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the　big　limousines　and　the　beautiful　women。　He　had　made　it；　and　he　was　as　lonely　now　as　he　had　been　then。　Who　was　it　who　had　said；　〃When　you　get　there；　there　is　no　there　。。。〃？　He　was　dedicated　to　being　Number　One　and　he　knew　he　would　make　it。　His　one　regret　was　that　his　mother　would　not　be　there　to　watch　her　prediction　e　true。　The　only　reminder　left　of　her　was　his　father。　
　The　nursing　home　in　Detroit　was　an　ugly　brick　building　from　another　century。　Its　walls　held　the　sweet　stench　of　old　age　and　sickness　and　death。　Toby　Temple's　father　had　suffered　a　stroke　and　was　almost　a　vegetable　now；　a　man　with　listless；　apathetic　eyes　and　a　mind　that　cared　for　nothing　except　Toby's　visits。　Toby　stood　in　the　dingy　green…carpeted　hall　of　the　home　that　now　held　his　father。　The　nurses　and　inmates　crowded　adoringly　around　him。　
　〃I　saw　you　on　the　Harold　Hobson　show　last　week；　Toby。　I　thought　you　were　just　marvelous。　How　do　you　think　of　all　those　clever　things　to　say？〃　
　〃My　writers　think　of　them；〃　
　Toby　said；　and　they　laughed　at　his　modesty。　A　male　nurse　was　ing　down　the　corridor；　wheeling　Toby's　father。　He　was　freshly　shaved　and　had　his　hair　slicked　down。　He　had　let　them　dress　him　in　a　suit　in　honor　of　his　son's　visit。　
　〃Hey；　it's　Beau　Brummel！〃　Toby　called；　and　everyone　turned　to　look　at　Mr。　Temple　with　envy；　wishing　that　they　had　a　wonderful；　famous　son　like　Toby　to　e　and　visit　them。　Toby　walked　over　to　his　father；　leaned　down　and　gave　him　a　hug。　
　〃Who　you　trying　to　kid？〃　Toby　asked。　He　pointed　to　the　male　nurse。　〃You　should　be　wheeling　him　around；　Pop。〃　Everyone　laughed；　filing　the　quip　away　in　their　minds　so　that　they　could　tell　their　friends　what　they　had　heard　Toby　Temple　say。　I　was　with　Toby　Temple　the　other　day　and　he　said。。　。I　was　standing　as　close　as　I　am　to　you；　and　I　heard　him。。。　He　stood　around　entertaining　them；　insulting　them　gently；　and　they　loved　it。　He　kidded　them　about　their　sex　lives　and　their　health　and　their　children；　and　for　a　little　while　they　were　able　to　laugh　at　their　own　problems。　Finally；　Toby　said　ruefully；　〃I　hate　to　leave　you；　you're　the　best…looking　audience　I've　had　in　years〃　　they　would　remember　that；　too　　〃but　I　have　to　spend　a　little　time　alone　with　Pop。　He　promised　to　give　me　some　new　jokes。〃　They　smiled　and　laughed　and　adored　him。　
　Toby　was　alone　in　the　small　visitors　room　with　his　father。　Even　this　room　had　the　smell　of　death；　and　yet；　that　was　what　this　place　was　all　about；　wasn't　it？　Toby　thought。　Death？　It　was　filled　with　used…up　mothers　and　fathers　who　were　in　the　way。　They　had　been　taken　out　of　the　small　back　bedrooms　at　home；　out　of　the　dining　rooms　and　parlors　where　they　were　being　an　embarrassment　whenever　there　were　guests；　and　had　been　sent　to　this　nursing　home　by　their　children；　nieces　and　nephews。　Believe　me；　it's　for　your　own　good。　Father；　Mother；　Uncle　George；　Aunt　Bess。　You'll　be　with　a　lot　of　very　nice　people　your　own　age。　You'll　have　pany　all　the　time。　You　know　what　I　mean？　What　they　really　meant　was；　I'm　sending　you　there　to　die　with　all　the　other　useless　old　people。　I'm　sick　of　your　drooling　at　the　table　and　telling　the　same　stories　over　and　over　and　pestering　the　children　and　wetting　your　bed。　The　Eskimos　were　more　honest　about　it。　They　sent　their　old　people　out　onto　the　ice　and　abandoned　them　there。　
