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hadn't invited either because they had done something mean to
her or she had done something mean to them。 They were all
dirty and in plain94
shorts or draggle…tailed knickers or old everyday dresses。 They
were just hanging around in the dark to watch the party。 She
thought of two feelings when she saw those kids —one was
sad and the other was a kind of warning。
'I got this prom with you。' Harry Minowitz made out like he
was reading on his card； but she could see nothing was written
on it。 Her Dad had come onto the porch and blown the whistle
that meant the beginning of the first prom。
'Yeah；' she said。 'Let's get going。'
They started out to walk around the block。 In the long dress
she still felt very ritzy。 'Look yonder at Mick Kelly！' one of the
kids in the dark hollered。 'Look at her！' She just walked on like
she hadn't heard； but it was that Spare…ribs； and some day soon
she would catch him。 She and Harry walked fast along the
dark sidewalk； and when they came to the end of the street
they turned down another block。
'How old are you now； Mick—thirteen？'
'Going on fourteen。'
She knew what he was thinking。 It used to worry her all the
time。 Five feet six inches tall and a hundred and three pounds；
and she was only thirteen。 Every kid at the party was a runt
beside her； except Harry； who was only a couple of inches
shorter。 No boy wanted to prom with a girl so much taller than
him。 But maybe cigarettes would help stunt the rest of her
growth。
'I grew three and a fourth inches just in last year；' she said。
'Once I saw a lady at the fair who was eight and a half feet
tall。 But you probably won't grow that big。'
Harry stopped beside a dark crepe myrtle bush。 Nobody was
in sight。 He took something out of his pocket and started
fooling with whatever it was。 She leaned over to see—it was
his pair of specs and he was wiping them with his
handkerchief。
'Pardon me；' he said。 Then he put on his glasses and she could
hear him breathe deep。
'You ought to wear your specs all the time。'
'Yeah。'
'How come you go around without them？'
95
The night was very quiet and dark。 Harry held her elbow when
they crossed the street。
'There's a certain young lady back at the party that thinks it's
sissy for a fellow to wear glasses。 This certain person—oh
well； maybe I am a'
He didn't finish。 Suddenly he tightened up and ran a few steps
and sprang for a leaf about four feet above his head。 She just
could see that high leaf in the dark。 He had a good spring to
his jumping and he got it the first time。 Then he put the leaf in
his mouth and shadow…boxed for a few punches in the dark。
She caught up with him。
As usual a song was in her mind。 She was humming to herself。
'What's that you're singing？
'
。It's a piece by a fellow named Mozart'
Harry felt pretty good。 He was sidestepping with his feet like
a
fast boxer。 'That sounds like a sort of German name。
'
'I reckon so。
'
'Fascist？' he asked。
*What？
'
'I say is that Mozart a Fascist or a Nazi？
'
Mick thought a minute。 *No。 They're new； and this fellow's
been dead some time。
'
'It's a good thing。' He began punching in the dark again。 He
wanted her to ask why。
'I say it's a good thing；' he said again。
'Why？
'
'Because I hate Fascists。 If I met one walking on the street I'd
kill him。
'
She looked at Harry。 The leaves against the street light made
quick； freckly shadows on his face。 He was excited。 'How
come？' she asked。 'Gosh！ Don't you ever read the paper？ You
see； it's this
way
'
They had come back around the block。 A commotion was
going on at her house。 People were yelling and running on the
sidewalk。 A heavy sickness came in her belly。
There's not time to explain unless we prom around the block
again。 I don't mind telling you why I hate Fascists。 I'd like to
tell about it。
'
This was probably the first chance he had got to spiel96
these ideas out to somebody。 But she didn't have time to listen。
She was busy looking at what she saw in the front of her
house。 'O。K。 I'll see you later。' The prom was over now； so she
could look and put her mind on the mess she saw。
What had happened while she was gone？ When she left the
people were standing around in the fine clothes and it was a
real party。 Now—after just five minutes—the place looked
more like a crazy house。 While she was gone those kids had
come out of the dark and right into the party itself。 The nerve
they had！ There was old Pete Wells banging out of the front
