Joyce Baddley George Stromberg by West and Rabe A soft whistle of approval from him, a last-minute glance into the hall mirror for her, and they're ready for a perfect evening. Feet tap lightly on the steps in anticipation of dance-able rhythms, and they remember her mother's last words. "Have a good time," she said. How can they miss? Page Four The Real Reason by Jerry Carlile Sure, I'd been drinking, but that wasn't what caused it, Dick. The whiskey didn't have anything to do with it. Why, the whole thing worked out so smoothly. If I'd been able to find my car keys, I'd never have been late to pick up Janice. Just one little thing like that might've thrown the timing off. We didn't get over to your place 'til a quarter to nine, and by the time we picked up your girl and got out to the Gardens it was nearly ten. I always did like the Gardens in the summer all those trees and vines, and the canal flowing right past the dance pavilion. Last Friday was a nice night to be out there. The warm air, and the stars and that moon really romantic. Janice and I talked about it when we took that long walk. It's nice to sit outside at those tables and drink and talk, and dance if you feel like it. Music's always good at the Gardens not too much of that brassy hot stuff. Who was playin' last Friday? Oh, yeah, Jackie Hansen. He's pretty smooth, isn't he? That gal of yours really mixed some strong ones; half whiskey they were. We killed that fifth in no time. I felt kind of high around midnight. Janice did too. She told me that while we were dancing. She's some dancer! I'd rather dance with her than any girl I know. Boy, when she lays that lovely head on your shoulder you can feel the rhythm moving in her whole body. And that perfume she uses oh buddy! I'm gonna marry that gal some day! She was pretty lucky Friday night got banged up a little but except for that big bandage over her eye, you'd never know it happened. I'm sure as hell glad for that. She's a wonderful gal. And you know, Dick, I think she loves me. After we left the Gardens Friday night, when we were cruising along by the lake listening to the radio, they played 'Body and Soul," and she says to me, "I like this song, honey. It's the way I feel." I'd married her right then if we'd had a minister along. Right after that she sort of fell asleep with her head on my shoulder never even moved 'till it happened. You know, Dick, I passed a big rig just 'fore we got to that intersection, and had to really peel-off to make it. If I hadn't done that just then we'd got by all right. And I saw that other guy's lights, the guy that hit us, when he dug out of that side street. If I'd touched the brakes he'd of passed in front of us. I just figured we could do it. But, boy, he caught us dead center! Anyway, that whiskey didn't have anything to do with it. It'd never happened if we'd gone by there a few seconds later. Page Five