Tell It To The Birds Read Free

moment, he reached for the telephone, but there was no answer to Fay's number. Irritated, he hung up and went back into the bathroom to complete his shave.
    It was while he was slapping after-shave lotion on his face that he heard movements in his bedroom. Frowning, he went to the bathroom door and found Fay looking through his wallet.
    At the sight of him, she dropped the wallet hurriedly back on the chest of drawers.
    "Hello sweetie," she said. "I thought I'd surprise you."
    Anson looked her over, his face expressionless. A week ago, he had thought Fay Lawley an exciting woman. Now, comparing her with Meg, he saw her shortcomings. She was shabby,
    I overdressed, dyed and sordid. "You did surprise me," he said, coming into the bedroom. "Or did I surprise you?"
    Fay giggled and put her hand to her mouth. It was this movement that Anson was so used to that now drew his attention to her tobacco stained, chipped teeth.
    "John, darling," she said, sinking down on the bed, "I have a favour to ask you."
    He remained motionless, looking at her.
    "I'm in trouble," she went on after a long and awkward pause. "I've got to have a hundred bucks by tomorrow or I'll lose my room. I'm behind in the rent."
    A hundred bucks! Anson thought bitterly. She thought that was being in trouble! What would the silly mare do if she owed eight thousand bucks!
    "What do you expect me to do about it?" he said, staring at her. "There's more than a hundred bucks walking Main Street. Go out there and earn it."
    She looked sharply at him, her green-blue eyes hardening.
    "That's a nice thing to say, Sweetie!" she said. "1 didn't expect that from you. I'm your girl friend ... remember?"
    He had a sudden urgent desire to be rid of her. If he had had the courage, he would have shoved her cut into the corridor and locked the bedroom door, but he was scared she might make a scene. Looking at her, he was horrified with himself for ever having associated with her. Meg now made all his women shabby and sordid.
    He went over to his wallet and look out six ten dollar bills.
    "Fay... I'm sorry. I'm not well. It's something I've eaten," he said. "Here take this ... it's the best I can do. Let's skip tonight. I want to go to bed."
    She stared at the bills in his hand, then she looked at him, her eyes quizzing.
    "Can't you run to a hundred?" she asked. "I tell you I'm in trouble."
    He dropped the bills into her lap.
    "Trouble? That's a joke. I'm in trouble too. Be a good girl... run along. I'm not well."
    She put the bills into her shabby handbag and stood up.
    "Okay, Sweetie, see you next week."
    He went with her to the door. She paused and looked intently at him.
    "Want to change your mind?" She put her hand on him, but he moved quickly back. "Well, okay, if you're as ill as all that... See you," and she went out into the corridor.
    The rest of the evening Anson spent lying on his bed, his thoughts of Meg Barlowe burning holes in his mind The following day when he wasn't actually working, he thought about her. His mind still tonnented by her, he left Fru Town for Lambsville where he had a few calls lo make. He got through his calls by half past five He had to pass through Pru Town again to reach the Brent highway, and he had to pass the dirt road that led to the lonely, intriguing Barlowe house.
    As he drove along the highway, he tried to decide whether he dare call on Meg so soon. She had said she would be alone this night: that her husband would be staying in Pru Town. But suppose she really meant that stuff about a plot for a short story? He would look a dope arriving at the house with no ideas for her if he had misunderstood the setup and she hadn't after all been extending an invitation to him to share her bed.
    He reached the dirt road and pulled up, drawing off the highway onto the grass verge. He sat for some moments, trying to make up his mind what to do.
    I'd better not, he thought to himself. It's too risky. I could spoil my chance. It shouldn't be too hard to