A Post Novelette Complete In This Issue

Strange things happened to the one who wore ...

t was summer twilight in the city, and out front of the quiet-clicking pool hall three young IM cxican-Amcrican men breathed the warm air and looked around a t the world . Sometimes they talked and so metimes they aid nothing at all, but \\ a tched the cars glide by like black panthers on the hot asphalt or saw trolleys THE loom up like thunderstorms, scatter lightning, and rumble away into silence. " Hey," sighed M artinez, at last. He w a~ the youngest, the mos t sweetly sad of the three. ''It's a swell night, huh? Swell." As he observed the world it lliI oved very close and then drifted away and then came clo e again . People, brushing by, were sud­ denly across the street. Buildings fi ve miles MAGIC away suddenly leaned over him. But most of the time everything-peopl e, cars and build­ ings - stayed way out on the edge of the world and could not be touched . On this quiet warm summer evening, Martinez' face was cold . " Tights like this yo u wish-lot of things." " vVishing," said the second man, Villana­ zul , a man who shouted books out loud in his room, but spoke only in whispers on the treet WHITE SUIT " i the u eless pa time of the unemployed." , " Unemployed?" cried Va menos, th e un­ shaven. " Listen to him! We gO t no jobs, no In oney !" "So," sa id Marlinez, "we gOl no fr iend ." " True." Vill anazul gazed off toward the By RAY BRADB R green plaza wh ere the palm lrees swayed in

Tllustra tcd by Tho l"llt o n tz The beautifu l girl looked out. her dark hair faintly stirred by the wind.

the soft night wind. " Do you know wha t I " [ hesita te to suggest," sa id Villa nazul. " Sen or Gom ez, 1 don' t h ard ly k now wish? T wi sh to go in to that plaza a nd speak " that yo u see Gomez. But he's bcen ta lking you--" a mong the businessmen who gather there some crazy talk ror a mon th now, abouL " Know me? You're going to live with me ! n ights to talk big ta lk. But dressed as I a m, clothes. I keep on saying I' ll be in on it to make Come o n !" poor as I am, who would listen? So, M a rtinez, hi m go away. That Gomez." Gomez vanished into the poolroom. M ar­ we have each other. The fri endship of the poor " Frie nd," said a quiet voice. tinez, escorted by the polite Vi ll anazul, pushed is real fr iendship . We --" " G0I11CZ!" Everyone turned to stare. by a n eager Vamenos, round h imsel r inside. But now a ha ndsomc young M exican with a Smiling strangely, Gomez pulled fo rth an "Dominguez!" sa id Comez. fine thin mustache stro ll ed by. And o n each of endless thin yellow ribbon which Au ttered and Dominguez, at a wall telephone, winked a t his careless arms hung a la ughing woma n. swirled on the summer air. lhcm. A woman's voice squeaked on the re­ " A1adre mla!" ~1 ar l i n ez slapped his own "Gomez/' said M artinez, "what you doing ceiver. brow. " H ow docs th at one rate t\ovo fri ends?" w ith that tape 111CaS lIre?" " ~1 a nul o!'3 said Gomez. '' It's his nice new white suit." V amcnos Gomez beamed . " M easuring people's skele- M a nu lo, a wine bottle til ted bubbling LO his chewed a black thumbnail. " He looks sharp." tons." 11-10uth , turned. M artinez leaned out to wa tch the three peo­ " kelerons !" Gomez pointed at 1artinez. "At last we ple moving away, a nd then a t the tenement " H old on ." Gomez squinted at M artin ez. found our li rth volunteer !" acrosS the street, in one fourth-Aoor window of " Caramba ! Where you been a ll my lire! Let's Dnminguez said , " I got a date, don' t bother which, rar a bove, a beautiful girl looked ou t, tr y you !" mc --" and stopped. T he receiver slipped hcr d ark hair fa intly stirred by the wind . She M arLinez saw his a rm seizcd a nd ta ped. his rrom his li ngers. H is li tt le black tclephone had been there forever, w hich was to say, for leg measured , his ehest encircled. book fu ll or line na mes a nd numl ers w nt six weeks. H e had nodded , he had ra ised a " Hold sti ll!" cri ed Gomez. " Arm - perfec t. quickly bac k into h is pocket. "Gomez, ha nd, he had sm iled , he had blinked ra pidly; L eg-chest-perfecto! Now, q u ick, the heighL ! you --" he had even bowed to her, on the street, in the T here! Yes! Five-roo t- live! You' re in! Shake !" " Yes, yes ! Your. Jnoney, now! Vamos.''' hall whcn visiting rriends, in the park, down­ Pum ping M artinez' ha nd he stopped suddenly. The woman's voice izzlcd on the dangling town. Even now, he put his ha nd up from his " Wa it. You got- ten bucks?" phone. Dominguez gla nced at it uneasily. wa ist a nd moved his linger . But a ll the lovely " / have!" Vamenos waved some gri my bills. M a nulo consider d the cmpty wine bottle girl did was let the summer wind stir her dark "Gomez, m ~as ure mc!" in his hand and lhe liquor-store sign across the ha ir. H e did not exist. He was nothing. " All [ got left in the world is nine do ll ars Street. " Afadre mia!" He looked away a nd down the a nd ninety-two cents." M artinez searched hi Then, very reluctantly, both men la id len street where the ma n wa lked his two friends pocke ts. "That's enough fo r a new sui t? VVh y?" doll ars each on the green-velvet pool table, around a corner. " Oh, ir j ust I had one sui t. " Why? Because yo u ~o t the right skeletOn, Vill a nazul, a m azed, d id li kewise, as d id one ! I wouldn't need money if r looked O. K ."' tha t' s w hyP' Comez, n u d~inf{ ( ntinucd on Page 47) October 4, 1958 The men stared at his right hand and The Magic White Suit (Continued