Radio Mirror: The Magazine of Radio Romances (Jan-June 1943)

I Was to Blame Continued from page 19 coldness toward each other. You might think it would be hard for two people to share the same house, eat meals together, even sleep in the same room, and not make up a quarrel. In a way it is, but in another way it is shamefully easy. You only have to keep remembering how angry you are, and to be very sure that nothing in the world is so precious as your own pride. And as the days go by, your bitterness becomes a habit. I was grateful for Kane Garnett's company — and saw nothing illogical in being so while I still continued my grudge against Jim for bringing him there. He usually came downstairs about four in the afternoon, and after the first few days it seemed natural to offer to prepare a breakfast for him. I was usually in the kitchen then anyway, and it was no trouble to fix bacon and eggs. He was always cheerful. That was what I appreciated most about him. No matter how depressed I might be, the sight of his smile, the sound of his drawling, laughter-touched voice, would make me feel better. A T the end of the first week, he paid **■ me much more than the room and the one meal a day I gave him were worth. I protested, but he only shrugged, and said: "Look at all I'm getting — a comfortable room, a swell breakfast — and company while I eat. The company's the best of all. You'll never know until you've tried it how bad it is to eat alone, off a counter." I might have answered — but I didn't — "And you'll never know how much of a relief it is to have someone to laugh with again." Once Jim and I had laughed together. But that was so long ago . . . Often Dickie came in early from playing after school and joined us, and there was something very warm and delightful in that small kitchen. Almost at once, it seemed, Dickie and Kane were fast friends; indeed, as soon as Dickie learned that Kane worked from "bedtime" until four hours after midnight, he acquired a glamour that nothing could lessen. "But don't you get sleepy?" Dickie inquired. "I would. I get sleepy if I'm up after nine." "Sure I do," Kane answered. "But I pinch myself to stay awake." Over the boy's head his eyes met mine. "Or I think about important things," he added. "Like what?" "Oh — like whether to buy a new suit of clothes or not. Or like asking your mother if she'd like to see a movie with me sometime." I felt myself coloring under his direct gaze, but Dickie promptly answered for me. "Sure she would — can I go too?" "Nobody's going to any movie," I assured him. But somebody did — ■ one night when Jim had a committee meeting and Kane wasn't working. There was nothing in the least remarkable about our trip to the movies together. We just went to the early show, as soon as the dishes were done, and came home right afterwards. But we didn't take Dickie, and the picture was a good comedy, so that the laughter we shared seemed to make a bond between us. APRIL, 1943 Zero hour CAN THIS BE YOU glued to your bed . . . wishing you could count today right out of your life? The day that was to have been all yours ... You've dreamed how it would be . . . you, proud and sure of yourself . . . dedicating the Camp's new "Day Room" that your gang worked so hard to furnish. Then the Prom with Dick. And a War Stamp Corsage for every girl . . . your own special idea ! ' But right now you'd trade a ton of triumphs for an ounce of confidence ! Other girls manage to keep going on these days . . . why can't you ? Then in bursts your forgotten house-guest . . . and you pour out your woes. "Looking for sympathy ? " she asks. "That won't help — . . . but Kotex sanitary napkins will! Because they're more comfortable" . . . Rise and Shine ! That's how you learned that Comfort and Confidence and Kotex go together ! Because Kotex is made to stay soft while wearing ... a lot different from pads that only feel soft at first touch. None of that snowball sort of softness that packs hard under pressure. And Kotex does things for your poise too. For this pad, alone, of all leading brands, has flat, pressed ends that don't show because they're not stubby. And for still more protection, Kotex has a 4-ply safety center — and no wrong side to cause accidents ! Now you know why more women choose Kotex than all other brands of pads put together! It's the modern comfortable way to keep going — every day! Keep Going in Comfort with Kotex*/ WHAT'S OKAY ? WHAT'S IXNAY ? To get the right answers on what to do and not to do on trying days, write for the booklet: "As One Girl To Another". Address P. O. Box 3434, Dept. MW-4, Chicago, for a copy FREE ! *T. M. Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. 69