Kot Vennegest - Look ch the Biedut The Summer had ded peace nie, and Aun, sofespoken execuvix, wa locking lie up sly unl Spring «ame to claim it. AC one with tht sa, sweet allegory ousie the kitchen window of her small home was Ellen Bowes, Tuesday beaks foc hee buxbund, Henty: Henry was pasping and dancing nd ‘who, eal in he moing, was prep sluppinghimse in 2 cold shower om the othe side of thin vel Elen ws 2 fir and ty woman, in her eaty thts, pinly meteusisl and bright, ough drewed in 2 dowdy hosecout. In alone any event she woul have lved i, but she loved it now wth an oservhlming emotion that wat ke the throbbing amen of chusch one, for she could tl rng that her husband, in ado to Being 00d, wold soon be rch and famous She hadn't expected ig a seldom dreamed of it, ha leon conten with inexpensive posessons and sll aven- tures ofthe spike thinking about acum, eht cot noth all Henry was nota monesmker That id been the snderstanting He wat an easly satisfied ker,» maker anid mendes who Ind a touch love to magic with materials and machines. Bat his miata al been sll ones s he wen about his job2 aboratory assiant a the Accousigera Corporatio, « manutiturer of hearing ads Henry wat valued by hse ployer butte price hey pid for im wat not great. high ‘rice Ellen and Henry had agrecd amily, probably wast called fr, since being paid a al for poterng wat a honor and luxury of ors, And that as ht (Or dst had seme to be dat, Ele ttle for on the kitchen ae ay sal cn bo vie, anda earphone, ike 2 hearing ai 2 ereason, in is own molerm way. as mae ‘eos as Nigaa Fall the Spin, Hey tad made ee secret during hi nck hours, and had brought it home dhe sigh before. Jus before bedsime, Fle had been inspired 19 five che box a mame, an appeding combination of and howsebol pet—Conf "What isi every person realy want, more than fod ae ‘ost Henry ln asked cox showing het Confido for she fist time, He was a el, rtic ma, ordinarily 2 shy a6 2 wood creature. Bucsomething had changed hia, made ies fiery ad loud, “What iit? Happines, Honey? Happiness, cain! Bu what the ky to happines “Religion? Securing Henry? Heth, dea? "What isthe longing you see inthe ey of ranges om the set, in eyes wherever you look "You tll me, Henry. give wp” Fen had helpless “Somebody tlk to! Sous who realy undestaht That what” Held waved Condo over his hea. "An this Now, on the morning ait, Ellen wine away fon the window and gingely sipped Contd’ earphone ines her at She pinned the fat ltl bo inde he louse and com le che wit in het hit A very soft drmmng an sheshe ing, with an overtone ke 2 moet hum, led her ea Se cleared her throat secon thowgh she wasnt sing to speak aloud, nd chouge dliberte, “What a nice surprise you ae, Confido "Nobody deserves a good break ay sore than you do, Een," whispered Confido ia her ca, The voice was tiny and high ikea elds voice though a com with thee Pape stretched overt. “Ae all jew put up with is aout time something halay rice came your yay ‘Obhhihh” Elen thought depreciaivety, “havent ben though s0 auch es been gute pleasant and easy real” ‘On the surfice” sid Confile "But youve had eo do ‘Ob, Lappe ‘Now tow" sid Confido. “Lundestand you, This jue between us, anyway and good to bring thos digs out in ‘he open now and then Ie heh This lows ramped ‘hows a i et is mark on you down dec. and you know 8, you poor kid. And a woman ca help being js ie hare ovhen her husband doesn love her enough to show teh ambidon, ether. IF he only knew how brave you ‘ben, what a fone yout put up, always cheer ‘Now te here—" Ellen objected fin "Poor ki about time your ship came in, Bete ate than never” ‘Really I haven inde ised Ele in er thowghs Henry ben a bappier man fr not beng cored by am bition. an happy husbands make happy wives and hike” “All he sme, a woman in lp thinking now ad then (hat her husbands love can be nested by is ambition,”ssid Confido, “Oh, you deserve this pot of gud atthe end of fhe sino “Go along with you sid Elen "mon you sid” std Confido waa Henny strode ito the hitch, rubbing his egy Bice a brig pink with. rough towel, Afra nigh slep, he was sal the new Henry, the