from Page 29) the card; at his left hand and a soiled ten­ dollar bill. Martinez. Martinez counted out his "They will run no more, they will Gomez swayed. Sweating, he licked his wrinkled bills and change. Gomez freeze," said Gomez, "when they see you lips. Then his hand shot out, seized the flourished the money like a royal flush. in the cool white summer ice-cream suit." money. "Fifty bucks! The suit costs sixty! All "Gomez," said Villanazul, "just let me "The clothing store! The suit! Vamos I" we need is ten bucks!" ask one thing." "Wait," said Martinez. "Gomez, are "Of course, compadre." Mr. Shumway, of SHUMWAY'S SUN­ we talking about one suit? Uno?" "When we get this nice new white ice­ SHINE SUITS, paused while adjusting a tie "Uno I" Gomez raised a finger. "One cream summer suit, some night you're rack, aware of some subtle atmospheric wonderful white ice-cream summer suit! not going to put it on and walk down to change outside his establishment. White, white as the August moon!" the bus in it and go live in El Paso for a "Leo," he whispered to his assistant. "But who will own this one suit?" year in it, are you?" "Look." "Men," said Gomez, "let's show him. "Villanazul, how can you say that?" Outside, one man, Gomez, strolled by, Line up!" "My eye sees and my tongue moves," looking in. Two men, Manulo and Villanazul, Manulo, Dominguez and said Villanazul: "How about the Every­ Dominguez, hurried by, staring in. Three Gomez rushed to plant their backs against body Wins! Punch board Lotteries you men, ymanazul, Martinez, and Vamenos, the poolroom wall. ran and you kept running when nobody jostling shoulders, did the same. "Martinez, you, too, the other end, line won? How about the United Chili Con "Leo." Mr. Shumway swallowed. up! Now, Va men os, lay that billiard cue Came and Frijole Company you were "Call the police!" across our heads!" going to organize and all that ever hap­ Suddenly, six men filled the doorway. "Sure, Gomez; sure!" pened was the rent ran out on a two-by­ Martinez, crushed among them, his The cue lay flat on all their heads, with four office?" stomach slightly upset, his face feeling no rise or fall, as Vamenos slid it, grin­ "The errors of a child now grown," feverish, smiled so wildly at Leo that Leo ning, along. said Gomez. "Enough! In this hot let go the telephone. "We're all the same height!" said weather, someone may buy the special "Hey," breathed Martinez, eyes wide. Martinez. suit that is made just for us that stands "There's a great suit, over there!" "The same!" Everyone laughed. waiting in the window of SHUMWAY'S "No." Manulo touched a lapel. "This "Sure!" Gomez said. ''It took a SUNSH1NE SUITS! We have fifty dollars. one!" month-four weeks, mind you-to find Now we need just one more skeleton!" "There is only one suit in all the four guys the same size. But now, five of Martinez saw the men peer around the world!" said Gomez coldly. "Mr. Shum­ us, same shoulders, chests, waists, arms; poolhall. He looked where they looked. way, the ice-cream white, size thirty-four, and as for weight? Men!" He felt his eyes hurry past Vamenos, then was in your window just an hour ago! It's Manulo Dominguez, Villanazul, come reluctantly back to examine his gone! You didn't --" Gomez and, at last, Martinez stepped dirty shirt, his huge nicotined fingers. "Sell it?" Mr. Shumway exhaled. " No, onto the scales which flipped ink-stamped "Me!" Vamenos burst out, at last. no. In the dressing room. It's still on the cards at them as Vamenos, still smiling, "My skeleton, measure it, it's great! Sure, dummy. This way, gents. Now which of wildly fed pennies. ~y hands are big, and my arms, from you --" Heart pounding, Martinez read the dIgging ditches! But --" "All for one, one for all!" Martinez cards. Just then Martinez heard passing on heard himself say, and laughed wildly. "One hundred thirty-five pounds; one the sidewalk outside, that same terrible " We'll all try it on!" thirty-six' one thirty-three; one thirty­ man with his two girls, all laughing and "All?" Mr. Shumway stared. four; on~ thirty-seven. A miracle.!" yelling together. He saw anguish move That's it, thought Martinez, look at our "No," said Villanazul sImply; like the shadow of a summer cloud on the smiles. Now, look at the skeletons behind "Gomez." faces of the other men in this poolroom. our smiles 1 Measure here, there .. up, They all smiled upon that genius, who Slowly, Va men os stepped onto the down .. yes, do you see? now circled them with his arms. scales and dropped his penny. Eyes Mr. Shumway saw. He nodded. He "Are we not fine?" he wondered. "All closed, he breathed a prayer. shrugged. the same size all the same dream-the "Madre mfa, please." "All I" He jerked the curtain. "There! suit. So each ~f us will look beautiful at The machinery whirred, the card. fell Buy it, and I'll throw in the dummy, least one night each week, eh?" out. Vamenos opened his eyes. free !" "I haven't looked beautiful in years," "Look! One hundred thirty-five pounds! Martinez peered quietly into the booth, said Martinez. "The girls run away." Another miracle!" his motion (Continued 0" Page 51) October 4, 1958

