Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1959)

cheese. “Swiss cheese!” I yelled. “Isn’t it bad enough now?” ! “Aw, Dody! Gee, I thought you had more imagination. This is it; this is the final touch.” 1 “Okay, okay.” I threw in the cheese, taking a gulp of black coffee to fortify myself for what was coming next. Finally, there it was — a huge, steaming, smelly mess with potato chips all over the top. Tony seemed to love it. Mother had a few spoonfuls, too. “Very good, Tony,” she nodded approvingly. But I couldn’t help noticing that she left for the library fifteen minutes earlier than usual. Even I ate some. It must have been love. After Mother left, we sat around, just doing the dishes in our own sweet time and talking. I’m afraid we were both jlate for class, but it didn’t seem to matter. Tony began talking about his family, and particularly about his father, Osgood Perkins, who had been a well-known and | highly respected actor. “I only saw him in one play,” Tony said a little sadly, “ ‘OnI stage,’ and, you know, I was so young I had to be propped up on pillows to see!” He tossed his head with that little motion that was so much “Tony.” “Dody,” he leaned across the table, looking at me with those warm eyes that no longer seemed shy. “More than anything else, I want to be an actor.” I listened quietly, not saying much, but trying to encourage him. This was a more intense, a more determined side of Tony. But I felt that it was just as real as the (relaxed, fun-loving boy who raced me to the field where we flew model planes. Behind his glasses, his eyes glowed with excitement and determination. And yet, it didn’t seem like Tony — not as I usually thought of him — running over with a new record I just had to hear, or a book he thought I’d like as much as he did, Tony in faded old jeans zooming around the campus on his bike, sounding like a lovable little boy one minute and a dignified old professor the next, cracking his knuckles when he was embarrassed or nervous, and throwing back his hair the way he so often did. But there were many sides to Tony, and being allowed to see this one — his dream side — made me proud and very, very happy. It might seem like Tony had a habit of calling me early in the morning, but that isn’t really true. It did happen again though — about two weeks before Christmas. “Dody! Dody!” He shouted breathless. “They called, Dody! They really called! Honest. I can’t believe it, but they want me!” “Who?” I tried to sound calm, but there was a funny quiver in my stomach. “Hollywood! The studio! Gee, didn’t I tell you about making a screen test last summer? I just won a part in ‘The Actress’!” “Oh, Tony! I’m so glad! It’s wonderful, [just wonderful!” “There’s one bad thing about it though, Dody.” His voice became low and serious. “I have to leave this afternoon and I won’t be back at least until February. I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep our New Year’s date.” I said what any girl would have said, any girl who loved a boy like Tony. “Missing the date’s not important, Tony. What’s one date compared to the beginning of your whole career?” But, of course, I was disappointed. “Besides,” I added, “I have Perkette to keep me company. And both of us are so puffed up with pride we look silly.” “Gee, Dody, you’re a wonderful girl! Okay if I come right over?” There was only one possible answer. I watched for him from the window. He tossed his bike down at the curb and sort of skittered up the sidewalk, his arms full of packages he couldn’t quite manage. “Here, Dody,” he said breathlessly, shoving the packages at me and trying to hug me all at once. “This is our whole holiday season rolled up in one morning.” He squeezed my hand. “Gee, I’m sorry about New Year’s!” “Never mind, Tony. Don’t worry about it — please. It’s nothing compared to the wonderful thing that’s happened to you.” I sat right down on the floor to open the gifts. Two of them were big and bulky and still had the wrapping paper from the store. Of course, Tony didn’t have time to wrap them in special paper. I could see that the third package was a record album, but what were the other two? I tore the