promoter the enterprise, red Ii himself ose ar by his vn gars “Dear sir” he sid eet, “Tht i 0 aoc you that to wooks fom thi date {am germinating my erpleyaiene withthe Aecoust-gem Corporation in oder that Lamy pur- se cortsin bins and reset interests of ny os. Youre truly" He embraced Elles and rocked er back an forth ‘his great ams, "Aa! Caught yo hating with your new fend, dia 2” len bled, an quickly earned Confido off “Ie w= canny Henry 1 abuoltly spooky, Ke hens my thoughts and anawers dhe.” “Now nobody need evr be lonely again!” sid Henry. “Teseens ike magi ome Everything about the universe is magic” sid Henry sandy “and Einstein would be dhe itt wll you 3, All ve done is stumble ona ick thats always been wating be performed Ie as an accent ike most disoverey, ad none other than Henry Bowes the icky one Ellen capped her hands. “Ob, Henry, they'l make a movie oft someday! ‘And the Rian cnt they snvented it” laughed ena "Well, ee em. be big abowr it 1D vie up the smuarket with ‘em, be safe ith 3 mre billion dls oon American se | mmm SS SS ‘Ubchuh Elen wa os inthe deighe of sein inher ‘imagination 2 movie about he unows husband, played by an actor tha looked very msc tke Lincln, She watched the simpe-hearted counter of bles light down athe hel, ‘humming and working ona tiny microphone with which he hoped to measure the mate noes inside che hum ee. tn the background, colaguespliyed cards and josh him for ‘working during the lunch hou. Then he plac the miro Plone in his ex, connected toa amplifier an loucpesher, and as sonished by Confido fist whisper on cart ‘You'l never get anywhere around here, Henry the firs, primitive Confido ha sid. “The only people who get ala a Accousti-gem, boy, ae the bacslpper ad sow job aris, Everyday somebody gts aig ae for something y0U did. Wie up! You've gotten snes mach on the bl sybody els in the whole laboratory. i i What Henry had done afer that was to connect the mi srophode to hearing ad instead of ondspeaer. He fixed the microphone am the earpiece, so tha the small voice, whatever ie wat, was picked up by the microphone, and aye ack louder bythe hearings. And therein Henrys "eembting hand, was Cond, everybodys best Bien, realy Tor markt. “mean it” sid the new Henry to Elen, “A coo! blion! Thats a sicdllr prof on 4 Confido for every man, ‘woman, and dil inthe United States with we knew what ehe voice wis” sid Elen, “t mean, t makes you wonder” She fla Heting uneines. Henry waved the qussion away ashe set down to eat Something o do with the way the brain an the eas ane hooked up” he sid with his mouth ill “Plenty of time“si wi Elen. "The voice Henry sre dn tink 6s Gos nin isthe Voce o Americ, Why nv Cone? Pave Henryhavent we been doing move ta merely Nox accorng ro Condo” sil Hem winding snd bosing her Than ges we havea al? sb abet a, by Go if we wont fom nw ot” deny “We ove ito ourselves, Confido sys 0 len was ina tance when she Sd the ovo chen and sent them off 0 school. She came out of e momentarily, when het eight year-skt-son, Pal, yelled ino a load school bs, Hey! My day says wet gong to be rich ax Croesn! “The school bus dor citered shut behind him and bit Aste, and Elen eee obo a rock ing char by her kits table, citer heaven nor hell. He jbl thoughts permitted one sll peephoe out into the ‘vor and filing as Confido, which a by the jn, ami the uncleared breakft des. The telephone rang, Ie vas Henry, who had juss gotten work, "How it going? he asked brightly "As wt, pu he cen onthe bus mean, how the int day with Confido going? havent tried ic yet, lenny Welle’ gue going, Let show a ile fa i the merchandise, [wane a al spore wath sapper Sar eR eter eget Te SRA PP NI “Henry—have you uit yet" The only reason I haven {havent poten to 2 pe write” He laughed, “A man in my postion doen gut by jie ying 0, He resigns on paper "Henry—ould you plete hold of, jus fra Few des? "Why?" id Henry incredulously “Serie while ce om’ hot, “jus tobe onthe ssid, Henry, Please” ‘So wh there to be afl oP It works like 2 doy watch. 