I guess I’ll go on home now, Raymond said.
Why ever would you do that? Maggie said.
Because I know how this comes out.
No, you don’t. She’s only dancing with him. She’ll be back.
I don’t know that.
He turned toward the floor again as Rose and the man came swinging past.
Just wait, Maggie said. You’ll see.
Then the music ended and the man brought Rose back to the booth and thanked her. Raymond stood as she slid past him onto the seat and then sat back down beside her. There were little drops of sweat at her temples and her hair was damp at the edges of her face, her cheeks bright red. Would you get me another drink, please? she said.
I believe I can do that, Raymond said. He caught the eye of the barmaid and ordered them each another drink and they all began talking where they’d left off. After a while the big man in the string tie came back again to ask if Rose cared to dance, but she said she would sit this one out, that she was happy where she was.
Then Maggie and Guthrie went over to the bar to see some people they knew. Raymond waited until he saw they were talking with the other people, then turned back to Rose. Can I ask you something?
If you want to, Rose said.
I don’t even know how to ask it.
What do you want to know?
Well. I just want you to tell me right now if I got any chance of seeing you again. If you got somebody else hiding in the bushes I wish you’d tell me, so I don’t make a fool of myself.
She smiled. Hiding in the bushes? What bushes?
Any bushes.
There’s nobody hiding in the bushes.
There ain’t.
No. So does that mean you might call me?
Yes ma’am. That’s pretty much what it does mean.
When?
How about some night this coming week? Maybe you’d let me take you out for supper.
I’d look forward to it.
Would you?
Yes, I would.
Then I guess I’ll call you.
Then I guess I’ll be waiting.
Ma’am, I’ll be waiting myself, Raymond said.
T
HE DANCE ENDED AT MIDNIGHT AND THE LIGHTS CAME
on in the dance hall, and the people in attendance at the firemen’s ball got up and moved up the stairs to the parking lot. Raymond walked Rose Tyler to her car and wished her good night, then turned toward home. Out in the country the wind had stopped and the entire vault of the moonless sky was crowded with stars. When he stepped out of the pickup, the house was dark and Victoria and Katie and Del Gutierrez were all in their beds. In the kitchen he turned the light on and got down a glass and drank some water, standing at the window looking out where the yardlight was shining across the outbuildings and over the horse barn and corrals.
Then Victoria came out to the kitchen in her nightgown and robe. She looked sleepy and dark-eyed.
Did I wake you? he said.
I heard you out here.
I thought I was being quiet.
How was it? she said. Did you have a good time?
I did.
What did you do?
Well, I spent most of the night with Tom and Maggie and a woman named Rose Tyler. Are you acquainted with her?
I don’t think so.
She’s a pretty nice woman.
What did she look like?
What did she look like? Well, she had dark hair. And she was about the same size as you, only not so thin.
What was she wearing?
I believe she had on a green dress. Kind of silky to the feel. She looked nice in it too.
And did you dance with her?
Yes ma’am. I was a dancing fool. She got me out there.
What kind of dancing?
Well, for one thing we did the waltz.
I don’t even know how to do that.
All you got to do is count it out. It’s three-four time Rose said.
Show me.
Now?
Yes.
Okay then. He took her hand and she set her other hand on his shoulder.
Go ahead. What’s wrong?
I’m trying to remember. Then he began to count and they danced twice around the kitchen table in a slow swaying movement, the old man with his stiff iron-gray hair and wool shirt and dark slacks, and the black-haired girl just risen from bed, come out to the room in her blue robe.
Thank you, she said when they had stopped.
I had me a good time tonight, he said.
I’m so glad.
And I know one other thing too. There’s a young girl that had her finger mixed up in this.
I might have had something to do with it, Victoria said. But not the dancing. I didn’t know about you and Rose Tyler.
He kissed her forehead. But don’t you do nothing else. I want to think I can manage the next step by myself.
38
O
N AN EVENING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK RAYMOND
drove into Holt in his pickup. He had shaved and showered and put on cologne, and again was wearing his dark trousers and blue wool shirt and the silver-belly Bailey hat. After Rose invited him inside, he looked around the front rooms of her house, at the good furniture and the lamps and the good pictures on the walls. Raymond, how are you tonight? she said.
I’m doing okay, he said.
Shall we go?
Yes ma’am. Whenever you’re ready.
I’m ready now.
Where would you like to eat?
You decide, Rose said.
Well. Would the Wagon Wheel Café suit you?
That’d be fine, she said.
He walked her out to the pickup and opened the door and she slid onto the seat holding the skirt of her dress in place. In the warm spring night she was wearing a light cotton dress the color of peaches and a thin pale-green sweater.
