You ask who from.
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Oh, you tease," a coy, demure glance. The kitten won't purr before you pat it.Once you start the coffee-grinder going it won't stop: "He said he missed me and that if I'd stayed around the Beta House I wouldn'tget sick." That was a subtle inference that she deserted her steady to go out with aWilliams man last week. "Got a letter from Bill, too, I see." (How nice and ego-building you can be ifyou grit your teeth and try hard enough.) "Oooh, yes." (Another airy quivering of eyebrows-and-shoulder.) "And Tom,and Chuck, and Phil. I don't know what to do with all my men." You don't say anything on purpose, so it falls a little flat. She waits a minute,then: "Who did you go out with last weekend." You toss off a thumbnail sketch of the guy whom you had a blind date with,noticing that when you say he's goodlooking she shuts her ears to the rest. Theremight be something nice about him. She couldn't stand to hear that. You go onabout Bob from Renssalear. You don't give a damn about him, so you pretend.She's really deaf now. Finally she goes. Maybe she knows she's made youjealous. Maybe she just wants to have you make her feel good the way you usedto before you got sick of her. Anyhow, both of you feel worse for the encounter. She's cute now, you admit, going back to Senlin and the dewdrops repeatingthree clear tones. She used to be scared, but when a woman knows a man's crazyfor her she can flaunt all other women with a glow of confidence. Especially theones who are more talented in superficial things, who don't happen to be in love;who read Senlin. And you laugh at yourself for needing to retaliate in her own infantile way bya hollow totaling of your conquests. Conversation about boys between girls is sooften a "gentleman's agreement" to keep quiet for a reasonable amount of timewhile you talk about yourselves, of yourselves, by yourselves, and foryourselves, not giving a damn about the other. And you're just as wrong as she.More so, since you are so small that you can't be magnanimous but have to fallto using her own weapons. Aren't your own security enough? Maybe not. - 45. ... Another blind date. This one is older - partly bald, the girls said, and quiet-but-nice. You laugh nervously in the bedroom as Pat gets ready. She didn't knowwhat she was getting you in for. You make some crack about going for thefatherly type. You own father" is dead. Pat looks worried, and you love her for it.She's so beautifully childlike and innocent as a Delicious apple. You meet Bill in the car. It's his convertible. You get a side glance as hedrives: not bad - hair receding on temples, but manly. Good blue eyes and a neatmouth. Neat features.
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