Long Walk to Forever
Long Walk to Forever
They had grown up next door to each other, on the
fringe of a city, nearfields and woods and orchards,
within sight of a lovely bell tower that belonged to a
school for the blind.
Now they were 20, had not seen each other for nearly
a year. There had always been playful, comfortable
warmth between them, but never any talk of love.
His name was Newt. her name was Catharine. In the
early afternoon,
Newt knocked on Catharines's front door.
Catharine came to the door. She was carrying a fat, glossy magazine
she had been reading. The magazine was devoted entirely to brides.
"Newt~!" she said. She was surprised to see him.
" Could you come for a walk?" he said. He was a shy person, eben
with Catharine. He covered his shyness by speaking absently, as
though what really concerned him were far away--as though he were
a secret agent pausing briefly on a mission between beautiful, distant,
and sinister points. This manner of speaking had always been Newt's
style, even in matters that concerned him desperately.
"A walk?" said Catharine.
"One foot in front of the other," said Newt, "through leaves, over bridges--"
"I had no idea you were in town," she said.
"Just this minute got in," he said.
"Still in the Army, I see," she said.
" Seven more months to go," he said. He was a private first class
in the Artillery. His uniform was rumpled. His shoes were dusty.
He needed a shave. he held out his hand for the magazine. "Let's
see the pretty book," he said.
She gave it to him. " I'm getting married, Newt," she said.
"I know," he said. "let's go for a walk."
"I'm awfully busy, Newt," she said."The wedding is only a week away."
"If we go for a walk," he said, " it will make you rosy. It will
make you a rosy bride." he turned the pages of the magazine.
"A rosy bride like her--like her--like her," he said, showing her
rosy brides.
Catharine turned rosy, thinking about rosy brides.
"That will be my present to Henry Stewart Chasens," said Newt. "By taking
you for a walk, I'll be giving him a rosy bride."
"You know his name?'' said Catharine.
"Mother wrote," he said."From Pittsburgh?''
''yes,'' she said,''you'd like him''
''maybe'' he said.
''can--can you come to the wedding, Newt?'' she said.
''that i doubt,'' he said.
''your furlough isn't for long enough?'' she said.
''furlough?'' said Newt. He was studying a two-page ad for fla
t silver. ''i'm not on furlough,''he said.
''oh?'' she said.
''I'm what they call AWOL'' said Newt.((((AWOL is absent without leave))))
''oh, Newt~! you're not~!" she said
''sure i am,'' he siad, still looking at the magazine.
''why, Newt??''she said
''I had to find out what your silver pattern is,'' he said. He read
names of silver patterns from the magazine. ''Albermarle?
Heather?'' he said. "Legend? Rambler Rose?'' He looked up ,
smailed. "i plan to give you and your husband a spoon." he said.
''Newt, Newt--tell me really,''she said
''i want to go for a walk,'' he said
She wrung her hands in sisterly anguish. "oh Newt-- you're fooling me about
being AWOL,''