You look awful nice, Raymond said when he came around and got into the cab. That’s a real pretty dress you’re wearing. It’s a different one from last time.
Yes, she said. Thank you. You look nice too, Raymond.
Oh, I wouldn’t say that.
Why wouldn’t you?
Ma’am. Look at me.
I am looking at you, Rose said.
A
T THE WAGON WHEEL CAFé OUT EAST ON THE HIGHWAY
there were a great many cars and pickups in the parking lot, and when they got inside the front door of the café people were standing about in groups, waiting to be seated. The hostess wrote Raymond’s name on her list and said it would be about twenty minutes.
Would you rather wait outside? Rose said.
Will she find us out there?
I’m sure she will.
Outside, Rose sat down on the brick ledge of the café’s flower bed. More people were coming in from the parking lot.
I should of made us a reservation, Raymond said. I never thought so many people came out in the middle of the week.
It’s because it’s such a pleasant night, Rose said. It’s finally springtime.
Yes ma’am. But I still didn’t think we’d have so much competition.
A middle-aged couple stopped to speak with Rose, and she said: Do you know Raymond McPheron?
How do you do, the man said.
I’m doing pretty good. If I could get us something to eat, I’d be doing even better.
How long have you been waiting?
We just got here. But the woman said it’d be about twenty minutes.
It better be worth the wait, hadn’t it.
I have nice company to wait with anyhow, Raymond said.
H
ALF AN HOUR LATER THE HOSTESS STEPPED OUTSIDE THE
door and called Raymond’s name and they followed her to a table in the second room, and Raymond held Rose’s chair out, then sat down across from her. The hostess left their menus on the table. The waiter will be with you in a minute, she said.
Raymond looked around the crowded rooms. I was in here with Victoria about a year ago, he said. With her and Katie. But not since. I just thought of this place because this is where she and Del come last week. It’s no telling how soon we’ll get waited on.
Is there any rush? Rose said.
He looked across the table at her and she was smiling at him. Her hair was shining under the light and she had taken her sweater off. You’re right. I better quit talking about it.
Aren’t you having a good time?
I wouldn’t be no other place right now, Raymond said. It’s just kind of late to be eating supper, that’s all I mean. He looked at his watch. It’s getting awful close to seven-thirty.
You wouldn’t do well in New York or Paris, would you.
I wouldn’t even do very good in Fort Morgan, he said.
She laughed. Let’s relax and enjoy ourselves.
Yes ma’am. That’s the right idea.
I
N FACT, THE WAITRESS CAME RIGHT THEN, A YOUNG
woman whose face was flushed from hurrying back and forth in the crowded rooms. She and Rose knew each other. You’re really busy tonight, Rose said.
Isn’t this crazy, for a Wednesday, she said. I’m about to lose my mind. Can I get you something to drink?
Rose ordered a glass of the house wine and Raymond ordered a bottle of beer, then the young woman rushed away.
It looks like you about know everybody here, Raymond said.
Oh no, not everyone. But quite a few.
While they waited, another couple paused to speak with Rose, then the waitress brought their drinks and they each ordered a steak and a baked potato and salad, and then Rose held up her glass and said: Cheers.
Happy days to you, Raymond said, and they clinked glasses and drank, and Rose smiled at him.
Happy days to you too, Raymond.
Later, after their steaks had been served, an old man on his way out of the café came over wearing his black hat, and Raymond was able to introduce Rose to someone she didn’t know. This here’s Bob Schramm, Raymond said. I want you to meet my friend Rose Tyler. Bob here has a nice place out north of town.
Schramm took his hat off. Not like the McPherons’ place, he said. How you been, Raymond?
Well, I’m doing all right.
You take care then. Ma’am, it was a pleasure meeting you.
Schramm put his hat back on his head and left, and they talked and ordered another round of drinks. Rose explained to Raymond that she had a grown son who lived on the western slope. Her husband had died twenty years ago of a heart attack at the age of thirty. No one expected it, she said. There had been no warning and no one on his side of the family had had heart trouble before. Afterward she had raised their son by herself, and he’d gone on to study at the university in Boulder and now was an architect in Glenwood Springs, and married, with two little boys. I see them as often as I can, she said.
So you’re a grandmother, he said.
Yes. Aren’t I lucky.
Yes ma’am. I’m pretty lucky myself, he said. Having Victoria and Katie in my life.
I knew Victoria’s mother, Rose said. She came in to Social Services one time, but she wasn’t eligible.
