Read Online Rohn Federbush - Sally Bianco 02 - The Appropriate Way by Rohn Federbush - Free Book Online Page B

forehead and nose.
    In the car, Art chatted about not getting accepted at Princeton the year before, and his father’s disappointment. Lincoln College would do for a second year, if he could maintain a passing grade. “Dad says one more semester of bad grades and I’m out.”
    Sally couldn’t seriously consider going away to college. Mother insisted she take shorthand and typing the last two years of high school. Her little brother needed the family’s extra funds for the Seminary. “If I can afford it, I guess I’ll take evening courses at Elgin Community this fall.”
    “We should trade parents. My dad would love to have a kid with your brains.”
    “You’ve read Robinson Crusoe, right?”
    “Everybody had to.”
    “No they didn’t.” Sally pulled the visor down and checked her hair in the mirror. “You own a brain.”
    “When I told my father I was reading Crusoe, he told me I was still reading kids’ books.”
    Sally didn’t want to discuss the merits of parents. “Remember how Crusoe read a bible passage to sustain him every day? “I can’t remember where now; but I read a book where a business man picked up Robinson Crusoe each morning the same way -- to hear what the universe was saying to him.”
    “I’ll try it in Lincoln.” Art went on to describe dinners with his parents. Not fun. The night before he stared at his emptied plate listening to his father demean Tony Montgomery. “My dad says I might amount to something if Tony would leave me alone. But Tony’s grades are better than mine.”
    “Folks always want us to be better than themselves.”
    ‘But never as bad.” Art laughed.
    As Art slowed, before downshifting for the turn from Main to the Dean Street turn-off, Sally’s imagination went into high gear. She envisioned them escaping their parents, riding off to catch the sunset, starting a life together, talking forever into the night, even laying embraced in each other’s arms on some uninhabited island. She sighed as Art made the turn.
    “What?’ he asked.
    “I’ve missed you.” She gathered her wits.
    In the driveway Art sat quietly with the car’s engine purring. As Sally started to open the door, he reached across her and closed it. “It’s nice to have a fan club at home.” The he kissed her cheek.
    “I’m it.” She smiled at him. Her appreciation for every line of his body, every tone of his being, made her forget for a moment all the doubts about her own attractiveness. As she got out of the car, she glanced back. Art’s arm was outstretched toward her empty seat. She smiled good-bye again, content. She would hear from him.
    Still on the telephone with Jill, Sally contemplated falsely claiming to have dated Art. There was no sense lying. “A ride home, just a ride home from the library.”
    “Sure, sure,” Jill said. “Will your mother let you come down with me?”
    “I’m nineteen. What shall I pack?”
    “It’s homecoming. You could take your prom dress.”
    When Sally hung up, the dreadful high-school prom night replayed itself. Her sister, Loretta, had arranged a date with a friend of her husband. Bill, the date’s name was, didn’t say three words the entire evening. In her nervousness, Sally talked non-stop from the moment she got in the boy’s car until they stood in the dark, smelly gym maneuvering around the dippy decorations she helped put up. Bill’s zombie appearance remained intact while he danced. At times, she experienced an overwhelming pity for the guy. He probably thought he she was the worst date in the place. Jill and Tony stopped by their table. Tony complimented Sally’s dress; but when Bill remained silent, Jill had rolled her eyes and pulled Tony away. It was stupid to go out with the idiot. Fifteen library books on Sally’s bookshelf stood ready to provide more heartbeats. She couldn’t bring herself to ask, if Bill was paid to accompany her.
    So, Art Woods had asked to see her, to visit him at college, not directly, but