(Collfillued from Page 47) dra wing th e va nilla ice cream, as the bottled mi lk in others to peertoo. Thesuit was there. And tenement halls at dawn. White as a winter it was white. cloud a ll alone in the moonl it sky late at Martinez took a great trembling ni ght. breath a nd exhaled, whispering, "Ai. " White," murmured Villanazul. "White Ai, caramba I" as the snow on that moun ta in near our "It put s out my eyes," murmured town in Mex ico wh ich is called the Sleep­ Good earnings for the telephone Gomez. ing Woman." " Mr. Shumway." Martinez heard Leo "Say that again," said Gomez. hissin g. " Ain't it dangerous precedent , to Villanazul, proud ye t humble, was glad se ll it ? I mean, what if everybody bought to repeat his tribute : " White as the snow one suit for six people?" on the mountain ca ll ed --" company have a way of being " Leo," sa id Mr. Shumway, "you ever ''I'm back!" hear one single fift y-nine-doll ar suit make Shocked, the men whirled to see Va­ so many people ha ppy at the same time menos in the door, wine bottles in each before?" hand. " Angel's wings," murmured M artinez. " A party! Here! ow tell us, who good for the customer, too "The wings of white angels." wears the suit fi rst ton ight ? Me?" Martinez fe lt Mr. Shumway peering '" It's too late !" ' sa id Gomez. over his shoulder into the booth. The pale " Late ! It's onl y nine-fi ft een !" glow filled his eyes. "La te ?" said everyone, bristling. " You know something, Leo?" he said, " Late ?" in awe. " That's a suit !" Gomez edged away from these men who gl ared from hi m to the suit to the Gomez, shouting, whistl ing, ran up to open window. the third-floor landing and turned to Outside and below, it was, after all , wave on the others, who staggered, thought Martinez, a fine Saturday ni ght la ughed, stopped and had to sit down on tn a summer month, and through the calm the steps below. warm darkness the women drifted like "Tonight!" cried Gomez. "Tonight flowers on a quiet strea m. The men made you move in with me, eh ? Save rent as a mournful sound. well as clothes, eh? Sure! Martinez, you "Gomez, a suggestion. " Villanazul got the suit ?" licked his pencil and drew a chart on a pad. " You wea r the suit from nine-thirty to ten, Manu lo till ten-thirty, Dominguez till eleven, myself till cleven-thirty, Mar­ tinez till midnight , and --" Ifyo u' re gelling a big cha rge " Why me last ?" demanded Vamenos out of life, your wife an'd d a ug h­ SCOWling. ' ter have been shopping. Martinez thought qui ckly and smiled. "After midnight is the best time, friend." K EN SHIVEL Y " Hey," said Va menos, " that's right. I never thought of that. O.K." Gomez sighed. " All ri ght. A half hour " Have I?" Martinez lifted the white each. But from now on, remember, we gift-wrapped box high . " From us to us! each wear the suit just one night a wee k. E verybody has problems. O ne of ours is the rather Ai-hah!" Sundays we draw straws for who wears " Vamenos, you got the dummy?" the suit the extra night. ·' widespread beli ef that the sure way to low telephone "Here!" " Me !" laughed Vamenos. ''I'm lucky!" ra tes is to keep the company's earn ings as low as Gomez held onto Martinez, tight. Va menos, chewing an old cigar, scat­ possible. tering sparks, slipped. The dummy, faIl­ " Gomez," urged Martinez, "you fi rst. Dress." ing. toppled , turned over twice, and Attractive a this may seem at the moment, it h as ba nged down the stairs. Gomez could not tear his eyes from " Va menos! Dumb! Clumsy !" that di sre puta ble Vamenos. At last, im­ di stinct hazards for the telephone user. llandeuffin g They seized the dummy from him. pulsively, he ya nked his shirt off over his the company li mits progress and long-range economies, Stricken, Vamenos looked about as if head. "Ai-yeah!" he howled. " Ai­ he'd lost something. yeee!" and will lead to poorer service at a h igher price than Manulo sna pped his fingers. " Hey, the customcr would otherwi e have to pay. Vamenos, we got to celebrate ! Go borrow Whisper, rustle-the clean shirt. " Ah!" some wine!" T his fact is receiving increa ing recognition by the Vamenos plunged downstai rs in a How clean the new clothes felt , thought wh irl of sparks. Martinez, holding the coat ready. How commiss ions which regulate t el ~ phone ra tes and earn­ The others moved into the room with clean they sounded ; how clean they in gs. But it is not something that concerns the com­ the suit, leaving Mart inez in the hall to smelled! study Gomez's face. Whisper-the p.l ntS, the tie; rustl e­ miss ions alone. It need yo ur understa nding, too. "Gomez, you look sick." the suspenders. Whisper. Now Martinez " I am, " said Gomez. " For what have I let loose the coat, whic h fell in place on Regulation ca n only work best in the interes t of all fl exing shoulders. done?" He nodded to the shadows in the when it is free to ac t in the interest of all on the basis room work ing about the dummy. " I pick " Ole!" Dominguez, a dev il with the women. All Gomez turned li ke a matador in his of economic facts. ri ght. I pick Manulo, who drinks, yes, but wondrous suit-of-lights. who sings as sweet as a girl, eh? O.K. " Olt!, Gomez; olti!" Authorizin g good earnin gs for the telephone com­ Gomez bowed and went out the door. Villanazul reads books. You, you wash pa ny requires wisdom and foresight and someti mes behind your ears. But thell what do I do? Martinez fixed his eyes on his wa tch. At Can I wa it ? No! I got to buy that suit! So ten sharp he heard so meone wa ndering ca lls for a high degree of poli tical courage. Such ac­ about in the hall as if he had fo rgotten the last guy I pick is a clumsy slob who ti on. howcver, in the long run will return the greatest has the right to wear my suit --" He where to go. Martinez pulled the door stopped, confused. " Who ge ts to wear open and looked out. Gomez was there, va lue to the