16 bigger than eclevsion and paychounayis bine, and theyre in che Back. Quit worrying” His voice ‘vas growing pees, “Put on your Confido, and gut wor ying. Tha what or us fel we ought to know more about it ‘Yeah, yeah” sid Henry, with uncharacteristic ips tence. “OK. OK. yeah, yeah, See you Misrably, Ek hung ep, depressed by what she'd done co Henny’ splendid sivis. This filing changed quick co anger with hers, and, i 3 vigorous denonsration of oy sty and ith, she pinned Confido on, put the enrpiece in lacs, sn went about her homework, "What are you Conti? pay?” she thought. “Whit is a Away for you to et rih,” sid Confido. Thin, Een found, vas ll Confido would sy about ise She put the sume question 0 4 several nes during the dy and each time Confido change the subjct ie} taking up ‘he mutter of money’ being able wo buy happiness, no mater "As Kin Hubbard sd" whipsred Con Aigrace tobe poor, butt night a wel be?” 0 “telat nolen giggled, though she hear the quotation foe, ‘Now ie, you—" he sid Al he arguments with Con Fido were ofthis esremely mild nature, Confido bad knack of saying things she didnt agree with im sich a vay ant at such a tine that she couldn elpagrecing ite Min. Bowsee—El-len" alle a vice outs, Te ler vas Mes. Fink, the Bowsers’ next-door neighbor, whose Arvoway rat along the bedroom side ofthe Bowers hone Mrs Fink was racing the engine of er new cat by Elles bedroom window Bien leaned out over the windows. “My” she sid ‘Dont yor lok nice. fs that anew den? ests your com plexion perfealy Moat women cat wear erange” Just dhe ones wih complesons ike san” id Conf, And what have you done to your hae? ove it at 1 jus sigh fo an oval ce” Like a mildewed bathing capsid Confido. “ell, I'm going dense, and fdhoughe maybe there ‘wat something f cold pick wp for you" sid Ms Fink Hw fly hough snd Ellen ‘And here we eho all slong she ose wanted grab cour nowes in her new eat, her ew eats, and her nem ted” aid Confide 1 dhoughe I gue pried up 2 Hs, becsse George is a Mrs ing to take me Wo hich atthe Bronze Room” Fink Amun sould getaway fom his secretary fom tne to time, sConly with his wife sid Confido, “Occasional sp rate acaons keep romunce alive, even afer yea ad yt ‘Hive you got company, der?” sid Mrs. Fink. “Am 1 keeping you from something? Himmmmn sai Ellen abeny. “Company? Oh— "You acted like you were bstening for something or somthing 1 di?” sid Een, “Thats sags, You mst ave imag ‘Wich all the imagination of & sunimer squash” aid Confido el, Lust dash” sid Mrs, Fink, racing her gree ‘Don't blame you for tying t9 tus away from your self” said Conde, “but ie cant be ane—not even in Baik” Ta "id Elen, ‘She's really afl weet” Ellen sid in her thoughts to Confido, “I don't know why you had to ay thoxe ae thing “Auamaai” sad Confido, “Her whole ie eying to make odhee women fe ike sve ces A ight—say hati 0" sid Ele, “i all che poor hing got and dhe’ harmless: ‘Hales, harms” sd Conf, “Sure, she arses, her esdoked husbands barmles and 4 poor thing, every body’ atm. And after ariving that bighsstted com lon, what have you got le for yourself? What does that Jeave you to think about anything? ‘Now, I'm simply noe going t0 put up with you anj- ‘more si Ellen, reaching forthe earpiece “Why not” said Confido. “Wee having the time of your ie” It eacHed, “Sua, lito the say old Diddies around here lke the Duches Fink cual up and diewith envy when the Bowers put on ile dog fora cians: Eh? Thal show em the good and hoost win out in che Jong run The good and one? "You—you and Henry, by Gost” sid Confido, “Thats who, Who eh?” ln’ hand came down fom the earpice. Ke sared up again, but 242 aot very thestening geste, ending in he raping a broom. "That just 3 nay neighborhood rumor shout Mf Bak and hie secretary she thought, “Heal?” sud Confid, “Where there smoke—" “Aaa he nota croak Lak ino thote shy, weak bse eyes, lok a hose tip made foe cigs and ell me tha” id Condo. ‘Now now” thought Hien, "Thats enough, There’ been abot proof till waters run deep” sl Confido, fe was sent for 8 moment, “And I dont mea ise the Fis, This whole neighborhood itll water. Honest to God, somcbody ought to write 2 book about it Jus ake his block alone, starting at the corer with the