Well, she come out to the house one time too, Raymond said, not long after Katie was born. Showed up at the house one afternoon kind of unexpected. I think she had in mind to get close to Victoria again, but her and Victoria didn’t get along. Victoria didn’t want anything to do with her. I didn’t say nothing about it myself, it was up to her to decide. Anyway, I think her mother went off to Pueblo where she come from originally. I ain’t saying anything against the woman. But it was kind of miserable for a while there.
T
HEY FINISHED THEIR DINNER AND RAYMOND GOT THE
check from the waitress and paid it.
Let me leave the tip, Rose said.
You don’t need to.
I know. But I want to.
They went outside to his pickup. The parking lot was half empty now and a soft breeze was blowing. Raymond opened the door for her and she got in.
Would you care to drive out in the country a little ways? she said. It’s such a nice night.
If you’d care to.
Rose rolled the window down and Raymond drove them out east on the highway in the dark night, the fresh air blowing in on them through the opened windows. They drove about ten miles and then he stopped, backed up and turned around and came back. In town the lights of Main Street seemed very bright after the dark on the highway in the flat country. He pulled up to her house and stopped.
Will you come in? she said.
Ma’am, I don’t know. I’m not much good in other people’s houses.
Come in. Let me make you some coffee.
He shut off the engine and came around and opened her door and they walked up to her house. While she went back to the kitchen, he sat down in a large upholstered chair in the front room and looked around at her pictures, everything so clean and carefully arranged and put in order. Rose stepped into the room and said: Do you want sugar and milk with your coffee?
No thank you, ma’am. Just black.
She brought the cups in and handed him one. She took a seat on the couch across from him.
You have a beautiful place here, he said.
Thank you.
They drank their coffee and talked a little more. Finally Raymond had a last sip and stood up. I think it’s time for me to get on home, he said.
You don’t have to go yet.
I better, he said.
She put her cup down and walked over to him. She took his hand. I would like to kiss you, she said. Would you allow me to do that?
Now ma’am, I —
You’ll have to bend down. I’m not very tall.
He bent his head and she took his face in her hands and kissed him thoroughly on the mouth. He held his arms straight at his sides. After she’d kissed him he reached up and touched at his mouth with his fingers.
Wouldn’t you like to come back to the bedroom? she said.
He looked at her in surprise. Ma’am, he said. I’m a old man.
I know how old you are.
I doubt if I could do you any good.
Let’s just see.
She led him back to her bedroom and turned on a low lamp beside the bed. Then she stood in front of him and unbuttoned his blue wool shirt and drew it off his shoulders. He was lean and stringy, with a growth of white hair spread over his chest.
Now will you unbutton me? she said. She turned around.
I don’t know about this.
Yes, you do. I know you know how to undo buttons.
Not on a woman’s dress.
Try.
Well, he said. I suppose it’s kind of like counting out the steps in a waltz dance, ain’t it.
She laughed. You see. It’s not so bad. You’ve made a joke.
A awful little one, he said.
He began awkwardly to unbutton her peach dress. She waited. It took him a long time. But she didn’t say anything, and when he was finished she slipped out of the dress and laid it over the back of a chair and turned to face him. Her slip was peach-colored too, and she looked very pretty in the slip. Her round shoulders were freckled and she had full breasts and wide hips. What would you think of getting out of your pants and boots now? she said.
I’ve come this far.
That’s right. You can’t turn back now.
They finished undressing and got into bed.
In bed Raymond was amazed at how it felt to be next to her. It was past all his experience, to be lying next to a woman, both of them unclothed, her body so smooth and warm and full-fleshed, and she herself so good-hearted. She lay facing him with her arms around him, and he slid his hand across the smooth point of her hip, feeling along the upper reaches of her leg. She leaned close and kissed him. Shut your eyes, she said. Try kissing me with your eyes shut.
Yes ma’am.
She kissed him again. Wasn’t that better?
I like looking at your face too, though. At all of you.
Oh my, she said. Aren’t you a nice man. Aren’t we going to have us some fun together.
I’m having a pretty good time already, Raymond said.
Are you?
Yes ma’am. I am.
There’s more, she said.
L
ATER SHE LAY WITH HER HEAD ON HIS ARM AND HE SAID:
Rose. You’re awful good for a old man like me.
You’re not so old, she said. We’ve just had evidence of that.
You’re going to embarrass me now.
There’s no reason for embarrassment. You’re just a healthy man. And you’re good for me too. There aren’t many men like you available in Holt. I know, I’ve looked.
H
E LEFT HER HOUSE AT MIDNIGHT AND DROVE HOME IN
the dark on the narrow blacktop highway. Out in the flat treeless country he counted himself more than lucky. Victoria and Katie in his life, and now to have whatever was starting with this generous woman, Rose Tyler. He drove with the windows rolled down, and the night air came in and brought with it the smell of green grass and sage.