Pretty Mouth and Green my Eyes

           Whenthephonerang,thegray-hairedmanaskedthegirl,withquitesomelittledeference,ifshewouldratherforanyreasonhedidn’tanswerit.Thegirlheardhimasiffromadistance,andturnedherfacetowardhim,oneeye—onthesideofthelight—closedtight,heropeneyevery,howeverdisingenuously,large,andsoblueastoappearalmostviolet.Thegrayhairedmanaskedhertohurryup,andsheraiseduponherrightforearmjustquicklyenoughsothatthemovementdidn’tquitelookperfunctory.Sheclearedherhairbackfromherforeheadwithherlefthandandsaid,"God.Idon’tknow.Imeanwhatdoyouthink?"Thegray-hairedmansaidhedidn’tseethatitmadeahelluvalotofdifferenceonewayortheother,andslippedhislefthandunderthegirl’ssupportingarm,abovetheelbow,workinghisfingersup,makingroomforthembetweenthewarmsurfacesofherupperarmandchestwall.Hereachedforthephonewithhisrighthand.Toreachitwithoutgroping,hehadtoraisehimselfsomewhathigher,whichcausedthebackofhisheadtograzeacomerofthelampshade.Inthatinstant,thelightwasparticularly,ifrathervividly,flatteringtohisgray,mostlywhite,hair.Thoughindisarrangementatthatmoment,ithadobviouslybeenfreshlycut-or,rather,freshlymaintained.Thenecklineandtempleshadbeentrimmedconventionallyclose,butthesidesandtophadbeenleftrathermorethanjustlongish,andwere,infact,atrifle"distinguished-looking.""Hello?"hesaidresonantlyintothephone.