Kraners. Why, 0 look a her, yout think she ws the gui, most proper ‘Ma, Ma-—hey, Ma” sid her son several hours ater, "Mayo sick? Hey, Ma Aa that brings 0 dhe Fitibonses” Confido was saying, “That poor it, dred-up sawed-off, henpecked "Mat" cred Pal “ON” sid Ben, opening her eyes. “You stared me © Rn Ra a NET What are you cide doing home fom schoo?” She was siting her kitchen rocker, hasdzed ee, Ma, Why think? ‘Oh, dears it that Ie? Whete on earth has the dey ‘Ca isten, Ma—can I ite t9 Confido Tes noe fr chideen to stent” sid Elen, shocked "t should ay not. ry for grown-ups ‘Cant we ae lok a ‘With cruel fet of will Een disengaged Confido fom het earand Blouse, and dt onthe table. "There—you se That al dere i ‘Dyan dolls ig rghe there” sid Paul soy ‘Sere docs look ike much, does it? A coe! billion” He ‘3s ving an expert imiacon of fther on the night be- fore, “Can Thave 3 motoreyele veryhing kes tine, Paul id Elen, ‘What ae you doing with your howsecoat on 40 late? ‘sid hee davghter 1 asst going wo change "sid Ele, She had been in the Bedroom just 4 moment, her mind sechiig with neighborhood scandal, balan inthe ps now reftshed and omamented by Cone, when there ‘were biter shout inthe kitchen She rushed the tei find Son ig, and Pal reiland defiant Confido cape in his et Pl ud Ellen "don care” sid Pou." gle stoned, Now {know {he wath ow the whole secret.He pushed mi” sobbed Susi “Confido si "sl Pol. Pal sd Elen, hori. “What sere are you talking about? What secret, dear? "Tm ot your ton.” he id sll ‘Of sue you ae! ‘Confido says Vn not” sid Paul. “Confido says Fn aopted. Susan the one yo lav, an thats why Ege a raw eal around bere Paulding, daring Iesimply it ue 1 promise, 1 seer it. And dont know what on earth you mun by sw dea ‘Confid sy i tealight” ak Pol stout en leaned agains ee Kchen table and rubbed hes en le Suddenly she leaned forward and sched Confido from Pal “Give me tha filhy lide bea!” she ad. She strode a sly out of he hack dor with it Hey! id Heary. doings buck-an-wing through his front oes and sling hi t,he had never debi, ont the ouench in the bal “Ges wh? The bretwinner home! len appeared in the ktchen doors’ and gave hin » sickly ale. “Hi? “Theres my il sid Heney; “and ave got good news for you. Thisisa great dey! I havent gota job anymore, lt thar sve? They'll ake me back any sine I want a job, and thal be when Hell feat ove “Un sit Elen, The Lord helps those wh help dhemselve” sid Henry, and here's one mun who just got both hands ee Hub" sd len ‘Young Paul and Susan appeared om either se of her to peer bealy at hoe ies, ‘Whats his” sid Henry Wik a funeral pastor Mom buried it, Pop said Paul hourly. “She buried Conti ‘he did—she really id” said Susin wonderingly ‘Unde the ydeangeas "Henry I had a” ad Ellen desolately, chown hee at around him, “Iwas ore” Henry pushed her way “Buried "he maemure sh Ing his head. “Buried All you had todo was arn ito” Slowly he walked ehrogh dhe howe and iat the buck ‘and, his fmily waching in awe. He hunted for the grave ‘unde the shes without asking fo directions He opened che grave, wiped the di from Confido with his handkerchief and po the earpiece in his ea, cocking hit head and listening ined “ial right, 3 OK" he si oly He earned to Een, "What on eth go int you?” "What didi say?” sid Fen, “What dias ay co you Henry He sighed and Looked ast ied, “Ie uid somebody tbe woul eah inom it sooner or be, fe dd Let dhe" si Elle, "Why?" demanded Henry. He looked a her chal ingly, but his firmness decayed quickly, and he looked awa ‘you've talked t Confido, you bw why” sid Een “Don't your Henny kept his eyes dows. “e sell i i sell he murmured. "My God how itl seOT ha dicet wire tothe worst in us, Henry sid ‘She burt nto war. “Nobody should have that, Henry, no ‘sy! That ie wie flu enough ai An augumn silence, muffled in moldring Iver, sted ‘over the ard, broken only by Henry’ fin whiting though his oe, "Yeah," he sal at as,“ kno He removed Contd rom his ca, an lait goin is "Wat de lt ting isd, Pop?" sd Pa Hey grinned win, “1 be seeing yor, sacke. 1 grave once more, He kicked drt in on top of it i besecing you” |