public. ollr suit one ni ght a week, fa ll down in it, heading for nowhere. or not come in out of the rain in it! Why, He looks sick, thought Martinez. No; Fortunately, fro m the standpoin t of the in divi dual stunned, shook lip, surprised, many 'things. why, why did I do it!" telephone user, our in creased rate needs where re­ "Gomez," whispered Vill anazul from "Gomez ! This is the place!" the room, " the suit is ready. Come, see If Gomez turned around and found his quired, are small . T hey usually come t~ not more way through the door. it looks as good usi ng your li ght bulb:' than a few cents a day on the average customer's bill. Gomez and Martinez entered. And " Oh , fri ends, fri ends ," he sai d. there on the dummy in the center of the "' Friends. what an experience ! This suit ! room was the phosphorescent , the mi­ This suit !" racul ously white-fired ghost with the in­ "Tell us, Gomez!" said Ma rt inez, credible lapels, the precise stitching, the " I can't ; how can I say it !" He gazed at BELL TELEPHONE SYSTEM @ neat buttonholes. Standing with the white the heavens, a rms spread, palms up. illumi nati on of the suit upon his cheeks, "Tell us, Gomez !" Mart inez suddenl y fe lt he was in chu rch. " I have no words, no words. You must White! Whi te! It was white as the whitest see, yourself! Yes, yo u must see:' And T il l! SATUR D AY EVEN IN G POST

here he lapsed into si lence, shaking his you know Carlyle's Sartor Resa rtus ? In head until at last he remembered they all that book we find iris Philo ophy of stood watching him. " Who's next ? Suits... · ManuloT And at last it was time for Martinez to Manulo, stripped to his shorts, leaped let the su it Aoat him out to haunt the forward. darkness. "Ready!" Four times he walked around the All laughed, shouted, whistled. block. Four times he pa used beneath the Manulo, ready. went out the door. He tenement porches, lookin g up at the win~ was gone twenty-nine minutes and thirt y dow where the light was lit, a shadow seconds. He came back holding to door­ mo ved, the beautiful girl was there, not knobs. touching the wall, feeling his own there, away and gone, and on the fifth elbows. putting the nat of his hand to his time. there she was. on the porch above, face. driven out by the summer heat. taking the "Oh, let me tell you," he said. "COlI/­ cooler air. She glanced down. She made a padres, I went to the bar, eh. to ha ve a gesture. drink ? But no. I did not go in the bar, do At first he thought she was waving to you hear? I did not drink. For as I walked him. He felt like a white explosion that I began to laugh and sing. Why, why? I had riveted her attention . But she was not listened to myself and a ked this. Becau se. waving. Her hand gestured, and the next The suit made me feel better than wine moment a pair of framed glasses sat ever did. The suit made me drunk. drunk! upon her nose. She gazed at him. So I went to the Guadalajara Reji-iteria Ah, ah, he thought, so that's it! So! instead and played the guitar and sa ng EI 'l~ lIt" e blind mall see this suit! He smiled four songs, very high! The suit, ah, the up at her. He did not have 10 wave. And suit !" at las t, she smiled back. She did not have Dominguez, next to be dressed, moved to wave either. Then. because he did not out through the world, came back from know what else to do, and he cou ld not the world. get rid of this smi le that had fastened it­ Tire black telepirone book! thought self to his cheek s. he hurried. almost ran Martinez. He had il ill his hal1ds when he around the corner, feeling her stare after lefl ! Now he reTurns, hands emplY! "Vllal ? him. Wirat ? When he looked back, she had taken "On the street ," sa id Dominguez, see­ ofT her glasses and gazed now with the ing it all again. eyes wide. "on the street I look of the nearsighted at what, at most. walked, a woman cried. 'Dominguez. is must be a moving blob of light in the that you?' Another sa id. ' Dominguez? great darkness here. Then, for good No. Quetzalcoatl, the Great White God measure he went around the block again. come from the East," do you hear? And through a cit y so sudden ly beautiful he suddenly I didn't want to go with six wa nted to ye ll. then laugh, then ye ll women or eight, no. One, I thought. One! again . And to this one. who knows what I would Returning, he drifted, oblivious, eyes say?'Be mine!' Or ' Marry me!' Carall/ba ! half-closed, r,nd see ing him in the door This suit is dangerous! But I did not care! the others saw nOl M artinez, but them­ I live, I live! Gomez, did it happen this selves, come home. In that moment, they way with you?" sensed that so mething had happened to Gomez, still dazed by the events of the them all. evening, shook his head. "No, no talk. " You're late!" cried Vamenos. but It·s too much. Later. Vilianazul T stopped. The spell could not be broken. Villanazul moved shyly forwa rd . "Somebody tell me," s"id Martinez. Villanazul went shyly out. " Who am I T' Villanazul came shyly home. He moved in a slow circle through the "Picture it," he sa id , not looking at room. them, looking at the noor. talking to the Yes, he thought, yes, it was the suit ; noor. "The Green Pla za, a group of yes, it had 10 do with the suit and them elderly busines men gathered under the all together in that store on this fine Sat­ stars and they are talking, nodding, talk­ urday night and then here, laughing and ing. Now one of them whispers. All turn feeling more drunk without drinking, as to sta re. They move aside, they make a M anulo sa id himself, as the night ran channel through which a white-hot light and each slipped on the pants and held. burns its way as through ice. At the ce nter toppling, to the others and, balanced, let of the great light is this person. I take a th e fee ling get bigger and warmer and deep breath. My stomach is jelly. My finer as each man departed and the nexi voice is very sma ll, but it grows louder. took his place in the suit until now here And what do I say? I ay, ' Friends. Do stood M artinez (Col1lillllt'd Oil Page 56 )