　〃I'm　sure　glad　you　came　today；〃　Toby's　father　said。　His　speech　was　slow。　〃I　wanted　to　talk　to　you。　I　got　some　good　news。　Old　Art　Riley　next　door　died　yesterday。〃　
　Toby　stared　at　him。　〃That's　good　news？〃　
　〃It　means　I　can　move　into　his　room；〃　his　father　explained。　〃It's　a　single。〃　And　that　was　what　old　age　was　all　about：　survival；　hanging　on　to　the　few　creature　forts　that　still　remained。　Toby　had　seen　people　here　who　would　have　been　better　off　dead；　but　they　clung　to　life；　fiercely。　Happy　birthday；　Mr。　Dorset。　How　do　you　feel　about　being　ninety…five　years　old　today？。。　。　When　I　think　of　the　alternative；　I　feel　great。　
　At　last；　it　was　time　for　Toby　to　leave。　
　〃I'll　be　back　to　see　you　as　soon　as　I　can；〃　Toby　promised。　He　gave　his　father　some　cash　and　handed　out　lavish　tips　to　all　the　nurses　and　attendants。　〃You　take　good　care　of　him；　huh？　I　need　the　old　man　for　my　act。〃　And　Toby　was　gone。　The　moment　he　walked　out　the　door；　he　had　forgotten　them　all。　He　was　thinking　about　his　performance　that　evening。　For　weeks　they　would　talk　about　nothing　but　his　visit。　
　
　
　At　seventeen；　Josephine　Czinski　was　the　most　beautiful　girl　in　Odessa；　Texas。　She　had　a　golden；　tanned　plexion　and　her　long　black　hair　showed　a　hint　of　auburn　in　the　sunlight；　and　her　deep　brown　eyes　held　flecks　of　gold。　She　had　a　stunning　figure；　with　a　full；　rounded　bosom；　a　narrow　waist　that　tapered　to　gently　swelling　hips；　and　long；　shapely　legs。　Josephine　did　not　socialize　with　the　Oil　People　anymore。　She　went　out　with　the　others　now。　After　school　she　worked　as　a　waitress　at　the　Golden　Derrick；　a　popular　drive…in。　Mary　Lou　and　Cissy　Topping　and　their　friends　came　there　with　their　dates。　Josephine　always　greeted　them　politely；　but　everything　had　changed。　Josephine　was　filled　with　a　restlessness；　a　yearning　for　something　she　had　never　known。　It　was　nameless；　but　it　was　there。　She　wanted　to　leave　this　ugly　town；　but　she　did　not　know　where　she　wanted　to　go　or　what　she　wanted　to　do。　Thinking　about　it　too　long　made　her　headaches　begin。　She　went　out　with　a　dozen　different　boys　and　men。　Her　mother's　favorite　was　Warren　Huffman。　
　〃Warren'd　make　you　a　fine　husband。　He's　a　regular　church…goer；　he　earns　good　money　as　a　plumber　and　he's　half　out　of　his　head　about　you。〃　
　〃He's　twenty…five　years　old　and　he's　fat。〃　
　Her　mother　studied　Josephine。　〃Poor　Polack　girls　don't　find　no　knights　in　shinin'　armor。　Not　in　Texas　and　not　no…place　else。　Stop　foolin'　yourself。〃　
