to meet women. They are usually at least
moderately intelligent and assume a man must be
respectable and safe if he is in a museum. Then, too,
there is no need to worry about what to talk about. One
knows immediately at least some of the woman’s
interests by the exhibits she visits.”
Janine was considerably amused by his banter.
“And, of course,” she replied, “it is a good place for a
woman to meet a man. She can safely spend several
hours with him and decide whether she wants to pursue
the acquaintance with no hint of obligation.”
Sandy laughed. “Is that why you’re here?”
Janine shook her head. “No, I really am here to look
at the exhibits. But it isn’t a bad idea, now that I think
of it. Shall we split up and the next time we meet
compare notes on how well we did? I wouldn’t want to
spoil your chances by hanging around.”
“But I’ve already succeeded,” Sandy protested.
“Unless you turn me down, of course.”
This last was spoken in an anxious tone of voice, and
Janine hastened to tell Sandy she would enjoy touring the museum in his company. Smiling again, he tucked
her hand under his arm, and they walked off
comparing impressions of La Giaconda.
It did not take Janine long to discover that Sandy
disliked museums. When she asked why he had come,
he replied, “Why, I came to meet you, of course. Mark
mentioned to Alan that Rena was leaving tomorrow
and that he thought you would be coming to the
Louvre. It seemed like the sort of thing you’d do. So I
came. I knew you’d have to eventually come and look
at the Mona Lisa so I found a comfortable bench and
waited. Really, women are so predictable.”
Janine looked at him oddly. “I see. I’m surprised you
find my company worth suffering through a museum.”
He shrugged. “Oh, I don’t mind. I suppose this sort
of thing is good once in a while. Besides, if it makes you
happy, I’m happy. I’m not selfish. I think a man should
sometimes consider what the woman wants to do.”
Sometimes? A dangerous glint appeared in Janine’s
eyes. But she spoke lightly. “I see. Well, let’s move a
little faster. There’s a lot to see before five o’clock.”
Well before five o’clock, Janine found herself
wishing she were not with Sandy. He managed
consistently to spoil her pleasure by disparaging the
paintings she enjoyed most. In the ancient Egyptian
section, Sandy made jokes about each sarcophagus or
statue. Her relief more than matched his when closing
time came. Janine could not avoid his escort back to
her sister’s apartment building, but she could and did
refuse his offer to take her out to dinner. With a quick
good-bye and a mumbled excuse about helping Rena,
Janine fled up the stairs.
Janine paused to listen for voices before knocking. She did not want to walk in at an inopportune moment.
She heard Rena’s voice clearly. “Please Mark, look
after Jenny while I’m in Switzerland.”
There was a pause and Janine could not make out
Mark’s answer. “I don’t care if she is twenty-two,
Mark, she needs someone to keep an eye on her!”
Oh, really? Janine demanded silently. You’re a
strange one to talk of needing to be looked after, Rena.
Resolutely Janine rang the doorbell. The voices
immediately stopped, and a moment later Rena
opened the door. “Hi, Jenny. How was the Louvre?”
She forced herself to smile. “Fine. I ran into Sandy.”
From the living room Mark said, “Sandy? That’s
odd. I can’t imagine him in a museum.”
Janine noted that, as usual, Mark’s hair needed
combing. For some reason this irritated her. But she
managed to say cheerfully, “To quote him, `It’s a good
place to meet women.”’
“Did he have any luck?” Mark asked, grinning.
“He might have except that he ran into me,” she
answered lightly, avoiding his eyes.
“Well, I’m sure he was satisfied,” Rena said firmly.
Then, hesitantly, she added, “Jenny, I hope you
moderately intelligent and assume a man must be
respectable and safe if he is in a museum. Then, too,
there is no need to worry about what to talk about. One
knows immediately at least some of the woman’s
interests by the exhibits she visits.”
Janine was considerably amused by his banter.
“And, of course,” she replied, “it is a good place for a
woman to meet a man. She can safely spend several
hours with him and decide whether she wants to pursue
the acquaintance with no hint of obligation.”
Sandy laughed. “Is that why you’re here?”
Janine shook her head. “No, I really am here to look
at the exhibits. But it isn’t a bad idea, now that I think
of it. Shall we split up and the next time we meet
compare notes on how well we did? I wouldn’t want to
spoil your chances by hanging around.”
“But I’ve already succeeded,” Sandy protested.
“Unless you turn me down, of course.”
This last was spoken in an anxious tone of voice, and
Janine hastened to tell Sandy she would enjoy touring the museum in his company. Smiling again, he tucked
her hand under his arm, and they walked off
comparing impressions of La Giaconda.
It did not take Janine long to discover that Sandy
disliked museums. When she asked why he had come,
he replied, “Why, I came to meet you, of course. Mark
mentioned to Alan that Rena was leaving tomorrow
and that he thought you would be coming to the
Louvre. It seemed like the sort of thing you’d do. So I
came. I knew you’d have to eventually come and look
at the Mona Lisa so I found a comfortable bench and
waited. Really, women are so predictable.”
Janine looked at him oddly. “I see. I’m surprised you
find my company worth suffering through a museum.”
He shrugged. “Oh, I don’t mind. I suppose this sort
of thing is good once in a while. Besides, if it makes you
happy, I’m happy. I’m not selfish. I think a man should
sometimes consider what the woman wants to do.”
Sometimes? A dangerous glint appeared in Janine’s
eyes. But she spoke lightly. “I see. Well, let’s move a
little faster. There’s a lot to see before five o’clock.”
Well before five o’clock, Janine found herself
wishing she were not with Sandy. He managed
consistently to spoil her pleasure by disparaging the
paintings she enjoyed most. In the ancient Egyptian
section, Sandy made jokes about each sarcophagus or
statue. Her relief more than matched his when closing
time came. Janine could not avoid his escort back to
her sister’s apartment building, but she could and did
refuse his offer to take her out to dinner. With a quick
good-bye and a mumbled excuse about helping Rena,
Janine fled up the stairs.
Janine paused to listen for voices before knocking. She did not want to walk in at an inopportune moment.
She heard Rena’s voice clearly. “Please Mark, look
after Jenny while I’m in Switzerland.”
There was a pause and Janine could not make out
Mark’s answer. “I don’t care if she is twenty-two,
Mark, she needs someone to keep an eye on her!”
Oh, really? Janine demanded silently. You’re a
strange one to talk of needing to be looked after, Rena.
Resolutely Janine rang the doorbell. The voices
immediately stopped, and a moment later Rena
opened the door. “Hi, Jenny. How was the Louvre?”
She forced herself to smile. “Fine. I ran into Sandy.”
From the living room Mark said, “Sandy? That’s
odd. I can’t imagine him in a museum.”
Janine noted that, as usual, Mark’s hair needed
combing. For some reason this irritated her. But she
managed to say cheerfully, “To quote him, `It’s a good
place to meet women.”’
“Did he have any luck?” Mark asked, grinning.
“He might have except that he ran into me,” she
answered lightly, avoiding his eyes.
“Well, I’m sure he was satisfied,” Rena said firmly.
Then, hesitantly, she added, “Jenny, I hope you
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