Dark Don't Catch Me by Vin Packer Page B

fun.”
    She had always genuinely liked Storey Bailey. They were nearer in age than Thad and she were, and sometimes when she was first going out with Thad, she wondered if she weren’t more pleased over the fact that she was dating Storey’s idol more than at the fact that she was dating the most eligible bachelor in Paradise. She used to like to tease Storey some.
    â€œI was out with Thad Hooper last night, Storey. He mentioned your name several times.”
    â€œHe
did!
Well, what’d he say?”
    â€œI don’t know that I rightly remember. Something, though.” “Well, good or bad?”
    â€œI don’t remember, Storey. I just remember he mentioned your name several times. He certainly is nice.”
    â€œHe’s a swell guy, all right — Thad Hooper is. I guess I think he’s just about one of the nicest guys around here.”
    â€œI guess you think a lot of him, all right.”
    â€œDon’t you, Vivs?”
    â€œOh, he’s all right, Storey.”
    â€œAll right? You ought to be proud! He’s going to be mighty big some day. You’ll see!”
    â€œYes sir, he mentioned your name several times.”
    She liked Storey Bailey in a different way from the way she liked Thad. In Paradise, Thad was the county promise; got along with everyone, was considered bright and aggressive and good. He was a serious sort, made serious, some said, when his twin sister died; and he was more mature, harder — Vivian Hooper always thought — to talk to, maybe because of his age. But Storey was the kind of boy she’d sit with with her hair done up in curlers, and laugh and talk with him without even thinking about it. And Storey was shy in some ways in which Thad Hooper was more reserved than shy. Thad Hooper had principles; while Storey just seemed to have pent-up emotions that he was scared to let loose….
    How they ever got out to Mike Fairchild’s place that night, both Storey and Vivie remember in separate ways. Storey has long since put it out of his mind; but if it were recalled to him, he would remember that Vivs made the remark in the car.
    â€œStorey, you know what I hear? I hear out at Mike Fair-child’s you can buy moonshine and soda, and sit right there and drink it.”
    And Vivian Hooper remembers it as Storey saying:
    â€œDid you ever have any moonshine before? Oh, I suppose Thad’s introduced you to that long ago.”
    And herself answering, “Naw, gaw, Storey — you don’t know Thad well. He wouldn’t touch it. Since his sister’s death he’s vowed … I guess he’s right, isn’t he?”
    â€œOh, a little won’t hurt anyone, Vivs.”
    No matter how each one remembers it, the fact stays they went to Mike’s and drank glass after glass; until they were giggling up a storm; and Storey, as Vivie remembers it; and Vivie, as Storey remembers it —
    Said: “We better go out in the car and sit in the fresh air a bit, and get ourselves back to normal before we drive on into town.”
    As they both remember it they just got to kissing each other out in the car, lightly at first, laughing about it; and then after a while she was telling Storey: “No farther than that, Storey! I never let anyone do this. Gaw, Storey!”
    Then, as Storey remembers it, Storey broke away before they had gone all the way; and as Vivie remembers it Vivie pushed Storey away when she heard a zipper unzip. But as they both remember it, they stopped; said seriously to one another that what had happened was awful and neither one’s fault; and Storey said he would step inside Mike’s for just a minute, and she should fix herself there in the car; and he would be back, in a minute and drive her on home the way he should have, the way he’d promised Thad to begin with….
    Inside Mike’s, Storey went into the men’s room; leaning dizzily against the sink there, shaken