went on. "My name is Mrs. Barbara Hewitt. I live just over on O'Farrell Street, and I wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed hearing you play the piano these warm evenings. You are quite accomplished."
Heavens above, I sound like an idiot, accosting a stranger on the street this way, she thought. Embarrassed, Barbara looked down at the two dogs who were enthusiastically trying to sniff each other's rears, which, because they were about the same length, meant they were going around and around in a tight circle, completely entangling their leashes.
"Oh, dear," she said. "They are getting tied up!" She looked up and saw that the other wo man was awkwardly trying to control her dog with her right hand while she used her left to hold the half veil of her hat down over the left side of her face.
I wonder what she is trying to hide? Barbara’s heart squeezed painfully as she remembered her own fearful attempts to hide the cuts and bruises that bloomed periodically on her face after her husband's rages. Not wanting the woman to catch her staring, Barbara again looked down at the dogs at her feet and said, "Oh, what a splendid dog you have. What kind is he?"
"He is a Scottish terrier," a soft voice replied. "I call him Gordie. He seems to like your dog. What breed is he?"
"Oh, I think he is some sort of mixture. Jamie, that's my son, found him on the street being tormented by some boys. We call him Dandy. There, I think we have them untangled," Barbara added.
The other woman pulled her dog to her side, letting her full skirts separate the dogs. She then nodded politely and began to move past Barbara.
"Oh, Mrs. Francis, before you go. You must think me daft. But I particularly wanted to meet you because I wondered if you ever gave piano lessons. I would like my son, he is eight, to learn. I wouldn't be able to pay much, but...."
"Oh my, no," the woman said. "I don't think that would be possible. My husband wouldn't let…I mean, a small boy in the house…I don't think he...."
Barbara broke into the woman's protestations. "You have misunderstood me. I live at Mrs. Fuller's boarding house on O'Farrell, and she has an upright in the parlor that she lets the boarders use. I thought you might be able to teach him there."
Seeing that the woman was shaking her head and uttering more disjointed phrases, Barbara continued, "Please, just think about it. Now I must let you go on your way. It was a pleasure to meet you."
As she moved past, she thought she heard Mrs. Francis reply faintly, "So kind of you.” Perhaps she is just shy, Barbara thought as she moved on. I could stop by and visit her next week, bring Jamie with me; nobody withstands his charm.
*****
Barbara sat bolt upright in her bed, drenched in sweat. Her heart pounded, the remnants of a dream swiftly evaporating. She had been back in Kansas, lost in the cornfields, and she had shouted. No, someone else had shouted. As her eyes began to focus, she realized Dandy was standing on the bed beside her, staring intently towards the window, whose curtain she had left open in the weak hope that this would permit the ferocious heat of the room to escape.
"Did you hear something, Dandy?" she whispered. When she spoke, he looked back at her briefly and then turned again, leaning forward, his neck stretched out, sharp ears cocked. Without warning, he began to growl while backing up, never turning his head from the window. Barbara snatched the dog to her chest, trying to soothe him. She feared he would wake Jamie or, worse yet, Miss Minnie and Miss Millie across the hall. Then she noticed Dandy was trembling violen tly, and she could feel his heart beating wildly under her hands.
"What is it, boy? Let's go see. Is there a prowler out there? Do we need to sound the alarm?" Barbara disengaged herself from the bedclothes and got up, all the while stroking the agitated dog. She crossed to the desk in front of the window, which was again piled high with essays to grade. Looking
Heavens above, I sound like an idiot, accosting a stranger on the street this way, she thought. Embarrassed, Barbara looked down at the two dogs who were enthusiastically trying to sniff each other's rears, which, because they were about the same length, meant they were going around and around in a tight circle, completely entangling their leashes.
"Oh, dear," she said. "They are getting tied up!" She looked up and saw that the other wo man was awkwardly trying to control her dog with her right hand while she used her left to hold the half veil of her hat down over the left side of her face.
I wonder what she is trying to hide? Barbara’s heart squeezed painfully as she remembered her own fearful attempts to hide the cuts and bruises that bloomed periodically on her face after her husband's rages. Not wanting the woman to catch her staring, Barbara again looked down at the dogs at her feet and said, "Oh, what a splendid dog you have. What kind is he?"
"He is a Scottish terrier," a soft voice replied. "I call him Gordie. He seems to like your dog. What breed is he?"
"Oh, I think he is some sort of mixture. Jamie, that's my son, found him on the street being tormented by some boys. We call him Dandy. There, I think we have them untangled," Barbara added.
The other woman pulled her dog to her side, letting her full skirts separate the dogs. She then nodded politely and began to move past Barbara.
"Oh, Mrs. Francis, before you go. You must think me daft. But I particularly wanted to meet you because I wondered if you ever gave piano lessons. I would like my son, he is eight, to learn. I wouldn't be able to pay much, but...."
"Oh my, no," the woman said. "I don't think that would be possible. My husband wouldn't let…I mean, a small boy in the house…I don't think he...."
Barbara broke into the woman's protestations. "You have misunderstood me. I live at Mrs. Fuller's boarding house on O'Farrell, and she has an upright in the parlor that she lets the boarders use. I thought you might be able to teach him there."
Seeing that the woman was shaking her head and uttering more disjointed phrases, Barbara continued, "Please, just think about it. Now I must let you go on your way. It was a pleasure to meet you."
As she moved past, she thought she heard Mrs. Francis reply faintly, "So kind of you.” Perhaps she is just shy, Barbara thought as she moved on. I could stop by and visit her next week, bring Jamie with me; nobody withstands his charm.
*****
Barbara sat bolt upright in her bed, drenched in sweat. Her heart pounded, the remnants of a dream swiftly evaporating. She had been back in Kansas, lost in the cornfields, and she had shouted. No, someone else had shouted. As her eyes began to focus, she realized Dandy was standing on the bed beside her, staring intently towards the window, whose curtain she had left open in the weak hope that this would permit the ferocious heat of the room to escape.
"Did you hear something, Dandy?" she whispered. When she spoke, he looked back at her briefly and then turned again, leaning forward, his neck stretched out, sharp ears cocked. Without warning, he began to growl while backing up, never turning his head from the window. Barbara snatched the dog to her chest, trying to soothe him. She feared he would wake Jamie or, worse yet, Miss Minnie and Miss Millie across the hall. Then she noticed Dandy was trembling violen tly, and she could feel his heart beating wildly under her hands.
"What is it, boy? Let's go see. Is there a prowler out there? Do we need to sound the alarm?" Barbara disengaged herself from the bedclothes and got up, all the while stroking the agitated dog. She crossed to the desk in front of the window, which was again piled high with essays to grade. Looking
Similar Books
