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Spires and Gargoyles
"There’sMarylynDeWitt—she’spretty,gotacarofherownandthat’sdamnconvenient;there’sSallyWeatherby—she’sgettingtoofat;there’sMyraSt.Claire,she’sanoldflame,easytokissifyoulikeit—"
"Whatlinedoyouthrow’em?"demandedKerry."I’vetriedeverything,andthemadwagsaren’tevenafraidofme."
"You’rethe’niceboy’type,"suggestedAmory.
"That’sjustit.Motheralwaysfeelsthegirlissafeifshe’swithme.Honestly,it’sannoying.IfIstarttoholdsomebody’shand,theylaughatme,andletme,justasifitwasn’tpartofthem.AssoonasIgetholdofahandtheysortofdisconnectitfromtherestofthem."
"Sulk,"suggestedAmory."Tell’emyou’rewildandhave’emreformyou—gohomefurious—comebackinhalfanhour—startle’em."
Kerryshookhishead.
"Nochance.IwroteaSt.Timothygirlareallylovingletterlastyear.InoneplaceIgotrattledandsaid:’MyGod,howIloveyou!’Shetookanailscissors,clippedoutthe’MyGod’andshowedtherestoftheletteralloverschool.Doesn’tworkatall.I’mjust’goodoldKerry’andallthatrot."
Amorysmiledandtriedtopicturehimselfas"goodoldAmory."Hefailedcompletely.
Februarydrippedsnowandrain,thecyclonicfreshmanmid-yearspassed,andlifein12Univeecontinuedinterestingifnotpurposeful.OnceadayAmoryindulgedinaclubsandwich,cornflakes,andJuliennepotatoesat"Joe’s,"accompaniedusuallybyKerryorAlecConnage.