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(COllfilllled f l'om Page 52) all splendid touched the mirrors. They shifted. He "The bath!" said everyone. He was not gone a minute when Do- and white as one who gives orders and ~aw a ,housa nd, a million white-armored "No!" Vamenos fl ailed. "The night min guez tumed the doorknob. the worl d grows quiet and moves aside. M artinezes march off into eternity, re­ air! I'm dead! " " Dominguez," sa id Gomez. HM artinez, we borrowed three mirrors fl ected, re-reflected forever, indomitable, They hustled him, ye llin g, out and " Yes?" whi le you we re gone. Look !" a nd unending. down the hall. " If you see Va men os, by accident," The mirrors, se t up as in the store, an­ He held the white coat out on the air. sa id Gomez, "warn him away from gled to reflect three Martinezes and the In a trance, the others did not at first Now here stood Vamenos, unbelieva­ Mickey Murillo's Red Rooster Cafe. echoes a nd memories of those who had recognize the dirty hand that reached to ble in white suit, beard shaved, hair They got fi ghts not" only all TV but out occ upied thi s suit with hi m and known take the coat. Then: combed, nails scrubbed. front of the TV too." the bri ght wo rld inside this 'hread and HVamenos !" His friends scowled da rkly at him. For " H e wouldn't go into Murillo's, " said cl oth . Now, in the shimmering mirror, " Pi g!" was it not true, thought Martinez, that Dominguez. " That suit means too much Martinez saw the enormity of this thing " You didn't wash!" cried Gomez. " Or when Va men os passed by, avalanches to Vamenos. He wouldn't do anything to they were li vin g together, and hi s eyes even shave, while you waited! Compadres, itched on mountain tops. Ifhe wa lked un­ hurt it." grew wet. The others blinked. Martinez the bath!" der windows, people spat, dumped gar­ " He'd shoot his mother first ," said bage, or worse. Tonight now, this night, Martinez. he would stroll beneath ten thousand " Sure he would." wide-opened windows, near balconies, Martinez and Gomez, alone, listened past alleys. Suddenly the world a bso­ to Dominguez' footsteps burry away lutely sizzled with flies. And here was down the stairs. They circled the un­ Va men os, a fresh-frosted cake. dressed window dummy. "You sure look keen in that suit, For a long while, biting his lips, Va men os," said Ma nulo sadly. Gomez stood at the window, looking "Thanks." Vamenos twitched, tryin g out. He touched his shirt pocket twice, to make his skeleton comfortable where pulled his hand away, and then at last all their skeletons had so recently been. pulled something from the pocket. Wi th­ In a sma ll voice, Vamenos said , "Can I out looking at it, he handed it to Mar­ go now?" tinez. " Vill anaw!!" said Gomez. "Copy " M artinez, take thi s .'~ down these rules." " What is it ?" Villanazullicked his pencil. Martinez looked at the piece of folded "First," sa id Gomez, "don't fall down pink paper with print on it, with names in that suit , Vamenos!" and numbers. His eyes widened. " I won't. '· " A ticket on the bus to EI Paso, three "Don't lean against buildings in that weeks from now!" suit." "No buildings." "Don't walk under trees with birds in th~mJ in l~,a t suit. Don't smoke. Don't drink -- C onSC ience is what m akes a uPlease," said Vamenos, "can J sit small boy tell his d ad before his down in thi s suit ?" " When in doubt,. take the pants off, sister does. fold them over a cha,r." HERBERT V. PR OC HNOW " Wish me luck," sa id Vamenos. " Go with God, Vamenos." He went out. He shut the door. There was a ripping sound. Gomez nodded. He couldn't look at "Vamenos !" cried Ma rtinez. He Martinez. He stared out into the summer whipped the door open. night. Vamenos stood with two halves of a "Turn it in . Get the money," he said. handkerchief torn in hi s hands, laughing. "Buy us a nice white panama hat and a " R-r-rip! Look at your faces ! R-r-rip!" pale blue tie to go with the wh ite ice­ He tore the cloth again . " Oh, oh, your cream suit, Martinez. Do th at. " faces, your faces! H a I"~ Roaring, Vamenos slammed the door Mickey Muri ll o's Red Rooster Cafe leaving them stunned and alone. ' a nd Cockta il Lounge was squashed be­ Gomez put both hands on top of his tween twO big brick bui ldings and, being head and turned away. " Stone me. Ki ll narrow, had to be deep. OutSide, ser­ me. I have sold Our souls to a demon!" pents of red and sulphur-green neon Villanawl dug in his pockets took out fi zzed and snapped. Inside, dim shapes a silver coin and studied it r~ r a long loomed and swam away to lose them­ while. sel ves in a swarming night sea. Coptain L J. Alexon derson. Executive Officer of the S. S. United Stotes. U. S. lines "Here is my last fift y cents. Who else Martinez, on tiptoe, peeked through a will help me buy back Va men os' share of fl aked place on the red-painted front win­ the suit?" dow. He felt a .presence on hi s feft , heard Men who sail the seven seas " It 's no use." Manulo showed them breathlOg on h,s right. He glanced in both ten cents. " We got only enough to buy directions. the lapels and the bUllonholes." " Manulo! Villanaw!!" choose the protection of Gomez, at the open window, suddenly " I decided I wa n't thirsty" said leaned out and yelled, "Vamenos! No !" Manulo. " So I took a walk." ' Below on the street, Vamenos, shocked, " I was just on my way to the plaza " blew out a match, and threw away an old said Villanawl, "and decided to go the cigar butt he had found somewhere. He long way around." made a strange gesture to all the men in As if by agreement the three men shut the window above, then waved airily and up noW and turned together to peer or: sauntered on. tiptoe through various flaked Spots on @NWke Somehow, the five men could not the window. move away from the window. They were A moment later, all three felt a new AFTER SHAVE LOTION crushed together there. very warm presence behind them and "I bet he eats a hamburger in that heard still faster breathing. suit," mused Villanazul. " f'm thinking of " Is our w hite suit in there?" asked Now with extra emollients the mustard." Gomez' vOice. "Don't! " cried Gomez." 0, no I"~ " Gomez !" said everybody surp 'sed " Hi!" , n . to keep your skin healthy! Manulo was suddenly at the door. " I need a drink, bad." ':Yes !" cried . Dominguez, having just Follow the lead of the sea fa ri ng men who fa ce winds and " Manulo, there's wine here that bot- a rnved t,o find h,s Own peephole. 'The.re's weather doily, Protect and refresh your face with O ld Sp ice tle, on the floor." ' the SUIt. ~nd, praISe GOd, Vamenos is Aft er Shave Lotion. Good for your skin: sti mulates to a Manulo went out and shut the door. st,1I tn II!' healthy g low, conta ins extra emollients to gua rd against loss A moment later Villanawl stretched . " I can't s'7,!" GO,mez sqUinted, sbield- of vitol skin·moisture. It feels good! Clean. Fresh. Brisk. With with great ex agg~ra tion and strolled 109 h,s eyes. What s he doing?" thot tongy O ld Spice scent. Try it-hoppiest end ing 0 shove S.lected by the U. S. Government for about the room. . Martinez peered. Yes! There: way back ever hod! 100 plus lox showing ollh. World's fai, In Brussel, " I think I'll walk down to the plaza, tn the s h ~ ~ows, was a big chunk of snow, SHUL.TON friends." and the ,d,ot (Colllill"ed 011 Page 58) 58 THE SATURDAY EVENING POST (Continued from Page 56) smile of "Watch! Hey, Ramona!" Vamenos pants, quick, quick, peons / Those doc­ Vamenos winking above it, wreathed in loped. tors! You seen movies? They rip the smoke. "Vamenos, look out!" pants with razors to get them off! They "He's smoking!" said Martinez. Va men os, surprised, whirled, saw a don't care! They're maniacs! Ab, quick, "He's drinking!" said Dominguez. car, heard the shriek of brakes. quick!" "He's eating a taco!" reported Vil- "No," said all five men on the sidewalk. The siren screamed. The men, panick­ and You Give the Finest! lanazu!. Martinez heard the impact and flinched. ing, all handled Vamenos at once. "A juicy taco," added Manulo. His head moved up. Vamenos looked like "Right leg, easy; hurry, cows! Good! "No," said Gomez. "No, no, no." white laundry, he thought, fiying through Left leg, now; left, you hear! There, "Ruby Escuadrillo's with him!" the air. His head came down. easy, easy! Quick! Martinez, your pants, "Let me see that!" Gomez pushed "I don't want to live," said Gomez take them off!" Martinez aside. quietly. "Kill me, someone." "What?" Martinez froze. l

Yes, there was Ruby! Two hundred Then, shuffling, Martinez looked down The siren shrieked. '"\ pounds of glittering sequins and tight and told his feet to walk, stagger, follow "Fool!" wailed Vamenos. "All is lost! black satin on the hoof, her scarlet fin­ one after the other. He collided with Your pants! Give me!" gernails clutching Vamenos' shoulder. other men. Now they were trying to run. Martinezjerked at his belt buckle. Her cowlike face, floured with powder, They ran at last and somehow crossed a "Close in, make a circle!" greasy with lipstick, hung over him! street like a deep river through which Dark pants, light pants, flourished on "That hippo!" said Dominguez. "She's they could only wade, to look down at the air. crushing the shoulder pads. Look, she's Vamenos. "Quick, here come the maniacs with going to sit on his lap !" "Vamenos!" said Martinez. "You're the razors! Right leg on, left leg, there!" "No, no; not with all that powder and alive !" "The zipper, cows, zip my zipper!" lipstick!" said Gomez. "Manulo, inside! Strewn on his back, mouth open, eyes babbled Vamenos. Grab that drink! Villanazul, the cigar, squeezed tight, tight, Vamenos motioned The siren died. the taco! Dominguez, date Ruby Es­ "Madre mia, yes, just in time! They cuadrillo, get her away. Vamos, men!" arrive." Vamenos lay back down and The three vanished, leaving Gomez shut his eyes. "Gracias." and Martinez to stare, gasping, through Martinez turned, nonchalantly buck­ the peekhole. Bay Windovvs ling on the white pants as the interns Sunbeam Electric Tools "Manulo, he's got the drink; he's By John Robert Quinn brushed past. drinking it!" "Broken leg," said one intern as they • .. the Modern Gift for Men "ote / There's Villanazul, he's got the moved Vamenos onto a stretcher. • Cuts 2" dressed lumber cigar; he's eating the taco!" Bay windows, when I was a "Compadres," said Vamenos, "don't be • Ends orm-o(hing sawing "Hey, Dominguez, he's got Ruby! boy, mad with