　Josephine　would　permit　Warren　Hofl'man　to　take　her　to　the　movies　once　a　week。　He　would　hold　her　hand　in　his　big；　sweaty；　calloused　palms　and　keep　squeezing　it　throughout　the　picture。　Josephine　hardly　noticed。　She　was　too　engrossed　in　what　was　happening　on　the　screen。　What　was　up　there　was　an　extension　of　the　world　of　beautiful　people　and　things　that　she　had　grown　up　with；　only　it　was　even　bigger　and　even　more　exciting。　In　some　dim　recess　of　her　mind；　Josephine　felt　that　Hollywood　could　give　her　everything　she　wanted：　the　beauty；　the　fun；　the　laughter　and　happiness。　Aside　from　marrying　a　rich　man；　she　knew　there　was　no　other　way　she　would　ever　be　able　to　have　that　kind　of　life。　And　the　rich　boys　were　all　taken　by　the　rich　girls。　Except　for　one。　David　Kenyon。　Josephine　thought　of　him　often。　She　had　stolen　a　snapshot　of　him　from　Mary　Lou's　house　long　ago。　She　kept　it　hidden　in　her　closet　and　took　it　out　to　look　at　whenever　she　was　unhappy。　It　brought　back　the　memory　of　David　standing　by　the　side　of　the　pool　saying；　I　apologize　for　all　of　them；　and　the　feeling　of　hurt　had　gradually　disappeared　and　been　replaced　by　his　gentle　warmth。　She　had　seen　David　only　once　after　that　terrible　day　at　his　swimming　pool　when　he　had　brought　her　a　robe。　He　had　been　in　a　car　with　his　family；　and　Josephine　later　heard　that　he　had　been　driven　to　the　train　depot。　He　was　on　his　way　to　Oxford；　England。　That　had　been　four　years　ago；　in　1952。　David　had　returned　home　for　summer　vacations　and　at　Christmas；　but　their　paths　had　never　crossed。　Josephine　often　heard　the　other　girls　discussing　him。　In　addition　to　the　estate　David　had　inherited　from　his　father；　his　grandmother　had　left　him　a　trust　fund　of　five　million　dollars。　He　was　a　real　catch。　But　not　for　the　Polish　daughter　of　a　seamstress。　
　Josephine　did　not　know　that　David　Kenyon　had　returned　from　Europe。　It　was　a　late　Saturday　evening　in　July；　and　Josephine　was　working　at　the　Golden　Derrick。　It　seemed　to　her　that　half　the　population　of　Odessa　had　e　to　the　drive…in　to　defeat　the　hot　spell　with　gallons　of　lemonade　and　ice　cream　and　sodas。　It　had　been　so　busy　that　Josephine　had　been　unable　to　take　a　break。　A　ring　of　autos　constantly　circled　the　neon…lighted　drive…in　like　metallic　animals　lined　up　at　some　surrealistic　water　hole。　Josephine　delivered　a　car　tray　with　what　seemed　to　her　to　be　her　millionth　order　of　cheeseburgers　and　Cokes；　pulled　out　a　menu　and　walked　over　to　a　white　sports　car　that　had　just　driven　up。　
　〃Good　evening；〃　Josephine　said　cheerfully。　〃Would　you　like　to　look　at　a　menu？〃　
　〃Hello；　stranger。〃　
　At　the　sound　of　David　Kenyon's　voice；　Josephine's　heart　suddenly　began　to　pound。　He　looked　exactly　as　she　remembered　him；　only　he　seemed　even　more　handsome。　There　was　a　maturity　now；　a　sureness；　that　being　abroad　had　given　him。　Cissy　Topping　was　seated　next　to　him；　looking　cool　and　beautiful　in　an　expensive　silk　skirt　and　blouse。　Cissy　said；　
　〃Hi；　Josie。　You　shouldn't　be　working　on　a　hot　night　like　this；　honey。〃
　As　though　it　was　something　Josephine　had　chosen　to　do　instead　of　going　to　an　air…conditioned　theater　or　riding　around　in　a　sports　car　with　David　Kenyon。　Josephine　said　evenly；　
　〃It　keeps　me　off　the　streets〃；　and　she　saw　that　David　Kenyon　was　smiling　at　her。　She　knew　that　he　understood。　Long　after　they　had　gone；　Josephine　thought　about　David。　She　went　over　every　word　　Hello；　stranger。。。　I'll　have　a　pig　in　a　blanket　and　a　root　beer　　make　that　coffee。　Cold　drinks　are　bad　on　a　hot　night。。。。　How