Radio-TV mirror (July-Dec 1954)

of it. And you built the bookshelves in the hall." "You cook the dinner," Rod said, "you always cook the dinner." "But if I'm tired in the morning, you get up and make the coffee! Besides, we only eat steaks and salads, which doesn't make many demands on me as a cook." "We're not good at gardening, at planting," Rod said. "Nothing grows for me." "I look at a plant," Bambi laughed, "and it dies! I don't think I have the green thumb. I wonder, can you grow a green thumb? If you can't, I won't have flowers, because I always like the best things or none at all. That's why I have Limoges china and the thinnest glassware. Think it's a reaction to all the ugly dressing rooms and cheap hotels. "We very seldom buy anything for ourselves, though — like clothes, I mean. I'm not one bit clothes-conscious, though Rod tries to make me be. He buys me things — on the theory that, if I have everything nice in my closet, I can't put on those dungarees and slacks. I once had one pair of slacks. Rod took them to the dry-cleaner for me and never brought them back! But he shops for, and buys me, lovely dresses and shoes and perfume and pretty lingerie — and this diamond wristwatch he gave me," Bambi touched the lovely thing, "on our second anniversary. For every important occasion, he gives me a piece of jewelry. "Now that, as of now," Bambi crossed her fingers, "we don't have to worry about the next dollar or all those financial questions, it is so peaceful, so lovely. Without being rich — because, of course, we really aren't — we feel so rich. And we just try (this is our credo, I think) to make each day pleasant. We don't think of the mistakes we made yesterday, but of what we will do on the next show, of new fields we will conquer, of how we will try to simplify our work, take things away, get down to the dancing and be always, each hour of every day, together." "To that," Rod said, "amen." It sounded like a prayer. It was a prayer. Then they laughed at each other again, across the table, two young people who are very lovable. And very much in love. . . . Leila's Golden Windows (Continued from page 34) give me a chance to think about it, I could give you an answer before the party's over." "That I'll buy," he said, "as long as the answer is yes." She didn't get a chance to speak to him alone before she left with her original date, quite late — which was just as well, because she hadn't made up her mind. But the next morning, when she woke, Lennie Green was the first person she thought of. On an impulse, she reached for the phone. "Lennie? Leila Martin. If you still mean it, the answer's yes. After the show." "Hallelujah!" he said — and Lady Destiny relaxed. The deed was done. Leila and Lenny found out a few basic things about each other that evening, in between supper and dancing. She learned that he was a theatrical agent, head of Mercury Artists Corporation, and he discovered that she was a Brooklyn girl whose parents — who loved the theater — had let her start singing in public when she was five. That was enough for him . . . When Lennie suggested — just two weeks after that first meeting, and after exactly fourteen consecutive dates — that they invite her mother and father to come along with them on a dinner-date in Manhattan, Leila thought it was one of the sweetest things he'd done so far. Why, he'd barely met her parents. She'd introduced him to them briefly, one Thursday, when Lennie had picked her up at home. The Martins went along with the idea without too much enthusiasm, although they were anxious to please Leila, and obviously this was what Leila wanted. They had both thought Mr. Green an attractive young man, with good manners. But, given a choice, they would rather have wined and dined him at home first, before accepting his invitation to dinner. Still — no sense in being stuffy. So they all gathered in Manhattan at a neighborhood restaurant, and had dinner. Then, over coffee, Lenny did the unpredictable thing that left her with her teeth rattling from shock. "It's high time we all met," he said to Mom and Pop, "because I'm going to marry Leila." It was a memorable moment. Mr. Martin regained his composure first, and gave a hollow laugh. "Some other people have thought that, too," he said, and Mom came in with a weak smile and a muttered pleasantry. The evening went on with a distinct chill in the air, and ended early. The Martins' front door had no sooner closed behind them than, in effect, the roof almost blew off the house. "If I were a ham," said her mother, starkly, "I'd burst into tears and cry, 'My baby, my baby!' In fact, I'm not sure I won't burst into tears." And she did. "Now then," said Leila's father — automatically passing his breast-pocket handkerchief to his wife as he turned a stormy countenance to Leila — "let's have it. You see this man two or three times, and then tonight he calmly announces he's going to marry you. And you didn't even squeak. Don't you think your parents are entitled to a little warning about such a step? After all, you're still only twenty." Leila looked down at her feet, in mortification. "I was as petrified as you were," she said. "Believe me, it was the first I'd heard of it. Oh, he said something last week, just for laughs — something like 'Let's elope,' but of course that didn't mean anything. . . ." "Of course not," said Mrs. Martin, beginning to smile. "Just talk, that's all. He was just trying to be amusing tonight." The room was suddenly full of relieved laughter. "How about a sandwich and a glass of milk before we go to bed?" Mrs. Martin suggested, and her husband agreed. As they headed for the kitchen, Leila said: "Hey, folks." They turned, still smiling, to face her. "You'd better know," she said, quietly, "if he does ask me, I'll probably say yes." And then the top really blew off of the little Martin house in Brooklyn. Lennie officially asked Leila to marry him, in front of the Stage Delicatessen on Seventh Avenue, one midnight, when he'd picked her up at the stage entrance and they were just walking along. And, after that, a number of things — including One Big Thing — had happened. By now, of course, they had both realized that they were hopelessly in love. Leila didn't know much about the past of Lennie, who is a trifle older than she is . . . but, for her, this was first love. Leila was floating. There was just one basic problem. She didn't even know it new.. .for a lovelier you! 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