me." • Rips, HOSS(Uts, (Uts cird.s and s(folls • Special blodes (ut iron, steel, plasti(s, etc What a brave one!" Were as much a part of ·life Gomez snorted. "Who's mad?" A shadow bulked through Murillo's As the parlor stove, the [n the ambulance, head tilted back It's rugged, precision built and lightweight lookmg. out at them upstde.' down, Va- · .. easy-to-use ! Longer blade stroke cuts front door, traveling fast. plush faster and smoother. Exclusive, patented "Gomez!" Martinez clutched Gomez' menos faltered. Sunbeam construction. Quick change, self arm. "That was Ruby Escuadrillo's boy Photograph album. Lush "Compadres, when-when I come aligning blade-no tools needed. Complete friend, Toro Ruiz. If he finds her with Fountains of fronded ferns from the hospital, am 1 still in the bunch? with rip guide and blade. Only $45.00 Vamenos, the ice-cream suit will be cov­ Splashed in farmhouse bays; You won't kick me out? Look, I'll give ered with blood, covered with blood --" up smoking, keep away from Murillo's There were gnarled M:;e JUiiliiiim "Don't make me nervous," said Gomez. swear off women --" , famous for Mixmaster, Shavemolter, etc. "Quickly!" begonias with sprays "Vamenos," said Martinez gently, Sunbeam Corporation, Dept. 84, Chicago 50, Ill.; Canada: Toronto 18 .. Both ran. Inside, they reached Va­ Of tiny pink butterflies. "don't promise nothing." menos just as Toro Ruiz grabbed about At intervals, a pair Vamenos, upside down, eyes brim­ two feet of the lapels of that wonderful ming wet, saw Martinez there, all white Of canaries would startle ice-cream suit. now against the stars. "Let go of Vamenos!" said Martinez. the air "Oh, Martinez, you sure look great in "Let go that suit!" corrected Gomez. With rockets of golden song. that suit. Compadres, don't he look beau­ ToroRuiz, tap-dancing Vamenos,leered A genial bay window was tiful ?" at these intruders. sort Villanazul climbed in beside Vamenos. Villanazul stepped up shyly. Villanazul The door slammed. The four remaining Faultless smiled. "Don't hit him. Hit me." Of a temporary port men watched the ambulance drive away. Toro Ruiz hit Villanazul on the nose. Where time could pause, Then, surrounded by his friends inside Villanazul, holding his nose, tears and take the white suit, Martinez was carefully es­ corted back to the curb. stinging his eyes, wandered off. A breath for its own sweet Gomez grabbed one of Toro Ruiz's sake. arms, Martinez the other. In the tenement, Martinez got out the "Drop him, let go, coyote, vaca /" cleaning fluid and the others stood Toro Ruiz twisted the ice-cream-suit around, telling him how to clean the suit material until all six men screamed in and, later, how not to have the iron too mortal agony. Grunting, sweating, Toro his head. back and forth , back and forth , hot and how to work the lapels and the Ruiz dislodged as many as climbed on. moantng. crease and all. When the suit was cleaned He was winding up to hit Vamenos when "Tell me, tell me; oh tell me tell me." and pressed so it looked Like a fresh gar­ Villanazul wandered back, eyes streaming. "Te II you what, Vamenos?"" denia just opened, they fitted it to the "Don't hit him. Hit me!" Vamenos clenched his fists, ground his dummy. As Toro Ruiz hit Villanazul on the teeth. "The suit, what have I done to the "Two o'clock," murmured Villanazul. Faultless "1 hope Vamenos sleeps well. When [ left 1100 nose a chair crashed on Toro's head. A suit, the suit, the suit!" Series mo~ent laterToro was ruins at their feet. The men crouched lower. him, he looked good." Medium Duty Double "Compadres, this way!" "Vamenos, it's -- Why, it's O.K.!" M~nul~ cleared ~is throat. "Nobody Ball Bearing They ran Vamenos outside and set him else IS gotng out With that suit tonight Swivel Caster. "You lie!" said Vamenos. "It's torn, it Horn is formed down where he freed himself of their must be, it must be, it's torn, all around, huh?" , for maximum The others glared at him. strength. Drawn hand; with injured dignity. undernea th ?" steel wheel pro· "O.K., O.K. My time ain't up. 1 still "No." Martinez knelt and touched Man~lo flushed. "1 mean-it's late. tects floors. got two minutes and-ten seconds." here and there. 'Vamenos all around, We're ttred. ~aybe no one will use the "What!" said everybody. underneath even, it's O. K. !,', suit for forty-eIght hours, huh? Give it a Faultless "Vamenos," said Gomez, "you let a Vamenos opened his eyes to let the rest. Sure. Well. Where do we sleep?" handles the Guadalajara cow climb on you, you pick tears run free at last. "A miracle," be The night being still hot and the ~oom fights, you smoke, YGU drink, you eat sobbed. "Praise the saints!" He quieted unbearable, they carried the suit on its Tough Jobsl tacos, and now you have the nerve to say at last. "The car?" dummy o~t and down the hall. They American Optical Company, Instrument Di­ your time ain't up?" "Hit and run." Gomez suddenly re­ brought WIth them also some pillows and vision, selected Faultless 1100 Series Swivel "[ got two minutes and one second membered and glared at the empty blankets. They climbed the stairs toward and 1700 Series Rigid Casters for use on steel drying racks which move newly painted left !" street. "It's good he didn't stop. We'd the r,?of of the tenement. There, thought parts into drying ovens where Faultless Caster "Hey, Vamenos, you sure look sharp!" have--" MartlDez, was the cooler wind, and sleep. bearings withstand 3500 F . baking tempera­ Distantly, a woman's voice called from Everyone