door with a cup of punch hi his hand。 They bellowed and ran
and mixed with the invited people —in their old loose…legged
knickers and everyday clothes。
Baby Wilson messed around on the front porch—and Baby
wasn't more than four years old。 Anybody could see she ought
to be home in bed by now； same as Bubber。 She walked down
the steps one at a time； holding the punch high up over her
head。 There was no reason for her to be here at all。 Mister
Brannon was her uncle and she could get free candy and
drinks at his place any time she wanted to。 As soon as she was
on the sidewalk Mick caught her by the arm。 'You go right
home； Baby Wilson。 Go on； now。' Mick looked around to see
what else she could do to straighten things out again like they
ought to be。 She went up to Sucker Wells。 He stood farther
down the sidewalk； j where it was dark； holding his paper
cup and looking at * everybody in a dreamy way。 Sucker
was seven years old and he had on shorts。 His chest and feet
were naked。 He 1 wasn't causing any of the commotion； but
she was mad I as hell at what had happened。
｜
She grabbed Sucker by the shoulders and began to shake him。
At first he held his jaws tight； but after a min… I ute his teeth
began to rattle。 'You go home； Sucker Wells。 You quit
hanging around where you're not invited。' When she let him
go； Sucker tucked his tail and walked slowly down the street。
But he didn't go all the way home。 After he got to the corner
she saw him sit down on the curb and watch the party where
he thought she couldn't see him。
For a minute she felt good about shaking the spit out of
Sucker。 And then right afterward she had a bad worry feeling
in her and she started to let him come back。 The
big kids were the ones who messed up everything。 Real brats
they were； and with the worst nerve she had ever seen。
Drinking up the refreshments and ruining the real party into
all this commotion。 They slammed through the front door and
hollered and bumped into each other。 She went up to Pete
Wells because he was the worst of all。 He wore his football
helmet and butted into people。 Pete was every bit of fourteen；
yet he was still stuck in the seventh grade。 She went up to him；
but he was too big to shake like Sucker。 When she told him to
go home he shimmied and made a nose dive at her。
'I been in six different states。 Florida； Alabamaf
TMade out of silver cloth with a sash…
The party was all messed up。 Everybody was talking at once。
The invited people from Vocational were mixed with the
neighborhood gang。 The boys and the girls still stood in
separate bunches； though—and nobody prommed。 In the
house the lemonade was just about gone。 There was only a
little puddle of water with floating lemon peels at the bottom
of the bowl。 Her Dad always acted too nice with kids。 He had
served out the punch to anybody who stuck a cup at him。
Portia was serving the sandwiches when she went into the
dining…room。 In five minutes they were all gone。 She only got
one—a jelly kind with pink sops come through the bread。
Portia stayed in the dining…room to watch the party。 1 having
too good a time to leave；' she said。 'I done sent word to
Highboy and Willie to go on with the Saturday Night without
me。 Everbody so excited here I going to wait and see the end
of this party。'
Excitement—that was the word。 She could feel it all through
the room and on the porch and the sidewalk。 She felt excited；
too。 It wasn't just her dress and the beautiful way her face
looked when she passed by the hatrack mirror and saw the red
paint on her cheeks and the rhinestone tiara in her hair。 Maybe
it was the decoration and all these Vocational people and kids
being jammed together。
。Watch her run！
'
'Ouch！ Cut it out——
'
'Act your age！
'
A bunch of girls were running down the street； holding up
their dresses and with the hair flying out behind them。98
CARSON McCULLERS
Some boys had cut off the long； sharp spears of a Spanish
bayonet bush and they were chasing the girls with them。
Freshmen in Vocational all dressed up for a real prom party
and acting just like kids。 It was half playlike and half not
playlike at all。 A boy came up to her with a sticker and she
started running too。
The idea of the party was over entirely now。 This was just a
regular playing…out。 But it was the wildest night she had ever
seen。 The kids had caused it。 They were like a catching
sickness； and their coming to the party made all the other
people forget about High School and being almost grown。 It
was like just before you take a bath in the after