paper off like a little kid who just couldn’t wait until Christmas morning. A dozen tall, beautiful poinsettias! They were lovely — and Tony had been as thoughtful as usual. He had chosen flowers that would last for weeks, right through the holiday season. But the second package was the best! It was a huge, woolly, white lamb — the most lovable snowy lamb I ever saw! And he had an enormous blue bow around his neck. Right away, 1 named him Tonette. Now I had Perkette and Tonette. Silly? I guess so. But important, too. “Here,” Tony said, “let’s put on these records.” He was so excited he couldn’t even find the record player even though he’d used it dozens of times. “Dance?” He smiled down at me with the brown eyes I loved so much. And we did dance. That morning, with the sun streaming in the window, wearing sweaters and worn out dungarees, we danced and danced. We danced just as though it really were New Year’s Eve. At ten to twelve, Tony ran over to the phonograph and put on “Auld Lang Syne.” Maybe it wasn’t very original, but for us it had a special meaning, a very special one. With glasses of milk, cold milk, we toasted Tony’s success in Hollywood. And at twelve, twelve noon, Tony bent down and gave me a long, sweet kiss. “Dody,” he whispered, “I’m going to miss you very, very much! How about next New Year’s Eve?” But next New Year’s Eve Tony was doing a television show. Now show business believed in him as much as I did. That New Year’s, I stayed home with Mother. At twelve, of course, the band played “Auld Lang Syne.” I must have looked very sad at that moment. Mother glanced at me. “Thinking of Tony?” she asked gently. I nodded, wiping away the one little tear that started to roll down my face. She understood. Now it’s three years later. This New Year’s Eve, I have a date with the wonderful boy I’m going to marry — just about the same time that Tony has his second anniversary of movie-making. Today I’m happy that Tony and I had our New Year’s date after all. I’m proud that Tony is fulfilling his dream — the dream that I was able to share for a while. But, of course, I’m proudest of all that Tony Perkins was the boy who was my first love. This New Year’s Eve, when it’s three minutes to twelve, I’ll be with the boy I’m going to marry. And when they play “Auld Lang Syne,” I don’t think I’ll be untrue to him if, just for a moment, I think of Tony. Of Tony, and that crazy wonderful morning when we had our New Year’s Eve date. What do you think? The End WATCH FOR TONY IN “GREEN MANSIONS” FOR M-G-M AND “ON THE BEACH” FOR U-A. your best moisturizer When your hands are rough, red and dry, dermatologists say they lack moisture, not natural oils. Chamberlain’s clear Golden Touch Hand Lotion contains not one but two of the most effective humectants known to science. Humectants are amazing clear fluids which control the delicate moisture balance of your skin by preventing the evaporation of vital skin moisture. The secret of soft, smooth, lovely hands is moisture balance. Get clear, moisturizing Chamberlain’s Hand Lotion today. At all toiletry counters. CHAMBERLAIN'S ( ZQeasdbg. your best hand lotion FREE 5 x 7 ENLARGEMENT with order for Spanei AH wallet £3 photos plus 25< postage embossed ETCHCRAFT SALON FRAME 25 embossed, deep-sunk, panel-edge wallet photos 2V2 x V/2 made from any photo or negative. Returned unharmed with your gorgeous FREE enlargement POSTPAID for only $1.25. Satisfaction guaranteed. FOTO PLUS CO. • BOX 10 • NEW YORK 1, N. Y. LARGE NEW TOWELS 97 NEW Unwoven Cotton and Rayon Unretouched Photo; Our 50 Towels for $1.00 Offer Astonishing but EVERY WORD GUARANTEED TRUE! World’s greatest towel offer, bar none — 50, yes 50, marvelous, large, brand new (not seconds) in beautiful colors and white... only $1.00 (plus 25c for postage & hdlg.) or $1.25 in all I We sell at staggering low price because we buy huge quantities direct from MILLS — more than 23,650,000 Towels since 1953! If you’re not thrilled and delighted, return Towels — keep 10 Free for your trouble — and we’ll cheerfully refund purchase price. Order NOW before offer is cancelled. No C.O.D’s. 50 TOWEL CO., Dept. A-326, Box 881, St. Louis, Mo.