9
She looked quickly down at her breasts and crossed her legs. She seemed a little uncomfortable.
“I just got it, for the party. It’s the first two-piece I’ve ever owned, at least since I was a kid. I didn’t show it to my parents. They’d have a cow if they saw it. Do you really like it?”
I had all I could do to keep from shouting how much I liked it.
“Absolutely! It fits you great. Really. Why shouldn’t you wear a two-piece if you feel like it? You’re not a baby for godsakes!”
She smiled again, just for a second, and looked off to the other end of the pool. I pulled myself up over the edge and sat next to her.
“How do you like the club?” she asked me. I felt I could be honest with her.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Sure.” She had this serious look on her face again.
“Well,” I said, “I don’t much like clubs, any kind of club.” She looked a little hurt and I wanted to explain.
“Look,” I told her, “you’re supposed to be a big deal if you belong to a club. Clubs are a dumb way of making people feel important. I mean, what’s the big deal? A bunch of jerks doing everything together.
"Clubs are just a way of being snooty but very polite about it. And a way for people to check up on each other. Do you know what I mean?”
She didn’t say anything for a minute.
“If you feel that way,” she finally asked me, “why did you come to the party?“
“Well hell, Alice, I didn’t come to join, I came to swim and to see you.”
That seemed to be the right answer. Alice had these very pretty green eyes, and they were beginning to look very sincere. I love it when girls look at you with big sincere eyes.
“I don’t want you to feel hurt by what I said about clubs,” I told her. “It’s not your fault. Kids can’t help what their parents do. I mean, I’m sure it was your father who thought you ought to join after he’d made a pile of dough in the advertising racket.”
She cocked her head.
“You certainly like to get personal with someone,“ she said. I couldn’t tell if she liked it or if she was hurt again.
“Only with certain people,” I told her, “with people I like.“ I was getting a little romantic. I couldn’t help it.
Then she gave me a knowing look.
“You didn’t like me all that much when I lived on Clarence Road.”
“Well, people change. I’ve changed a lot since then, and so have you.