——T——— THE BOY NEXT DOOR At the age of fourteen she had finally discovered the real purpose of “Boys.” Her lips were full and soft. she When One Wednesday afternoon sunlight shone in the open door and two picture widows of a crowded malt shop. Laughter, whispering and loud talking of kids muffled the quiet cir outside the malt shop. To the rhythm of the juke-box music boys and girls noisely slid and scuffed their feet as they danced the jitter-bug. A waitress walked with quick short steps across the crowded floor to the fountain. Although she had _ white she acted looked as if she were outwardly active. said A boy and girl sat together “The scoops scoops a confad, In two scoops of strawberry ice-cream; topped with hot fudge, melted marshmallow thick whipped cream, cocoacherries.) The aroma of the fudge and melted marshmallow filled the giri’s nostrils. The girl’s name was Elizabeth, voice, “Is there She lowered her tone, “No, a cooing tone, Elizabeth said, “Bye, Dick . . ky. . ” A shrilling sound screeched from the juke-box as a boy sang, “You ain’t noth’n but a city slicker.” Elizabeth smiled and scooted off the booth chair. “Thanks for the ‘Double-Double-Voons’.”. She bent down and softly pinched the boy’s freckled cheek. She smiled and said Double-Double-Voons.” (Two of vanilla ice-cream, two of chocolate ice-cream, and nut, walnuts: and two whole figure but sever- of course not. Should there be?” The waitress walked across the crowded floor. She yelled, “One cherry coke comin’ up.” The laughter and talk of kids continued, and the music played loud. Boys and girls bumped into each other as they danced. to at Her bulges, in a penetrating smiled. When booth eating out of one bowl, taining the teenage ice-cream even. and anything wrong?” Elizabeth said in her normal flat tone, “No.” She looked at Dick and fifty, floor teeth al sightly curves. Her cedar-red dress clung to her buttocks and uncontrollable stomach. She squinted her nose and puckered her lips as the scent of cooked hamburgers and burnt onions floated through the air. Dick looked at her, and the corner of his top lip twitched upward. He she walked, she bounced on her heels first: and then the balls of her feet slapped down against the the rhythm of the music. her no unpleasant had BETTY JOHNSON over-smiled, white showed hair and EEE in a low but tone, “You’re a doll.” She flung her head back, and her ponytail flipped from her shoulder and landed neatly against her back. Her she wanted all her friends to call her Liz. She thought “Liz” was a more grown up name. The boy’s name was Dick. His slender body made him look tall. His reddish hair matched the myriad of freckles on his face and arms. Elizabeth tapped her fingers on the table to the beat of the juke-box hair high-lighted red from her cedar- red dress. Her eye-lashes, dark and long, curved upward. When she looked up, her eye-lashes touched the bottom of her arched eye-brows. Her straight nose slanted upward at the tip. A few freckles embedded her music. (8) nose and Dick Elizabeth cheeks. lowered his head, on!” Dick slouched in his chair and bowed his head. “I’m sorry Elizabeth . . .,” he raised his voice—"l Liz!” As Elizabeth picked up her schoolbooks, she tapped her right foot gently against the floor to the beat of the music. She said in her flat tone, “Gotta be goin’.” Dick jerked his head up swiftly, and his eyes widened. A lock of his reddish hair fell over the left side of his face and hung over one of his gray-blue eyes. Raising his voice to muffle the noise of the music and kids, he said, “Don’t forget to let me know about Saturday night, okay?” Elizabeth cleared her throat, and then lowered ed rapidly. The boys looked up at her and exchanged amused smiles. Elizabeth reached up and twisted her pony-tail around her slender hand. still smiling. She slowly looked down at Dick and raised one eyebrow, “But —the—en, | may have a very important engagement to a very important dance. With Harold, or maybe and said in her flat tone, know them.” down her fingernails at “They're college Dick’s voice said. “Oh. “Oh, She you said, men.” became tense, and smile a chorus, saying, she and said, “See joined in “Bye.” Bootsie, Bootsie.” She bent down and rubbed the dog’s blue-black fur. The dog’s fur, short and wavy, threw off glowing highlights of the afternoon’s sun. The dog jumped up and licked Elizabeth’s cheek. Its long ears flopped as she bounced down. Elizabeth shifted her book from her right arm to her left and picked up her plump dog. She strutted down the street toward her house. As she waiked, the music in the malt-shop faded away. Her mouth felt dry, but she could taste the straw- looked and a later, boys.” All the boys smiled “Hi, Jacky might ask me. Or maybe even Leonard.” “Wh-o-o. . ?” Dick asked loudly. The music of the juke-box played louder. Dick didn’t finish his question, for Elizabeth interrupted. She flipped her hand at the wrist wouldn't With ya, Elizabeth smiled again, this time for one boy in particular. He was the high school’s football star. One of the girls that sat near the boy stared at Elizabeth and raised one eyebrow without smiling. Elizabeth turned and _ bounced slowly out the door. A dog barked and waddled toward her, wagging its tail rapidly. Elizabeth said in a cooing tone, “Oh, them, “But, each of the boys; her eyelashes blink- don’t worry. . .” Without moving her head she looked up the ceiling, and a smile came over her lips. She raised her eyebrows loftily, and I'll let you know. Bye now.” She turned and strutted toward the door of the malt shop. As she walked to the rhythm of the music, her pony-tail bounced with a spring. Before she walked out of the door she turned and faced a group of boys in a booth. Elizabeth said in a gentle tone, soft and low. “Hello, boys.” She smilled and glanced at whipped cream off his spoon, and said, “Bye, Elizabeth.” In a scolding tone, Elizabeth said, “Dick! | said to call me Liz from now mean continued then, you may call me Friday night, licked he .” (9)