listened. Distantly, a siren On the way, they passed a dozen doors tures. There is no need to re-hang parts in across the street. wailed. that stood open! people still perspiring oven . . . thousands of man-hours are saved each year. Faultless Casters can solve your Vamenos smiled and buttoned the "Someone phoned for an ambulance." and ~wake, playmg ~ards, drinking pop, materials handling problems too. See your coat. "It's Ramona Alvarez! Ramona, "Quick!" said Vamenos, eyes rolling. fannmg themselves With movie magazines. Faultless Industrial Distributor. He is listed wait!" Vamenos stepped off the curb. I wonder, thOUght Martinez I d "Set me up! Take off our coat!" if-yes / . won er in your phone directory under "Casters." "Vamenos," pleaded Gomez, "what "Vamenos --" Faultless Caster Corporation can you do in one minute and"-he "Shut up, idiots!" cried Vamenos. On the fourth floor, a certain door Evansville 7 . Indiana checked his watch-"forty seconds!" "The coat, that's it! Now, the pants; the stood open. (Continued on Page 62) (Continued from Page 58) The beautiful "That is as it should be," she said. girl looked up as the five men passed. "Good night, Miss --" She wore glasses and when she saw "Celia Obregon. ,. Martinez she snatched them off and hid "Celia Obregon," he said, and was them under her book. gone from the door. The others went on, not knowing they The others were waiting on the roof of had lost Martinez, who seemed stuck fast the tenement. A cooler night wind was in the open door. blowing here, up in the sky. For a long moment he could say noth- Martinez stood alone by the white ing. Then hesaid: "lose Martinez." suit, smoothing the lapels, talking half to And she said: "Celia Obregon." himself. And then both said nothing. "Ai, caramba, what a night! Seems He heard the men moving up on the ten years since seven o'clock, when it all tenement roof. He moved to follow. started and [ had no friends. Two in the She said, quickly, "r saw you tonight!" morning, I got all kinds of friends." He He came back. "The suit," he said. paused and thought, Celia Obregon, "The suit," she said, and paused. Celia Obregon. "All kinds of friends," he "But not the suit." went on. "[ got a room, r got clothes. "Eh?" he said. You tell me. You know what?" He She lifted the book to show the glasses looked around at the men lying on the lying in her lap. She touched the glasses. rooftop, surrounding the dummy and "I do not see well. You would think r himself. "It's funny. When I wear this would wear my glasses, but no. I walk suit, I know J will win at pool, like around for years now, hiding them, seeing Gomez. A woman will look at me like nothing. But tonight, even without the Dominguez. I will be able to sing like glasses, I see. A great whiteness passes Manulo, sweetly. 1 will talk fine politics below in the dark. So white! And I put like Villanazul. I'm strong as Vamenos. on my glasses quickly!" So? So, tonight, I am more than Mar­ "The suit, as I said," said Martinez. tinez. I am Gomez, Manulo, Dominguez, "The suit for a little moment, yes; but Villanazul, Vamenos. I am everyone. there is another whiteness above the suit." Ai. Ai." He stood a moment longer " Another?" by this suit which could save all the ways "Your teeth! Oh, such white teeth, and they sat or stood or walked. This suit so many!" which could move fast and nervous like Martinez put his hand over his mouth. Gomez or slow and thoughtfully like Vil­ "So happy, Mr. Martinez," she said. lanazul or drift like Dominguez who "I have not often seen such a happy face never touched ground, who always found and such a smile." a wind to take him somewhere. This suit "Ah," he said, not able to look at her, which belonged to them, but which also his face flushing now. owned them all. This suit that was­ "So, you see," she said quietly, "the what? A parade. suit caught my eye, yes, the whiteness "Martinez," said Gomez. "You going filled the night, below. But the teeth were to sleep?" much whiter. Now, I have forgotten the "Sure. I'm just thinking." suit. " "What?" "If we ever get rich," said Martinez Martinez flushed again. She, too, was softly, "it'll be kind of sad. Then we'll overcome with what she had said. She all have suits. And there won't be no looked at her hands and at the door more nights like tonight. It'll break up above his head. the old gang. It'll never be the same, after "May T --" he said, at last. that." "May you--" The men lay thinking of what had just "May I call for you," he asked, "when been said. next the suit is mine to wear?" Gomez nodded gently. "Yeah. It'll "You do not need the suit," she said. never be the same, after that." "But--" Martinez lay down on hi blanket. In "If it were just the suit," she said, darkne s, with the others, he faced the "anyone would be fine in it. But no, I middle of the roof and the dummy, which watched. I saw many men in that suit, all was the center of their lives. different, this night. So again I say, you And their eyes were bright, shining, do not need to wait for the suit." and good to see in the dark as the neon "Madre mEa, /IIadre mEa J" he cried lights from nearby buildings flicked on, happily. And then, quieter, "I will need flicked off, nicked on, flicked off, reveal­ the suit for a little while. A month, six ing and then vanishing, revealing and months, a year. I am uncertain. I am fear­ then vanishing, their wonderful white ful of many things. I am young. The suit vanilla-ice-cream summer suit. changes me, makes me strong." TH E E 0