Ten North Frederick by O'Hara John

Author:O'Hara, John [O'Hara, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Classics, Historical
ISBN: 9780698141803
Goodreads: 50534970
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 1955-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

“Not Deaver or d’ Acosta or one of those?”

“No, I’d never heard the name before. He has an office on Walnut Street.”

“Well, I hope you remember the number, on Walnut Street.”

“I have it all written down, and Billy telephoned him long distance last week.”

“I’d like to drop in and say hello before she leaves.”

“I’d rather you didn’t. She—”

“You’re right, you’re right. It might alarm her. You’re absolutely right.” Joe nodded. “Make it seem like—nothing very serious, nothing to get alarmed over. I’ll send her a book to read on the train.”

“That would be nice.”

“Something light, humorous,” said Joe. “Would she like some candy? You know Marian’s homemade candy.”

“She loves Marian’s candy.”

“You know, Arthur, it’s awful how much of our lives we spend just waiting, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Edith and I, first waiting to be sure she was going to have the baby, then waiting for her to have it. Now you, waiting to take poor Mildred to Philadelphia, and waiting there for what the doctor has to say.”

“I know what he’s going to say, Joe. And that’s when the worst waiting begins.”

“Oh, no. You don’t think it’s that bad. Do you really?”

Arthur nodded. “Whatever it is, it’s gone too far. And Mildred knows it too. We pretend, but we know.”

“Oh, Jesus, Arthur. Here I am, so God damn happy, with my son . . . Arthur, I feel like a shit. I’ve been no help to you at all.”

“Oh, yes you have. Yes—you—have.”

“Don’t be ashamed to cry.”

“I’m not ashamed. I was just hoping I wouldn’t.”

Joe rose. “I’m going upstairs. You stay here as long as you like, and don’t bother about the lights. I’ll turn them out when I go to bed.”

“Thanks, Joe.”

“And I’m right here every night, you know that.”

“I know,” said Arthur. “Congratulations. That’s really why I came.”

Joe smiled and left him.

• • •

Newness lasts longer in a small town than in a big city, whether the newness is on a private residence, a store building, a new baby—or, for that matter, a corpse. A new baby remains a fresh conversational topic long past his first birthday, just as a house that has sheltered a family for a full generation may continue to be referred to as a new house. And in the same way a man who has lost a loved one in March is still being told, in December, that “I’m sorry for your trouble,” if the speaker is Irish, or the conventional expressions of sympathy if he is not. Joe Chapin thus was receiving expressions of sympathy (and sorrow for his trouble) while accepting the early congratulations on the birth of his son.

As an example there was the case of Mike Slattery, when the two men had a chance meeting on Main Street. “Good morning, Joe,” said Mike.

“Good morning, Mike,” said Joe.

“The last time I talked to you was right on this very spot,” said Mike. “Only that time it wasn’t to congratulate you.”

“I remember,” said Joe.

“Very pleasant news. The mother and child both doing well, I trust? I’ve heard nothing to the contrary.

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