Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage

different smokers parading by in their dreary hospital clothes with their IV’s. “Helen will just have to tell us where to go.”
    He called into the back seat, “Helen?”
    “What?”
    “Which way do we turn now to get to those people’s place?“
    “What people’s?”
    “Where your sister lives. Where your shoes are. Tell us how to get to their place.”
    “We’re not goin’ to their place so I’m not telling you.”
    Neal turned back the way they had come.
    “I’m just driving this way till you can get your directions straight. Would it work better if I went out to the highway? Or in to the middle of town? Where should I start from?”
    “Not starting anywhere. Not going.”
    “It’s not so far, is it? Why aren’t we going?”
    “You done me one favor and that’s enough.” Helen sat as far forward as she could, pushing her head between Neal’s seat and Jinny’s. “You took me to the hospital and isn’t that enough? You don’t need to be driving all over doing me favors.”
    They slowed down, turned into a side street.
    “That’s silly,” Neal said. “You’re going twenty miles away and you might not get back here for a while. You might need those shoes.”
    No answer. He tried again.
    “Or don’t you know the way? Don’t you know the way from here?”
    “I know it, but I’m not telling.”
    “So we‘re just going to have to drive around. Drive around and around till you get ready to tell us.”
    “Well I’m not goin’ to get ready. So I’m not.”
    “We could go back and see your sister. I bet she’d tell us. Must be about quitting time for her now, we could drive her home.”
    “She’s on the late shift, so haw haw.”
    They were driving through a part of this town that Jinny had not seen before. They drove very slowly and made frequent turns, so that hardly any breeze went through the car. A boarded-up factory, discount stores, pawnshops, CASH, CASH, CASH, said a flashing sign above barred windows. But there were houses, disreputable-looking old duplexes, and the sort of single wooden houses that were put up quickly during the Second World War. One tiny yard was full of things for sale—clothes pegged to a line, tables stacked with dishes and household goods. A dog was nosing around under a table and could have knocked it over, but the woman who sat on the step, smoking and surveying the lack of customers, did not seem to care.
    In front of a corner store some children were sucking on Popsicles. A boy who was on the edge of the group—he was probably no more than four or five years old—threw his Popsicle at the van. A surprisingly strong throw. It hit Jinny’s door just below her arm and she gave a light scream.
    Helen thrust her head out the back window.
    “You want your arm in a sling?”
    The child began to howl. He hadn’t bargained on Helen, and he might not have bargained on the Popsicle’s being gone for good.
    Back in the van, Helen spoke to Neal.
    “You’re just wasting your gas.”
    “North of town?” Neal said. “South of town? North south east west, Helen tell us which is best.”
    “I already told you. You done all for me you are goin’ to do today.”
    “And I told you. We ‘re going to get those shoes for you before we head home.”
    No matter how strictly he spoke, Neal was smiling. On his face there was an expression of conscious, but helpless, silliness.
    Signs of an invasion of bliss. Neal’s whole being was invaded, he was brimming with silly bliss.
    “You’re just stubborn,” Helen said.
    “You’ll see how stubborn.”
    “I am too. I’m just as stubborn as what you are.”
    It seemed to Jinny that she could feel the blaze of Helen’s cheek, which was so close to hers. And she could certainly hear the girl’s breathing, hoarse and thick with excitement and showing some trace of asthma. Helen’s presence was like that of a domestic cat that should never be brought along in any vehicle, being too high-strung to have sense, too apt to spring between the seats.
    The sun had burned through the clouds again. It was still high and brassy in the sky.
    Neal swung the car onto a street lined with heavy old trees, and somewhat more respectable houses.
    “Better here?” he said to Jinny. “More shade for you?” He spoke in a lowered, confidential tone, as if what was going on with the girl could be set aside for a moment, it was all nonsense.
    “Taking the scenic route,” he said, pitching his voice again towards the back