“My eyes are wide open. She’ll never love me.” “Don’t tell me. Tell yourself. Believe yourself.” “I do.” He shook his head and laughed a little. “I see it coming and I tell you ‘Look out, she’s murder’ and you say ‘You’re absolutely right’ and then off you go to slit your own throat.” He leaned over the table seriously. “Leave her, Laura,” he pleaded, and took her by surprise with his earnestness. “It’s no good falling for a straight one. Believe me.” “I won’t leave her,” she said stubbornly. “I know what I’m doing.” He leaned back with a sigh. “Then at least look at somebody else,” he said. “Look at Beebo. She’s cruising you like mad.” “Who’s Beebo? I wouldn’t look at anybody with such a ridiculous name. What’s cruising?” “Beebo’s a friend of mine. And cruising—well—you’ll catch on.” He grinned. Laura turned warily around. At the bar sat the handsome boyish girl she had admired the week before. She was gazing boldly, but without great interest, at Laura. When Laura turned to see her she smiled, very slightly. Laura turned back to Jack. “Is that Beebo?” she asked. “In the black pants?” Jack laughed at her. “You mean tan shorts?” Laura looked again. “Well, she had on black pants last time.” “Did she?” He grinned. “She says you had on a blue dress with a white collar. You did, too. I remember it. She liked it.” Laura stared at him and then got indignant. “What’s she doing, remembering my clothes like that? That’s silly.” “So are you. You noticed hers.” “I just—oh, damn! She followed us into the john.” “I know. She talked to me before she went after you. I told you, Mother. She likes your face.” “She likes Marcie’s. That’s why she followed us,” she snapped. He shook his head “no.” “How do you know?” Laura flared, the jealousy working in her. “I know Beebo,” he chuckled. Laura was getting curious. She finished her drink in three big swallows, which made Jack laugh. “Is she a friend of yours?” she said. He shrugged. “More or less. I keep running into her at parties. For years we ran into each other before we finally got acquainted. I like her. She’s a hellion, but I like her. She’s a cynic like me.” “What a pity.” Laura feigned unconcern, running a wet finger around the edge of her glass. “She looks like Beth,” she said. “A little.” Jack blew smoke through his nostrils from a freshly lighted cigarette. “That means you like her,” he said. Laura refused to honor such nonsense with an answer. She was rather drunk now. She turned again to look at Beebo. Beebo was still gazing at her, and she winked, with that faint private smile still on her face. Laura turned quickly back to Jack. “Is she coming over?” she said, feeling slightly elated. Jack was grinning past her at Beebo and nodding. At her words he glanced at her. “No,” he said. “She’s an uppity bitch.” Laura was disappointed. “Another drink?” “One more. That’s all. What time is it?” “Eleven-thirty.”