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talked about God。 Sometimes she would wake up in the night
and shiver over what they had said。 Harry was a Pantheist。
That was a religion； the same as Baptist or Catholic or Jew。
Harry believed that after you were dead and buried you
changed to plants and fire and dirt and clouds and water。 It
took thousands of years and then finally you were a part of all
the world。 He said he thought
229
that was better than being one single angel。 Anyhow it was
better than nothing。
Harry threw the newspaper into his hall and then came over。
'It's hot like summer；' he said。 'And only March。'
'Yeah。 I wish we could go swimming。'
'We would if there was any place。'
There's not any place。 Except that country club pool。'
'I sure would like to do something—to get out and go
somewhere。'
〃Me too；' she said； 'Wait！ I know one place。 It's out in the
country about fifteen miles。 It's a deep； wide creek in the
woods。 The Girl Scouts have a camp there in the summertime。 Mrs。 Wells took me and George and Pete and Sucker
swimming there one time last year。'
If you want to I can get bicycles and we can go tomorrow。 I
have a holiday one Sunday a month。'
'Well ride out and take a picnic dinner；' Mick said。
'O。K。 ITl borrow the bikes。'
It was time for him to go to work。 She watched him walk
down the street。 He swung his arms。 Halfway down the block
there was a bay tree with low branches。 Harry took a running
jump； caught a limb； and chinned himself。 A happy feeling
came in her because it was true they were real good friends。
Also he was handsome。 Tomorrow she would borrow Hazel's
blue necklace and wear the sfflc dress。 And for dinner they
would take jelly sandwiches and Nehi。 Maybe Harry would
bring something queer； because they ate orthodox Jew。 She
watched him until he turned the corner。 It was true that he had
grown to be a very good…looking fellow。
Harry in the country was different from Harry sitting on the
back steps reading the newspapers and thinking about Hitler。
They left early in the morning。 The wheels he borrowed were
the kind for boys—with a bar between the legs。 They strapped
the lunches and bathing…suits to the fenders and were gone
before nine o'clock。 The morning was hot and sunny。 Within
an hour they were far out of town on a red clay road。 The
fields were bright and ereen and the sharp smell of pine trees
was in the air。 Harry talked in a very excited way。 The warm
wind blew into their faces。 Her mouth was very dry and she
was hungry。230
'See that house up on the hill there？ Less us stop and get some
water。'
'No； we better wait。 Well water gives you typhoid。'
'I already had typhoid。 I had pneumonia and a broken leg and a
infected foot。'
'I remember。'
'Yeah；' Mick said。 'Me and Bill stayed in the front room when
we had typhoid fever and Pete Wells would run past on the
sidewalk holding his nose and looking up at the window。 Bill
was very embarrassed。 All my hair came out so I was bald…
headed。'
'I bet we're at least ten miles from town。 We've been riding an
hour and a half—fast riding； too。'
'I sure am thirsty；' Mick said。 'And hungry。 What you got in
that sack for lunch？'
'Cold liver pudding and chicken salad sandwiches and pie。'
That's a good picnic dinner。' She was ashamed of what she had
brought。 'I got two hard…boiled eggs—already stuffed—with
separate little packages of salt and pepper。 And sandwiches—
blackberry jelly with butter。 Everything wrapped in oil paper。
And paper napkins。'
'I didn't intend for you to bring anything；' Harry said。 *My
Mother fixed lunch for both of us。 I asked you out here and
all。 We'll come to a store soon and get cold drinks。'
They rode half an hour longer before they finally came to the
filling…station store。 Harry propped up the bicycles and she
went in ahead of him。 After the bright glare the store seemed
dark。 The shelves were stacked with slabs of white meat； cans
of oil； and sacks of meal。 Flies buzzed over a big； sticky jar of
loose candy on the counter。
。What kind of drinks you got？' Harry asked。
The storeman started to name them over。 Mick opened the ice
box and looked inside。 Her hands felt good in the cold water。
'I want a chocolate Nehi。 You got any of them？
'
'Ditto；' Harry said。 'Make it two。
'
'No； wait a minute。 Here's some ice…cold beer。 I want a bottle
of beer if you can treat as high as that' Harry ordered one for
himself； also。 He thought it was
231
a sin for anybody under twenty to drink beer—but maybe he
just suddenly wanted to be a sport。 After the first swallow he
made a bitter face。 They sat on the steps in front of the store。
Mick's legs were so tired that the muscles in them jumped。
She wiped the neck of the bottle with her hand and took a
long； cold pull。 Across the road there was a big empty field of
grass； and beyond that a fringe of pine woods。 The trees were
every color of green—from a bright yellow…green to a dark
color that was almost black。 The sky was hot blue。
'I like beer；' she said。 'I used to sop bread down in the drops
our Dad left。 I like to lick salt out my hand while I drink。 This
is the second bottle to myself I've ever had。'
The first swallow was sour。 But the rest tastes good。'
The storeman said it was twelve miles from town。 They had
four more miles to go。 Harry paid him and they were out in the
hot sun again。 Harry was talking loud and he kept laughing
without any reason。
'Gosh； the beer along with this hot sun makes me dizzy。 But I
sure do feel good；' he said。
'I can't wait to get in swimming。'
There was sand in the road and they had to throw all their
weight on the pedals to keep from bogging。 Harry's shirt was
stuck to his back with sweat。 He still kept talking。 The road
changed to red clay and the sand was behind them。 There was
a slow colored song in her mind—one Portia's brother used to
play on his harp。 She pedaled in time to it。
Then finally they reached the place she had been looking for。
〃This is it！ See that sign that says PRIVATE？ We got to climb
the bob…wire fence and then take that path there—see！'
The woods were very quiet。 Slick pine needles covered the
ground。 Within a few minutes they had reached the creek。 The
water was brown and swift。 Cool。 There was no sound except
from the water and a breeze singing high up in the pine trees。
It was like the deep； quiet woods made them timid； and they
walked softly along the bank beside the creek。
'Don't it look pretty。'
Harry laughed。 'What makes you whisper？ Listen here！'232
He clapped his hand over his mouth and gave a long Indian
whoop that echoed back at them。 'Come on。 Let's jump in the
water and cool off。'
'Aren't you hungry？'
'O。K。 Then we'll eat first。 We'll eat half the lunch now and half
later on when we come out'
She unwrapped the jelly sandwiches。 When they were finished
Harry balled the papers neatly and stuffed them into a hollow
tree stump。 Then he took his shorts and went down the path。
She shucked off her clothes behind a bush and struggled into
Hazel's bathing…suit The suit was too small and cut