“Birthday parties — such a nuisance,” said Miss Cooper. “Of course, I recognise the necessity for them, but I try to keep my relationship with the children on a businesslike basis.”
“But I feel I should go,” said Miss Page, and it occurred to Katherine that she must be younger, much younger, than Miss Cooper. “She’s inviting a good part of the class, and it will give me a chance to become better acquainted with the mother.”
“Why should you care?” asked Miss Cooper. “School’s almost out, and I’ll get them next year, more than likely.”
Miss Page sounded very prim and proper. “That doesn’t matter. I feel that a teacher should have a real interest in all her pupils — past and present. And, besides, Mrs. Beal has been very kind. She sent me the prettiest stole from Peggy at Christmas.”
Miss Cooper made a noise like a horse’s snort, and Katherine left the broom closet. How exciting! Peggy Beal was having a birthday party, and most of the class would go to the big Beal house on the hill, where they had a swimming pool!
Katherine loved parties and had wanted for a long time to be invited to the Beals. She wondered what she would wear. Maybe, when Daddy came home this weekend, he would buy her a new dress. A pretty pink one — long enough to cover her knees.
The bright sunlight made her blink, as she emerged from the dark hall into the play-yard. Peggy Beal was playing tag with a group of girls. Katherine smiled at her as she ran, her blonde curls flying. She wanted to go up to her and say, “Thank you, Peggy. Thank you for having a party.” But, just then, the bell rang, and there was no opportunity.
Katherine’s daddy bought her the dress — a lovely pale nylon with a stiff skirt — and a present for Peggy as well. The present was a plastic bag full of coloured ribbons for Peggy’s hair. They had it gift-wrapped at the store, because Daddy thought Mamma wouldn’t feel well enough to do it and it had to look just right.
Katherine was all ready for the party on the fourteenth, which was the Saturday coming. All she needed now was the invitation.
On Monday, she saw some of the other girls clustered around Peggy and talking and laughing. Some of them had little white envelopes.
On Tuesday, she noticed two or three of the boys pulling the same sort of envelopes from their pockets, the while protesting loudly that they “hated girls’ parties.”
On Wednesday, she heard Peggy describing the ice cream. “All made up in the shape of fruits and flowers.” On Thursday she looked eagerly, but vainly, through the mail on the mantel, and, on Friday, she was sure the invitation would be lying on her desk at school. But it was not there, and, at afternoon recess, Katherine decided she would have to ask Peggy if it had gotten lost.
Peggy sat under the shade of the fire escape, playing jacks on the cement with two of her special friends. Katherine didn’t want to interrupt her, but it was hard to get Peggy alone.
She stood on the edge of the circle, waiting for a chance to speak. No one said anything to her, and so, at last, she cleared her throat.
“Peggy, I didn’t get my invitation to your party. Do you suppose your Mother forgot to mail it?”
“Oh my goodness!” said the birthday girl. “You made me miss. My mother never forgets to mail things. You weren’t invited.”
Katherine watched while she picked up the jacks and threw them down again. The other girls were staring at her with expressionless eyes.
“But I thought...” Katherine heard her voice sound funny and stiff, “Why? Why didn’t you invite me?”
Peggy Beal put her hands in her lap and looked at Katherine. Her eyes started at the top of Katherine’s head and moved down to her scuffed sandals. Then they moved up again to her face.
“Because I didn’t want to,” said Peggy Beal. “It’s my eighth birthday, and I wanted eight guests — my eight best friends.”
Katherine made a rapid mental calculation. “But there’s fourteen that I know of — fourteen invited. I could be fifteen. It wouldn’t hurt. I’ve already got your present.”
Peggy Beal threw the ball and began to pick up jacks. “Very well,” she said, “I tried to be nice. There are eighteen invited, but you can’t be nineteen. You look funny, and you act funny. My mother says your mother acts funny. We don’t want you. And I don’t want your present.”
The other girls giggled, as Katherine turned away. “Peggy, you’re so funny! You’re a regular comic. You’re as funny as Mickey Mouse.”
“That reminds me,” Peggy’s cool voice came floating to Katherine through the hot summer haze, “I’m having a magician at my party. A real magician and, of course, a caterer.”
Katherine heard no more. She went into the girls’ toilet and was sick on the floor. Then she hid in her secret place for the rest of the day.
She heard the bell ring, and the children leaving at the end of the school day. She waited until they had all gone, before she opened the broom-closet door and started down the hall.
As she passed the door of her room she heard Miss Page talking to someone. “Tell your mother, I'll be delighted to come. And that she can count on me to help in any way that I can.”
“Thank you, Miss Page.” It was Peggy Beal. “Did I tell you we’re having a magician — and pony rides?” The sickness stirred in Katherine’s stomach, and she hurried out into the yard.
The playground was deserted. A car passed by, slowed down and turned the corner. It was a black car with white wings, like angels’ wings, painted on the side. The Wing Company, Caterers, it said in white letters. Katherine heard footsteps behind her and hurried to hide in the patch of trees by the fence.
Peggy Beal came out of the door and down the steps alone.
The car with the wings turned the corner, came by slowly and stopped. The man inside was smiling at Peggy Beal. He put out his hand and opened the door. Katherine couldn’t see it now, but she knew there was an eagle tattooed on his wrist. She had seen it there the time he’d come before.
“Would you like a ride, little girl?”
Peggy Beale stopped on the cross walk. “No thank you. I’m not allowed to ride with strangers. Tomorrow’s my birthday.”
“I know to-morrow’s your birthday.” The man smiled. His teeth were not white like the toothpaste ads. The gums looked red and funny.
“I’m having a party,” said Peggy, “with a magician.”
“I know,” said the man, and his smile was wider. “I’m the magician. That’s why I’m here. Just get in and come with me and I’ll show you my bag of tricks.”
Peggy hesitated, and the man held out his other hand. There was a box of candy in it. “My birthday present to you,” he said.
Peggy reached for the candy, and Katherine almost called to her. But then she remembered that, to tell Peggy about the man, would be telling her about the secret.
Katherine watched as Peggy got into the car with the wings and drove away. Katherine turned and strolled home in the summer sun.
“I know what I’ll do,” said Katherine to herself, “On Monday, I’ll wear my pink dress to school — with a ribbon in my hair.”
The Quiet Life
by Craig Rice
The little lawyer was suffering from humanity’s most dangerous ailment — he was bored. Chicago was lamentably law-abiding, not even a blonde promised action. But then he met Sam the Finder and his brand new black eye, and before he could order another whiskey, Malone had bid farewell to...
I
“Thank you very kindly, sir, I am honored,” said John J. Malone, signaling the bartender. “Rye and a beer chaser, please.” He turned around to thank the source of the unexpected invitation.