but don't you see what this meansâ¦Maybe movie offersâ¦I'm richâ¦. At least I'll have a hundred and twenty-five bucks a week in the show.”
“Don't boast, Timmy. So'll I. But do we have to live in that dreadful Casbah?”
“Yes, until we can find anything better that I can afford.”
“Please can I buy my own clothes?”
“Well⦔
“You can pick them out,” she said hurriedly.
“Well, temporarily,” I said magnanimously, “but only temporarily. Is it a deal?”
“Ya got me, pal. It's a deal.” I kissed her for sixty-five cents on the meter.
“Maggie,” I said suddenly.
“Mmm-hmm?”
“We better call up and cancel those tickets.” You have to pay attention to those things when you start having responsibilities.
“Maggie. Look at me.” She looked at me and I had trouble remembering what I was going to say. “Maggie, I'm not so sure you ever had any tickets for Mexico at all.”
“You know, Timmy,” said Maggie, “I'm not so sure, but I think you're right.”
ISBN: 978 1 472 05168 4
KISS YOUR ELBOW
© 1948 Alan Handley
Published in Great Britain 1948
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
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