It happeo fall oh of September, my birthday, a fact which had noeffe events, except that, expeg some form of moary remembrance frommy family, I was eager for the postmans m visit. Indeed, I went downstairsand waited for him. If I had not been l in the vestibule, then Holly would nothave asked me to go horseback riding; and would not, sequently, have had theopportunity to save my life.
"e on," she said, when she found me awaiting the postman. "Lets walk acouple of horses around the park." She was wearing a windbreaker and a pair of bluejeans and tennis shoes; she slapped her stomach, drawing attention to its flatness:"Dont think Im out to lose the heir. But theres a horse, my darling old MabelMinerva -- I t go without saying good-bye to Mabel Minerva."
"Good-bye?"
"A week from Saturday. José bought the tickets." In rather a trance, I let her leadme down to the street. "We ge planes in Miami. Thehe sea. Over theAaxi!"
Over the Andes. As we rode in a cab across tral Park it seemed to me asthough I, too, were flying, desolately floating over snow-peaked and perilousterritory.
"But you t. After all, what about. Well, what about. Well, you t really runoff and leave everybody."
"I dont think anyone will miss me. I have no friends."
"I will. Miss you. So will Joe Bell. And oh -- millions. Like Sally. Poor Mr. Tomato."
"I loved old Sally," she said, and sighed. "You know I haveo see him in amonth? When I told him I was going away, he was an angel. Actually" -- she frowned-- "he seemed delighted that I was leaving the try. He said it was all for thebest. Because sooner or later there might be trouble. If they found out I wasnt hisreal hat fat lawyer, OShaughnessy, OShaughnessy sent me five hundreddollars. In cash. A wedding present from Sally."
I wao be unkind. "You expect a present from me, too. When, and if, thewedding happens."
She laughed. "Hell marry me, all right. In church. And with his family there.
Thats why were waiting till we get to Rio."
"Does he know youre married already?"
"Whats the matter with you? Are y to ruin the day? Its a beautiful day:leave it alone!"
"But its perfectly possible -- "
"It isnt possible. Ive told you, that wasnt legal. It couldnt be." She rubbed hernose, and gla me sideways. "Mention that to a living soul, darling. Ill hangyou by your toes and dress you for a hog."
The stables -- I believe they have been replaced by television studios -- were o Sixty-sixth street Holly selected for me an old sway-back blad whitemare: "Dont worry, shes safer than a cradle." Which, in my case, was a necessaryguarantee, for te pony rides at childhood ivals were the limit of myequestrian experience. Holly helped hoist me into the saddle, then mounted her ownhorse, a silvery animal that took the lead as we jogged across the traffic of tralPark West aered a riding path dappled with leaves denuding breezes dancedabout.
"See?" she shouted. "Its great!" And suddenly it was. Suddenly, watg thetangled colors of Hollys hair flash in the red-yellow leaf light, I loved her enough tet myself, my self-pitying despairs, and be tent that something she thoughthappy was going to happen. Very gently the horses began to trot, waves of windsplashed us, spanked our faces, we plunged in and out of sun and shadow pools, andjoy, a glad-to-be-alive exhilaration, jolted through me like a jigger of nitrogen. Thatwas one mihe introduced far grim disg