Lecture Notes on The Girls in Their Summer Dresses by Irwin Shaw.docx

Lecture Notes on The Girls in Their Summer Dresses by Irwin Shaw.docx

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LectureNotesonTheGirlsinTheirSummerDressesbyIrwinShaw

IrwinShaw

TheGirlsin

TheirSummerDresses

FifthAvenuewasshininginthesunwhentheylefttheBrevoort.Thesunwaswarm,eventhoughitwasFebruary,andeverythinglookedlikeSundaymorningthebusesandthewell-dressedpeoplewalkingslowlyincouplesandthequietbuildingswiththewindowsclosed.

MichaelheldFrances'armtightlyastheywalkedtowardWashingtonSquareinthesunlight.Theywalkedlightly,almostsmiling,becausetheyhadsleptlateandhadagoodbreakfastanditwasSunday.Michaelunbuttonedhiscoatandletitflaparoundhiminthemildwind.（Whatkindofsettingisit?

Whatdayisit?

Place?

Season?

Whatcanbesaidofthecouple?

）

"Lookout,"FrancessaidastheycrossedEighthStreet"You'llbreakyourneck."MichaellaughedandFranceslaughedwithhim.

"She'snotsopretty,Francessaid.Anyway,notprettyenoughtotakeachanceofbreakingyourneck."（whathappens?

Whatconflict?

）

Michaellaughedagain."HowdidyouknowIwaslookingather?

”

Francescockedherheadtoonesideandsmiledatherhusbandunderthebrimofherhat."Mike,darling,"shesaid.

"O.K.,"hesaid."Excuseme."

FrancespattedhisarmlightlyandpulledhimalongalittlefastertowardWashingtonSquare."Let'snotseeanybodyallday,"shesaid."Let'sjusthangaroundwitheachother.Youandme.We'realwaysuptoourneckinpeople,drinkingtheirScotchordrinkingourScotch;weonlyseeeachotherinbed,Iwanttogooutwithmyhusbandalldaylong.Iwanthimtotalkonlytomeandlistenonlytome.（WhatdoesitsayaboutFrances?

）

"What'stostopus?

"Michaelasked.

"TheStevensons.Theywantustodropbyaroundoneo'clockandthey'lldriveusintothecountry.

"ThecunningStevensons,"Mikesaid."Transparent.Theycanwhistle.Theycangodrivinginthecountrybythemselves."

"Isitadate?

"

"It'sadate."

Francesleanedoverandkissedhimonthetipoftheear.

"Darling,"Michaelsaid,"thisisFifthAvenue."

"Letmearrangeaprogram,"Francessaid."AplannedSundayinNewYorkforayoungcouplewithmoneytothrowaway."

"Goeasy."

"Firstlet'sgototheMetropolitanMuseumofArt,"Francessuggested,becauseMichaelhadsaidduringtheweekhewantedtogo."Ihaven'tbeenthereinthreeyearsandthere'reatleasttenpicturesIwanttoseeagain.ThenwecantakethebusdowntoRadioCityandwatchthemskate.Andlaterwe'11godowntoCavanagh'sandgetasteakasbigasablacksmith'sapron,withabottleofwine,andafterthatthere'saFrenchpictureattheFilmartethateverybodysayssay,areyoulisteningtome?

"

"Sure,"hesaid.Hetookhiseyesoffthehatlessgirlwiththedarkhair,cutdancer-stylelikeahelmet,whowaswalkingpasthim.

"That'stheprogramfortheday,"Francessaidflatly."Ormaybeyou'djustratherwalkupanddownFifthAvenue."

"No,"Michaelsaid."Notatall."

"Youalwayslookatotherwomen,"Francessaid."Everywhere.Everydamnedplacewego."

"No,darling,"Michaelsaid,"Ilookateverything.GodgavemeeyesandIlookatwomenandmeninsubwayexcavationsandmovingpicturesandthelittleflowersofthefield.Icasuallyinspecttheuniverse."

“Yououghttoseethelookinyoureye,”Francessaid,“asyoucasuallyinspecttheuniverseonFifthAvenue.“

“I'mahappilymarriedman.”Michaelpressedherelbowtenderly.“Exampleforthewholetwentiethcentury—Mr.andMrs.MikeLoomis.Hey,let'shaveadrink,”hesaid,stopping.

“Wejusthadbreakfast.”

"Nowlisten,darling,"Mikesaid,choosinghiswordswithcare,"it'sanicedayandwebothfeltgoodandthere'snoreasonwhywehavetobreakitup.Let'shaveaniceSunday."

"Allright.Idon'tknowwhyIstartedthis.Let'sdropit.Let'shaveagoodtime."

TheyjoinedhandsconsciouslyandwalkedwithouttalkingamongthebabycarriagesandtheoldItalianmenintheirSundayclothesandtheyoungwomenwithScottiesinWashingtonSquarePark.

"AtleastonceayeareveryoneshouldgototheMetropolitanMuseumofArt,"Francessaidafterawhile,hertoneagoodimitationofthetoneshehadusedatbreakfastandatthebeginningoftheirwalk."Andit'sniceonSunday.There'realotofpeoplelookingatthepicturesandyougetthefeelingmaybeArtisn'tonthedeclineinNewYorkCity,afterall—"

"Iwanttotellyousomething,"Michaelsaidveryseriously."Ihavenottouchedanotherwoman.Notonce.Inallthefiveyears."

"Allright,"Francessaid.

"Youbelievethat,don'tyou?

"

"Allright."

Theywalkedbetweenthecrowdedbenches,underthescrubbycity-parktrees.

"Itrynottonoticeit,"Francessaid,"butIfeelrotteninside,inmystomach,whenwepassawomanandyoulookatherandIseethatlookinyoureyeandthat'sthewayyoulookedatmethefirsttime.InAliceMaxwell'shouse.Standingthereinthelivingroom,nexttotheradio,withagreenhatonandallthosepeople."

“Irememberthehat,"Michaelsaid.

"Thesamelook,"Francessaid."Anditmakesmefeelbad.Itmakesmefeelterrible."

"Sh-h-h,please,darling,sh-h-h."

"IthinkIwouldlikeadrinknow,"Francessaid.

TheywalkedovertoabaronEighthStreet,notsayinganything,Mikeautomaticallyhelpingherovercurbstonesandguidingherpastautomobiles.Theysatnearawindowinthebarandthesunstreamedinandtherewasasmall,cheerfulfireinthefireplace.AlittleJapanesewaitercameoverandputdownsomepretzelsandsmiledhappilyatthem.

"Whatdoyouorderafterbreakfast?

"Michaelasked.

"Brandy,Isuppose,"Francessaid.

"Courvoisier,"Michaeltoldthewaiter,"TwoCourvoisier’s."

Thewaitercamewiththeglassesandtheysatdrinkingthebrandyinthesunlight.Michaelfinishedhalfhisanddrankalittlewater.

"Ilookatwomen,"hesaid."Correct.Idon'tsayit'swrongorright.Ilookatthem.IfIpassthemonthestreetandIdon'tlookatthem,I'mfoolingyou,I'mfoolingmyself."

"Youlookatthemasthoughyouwantthem,"Francessaid,playingwithherbrandyglass."Everyoneofthem."

"Inaway,"Michaelsaid,speakingsoftlyandnottohiswife,"inawaythat'strue.Idon'tdoanythingaboutit,butit'strue."

"Iknowit.That'swhyIfeelbad."

"Anotherbrandy,"Michaelcalled."Waiter,twomorebrandies."

Hesighedandclosedhiseyesandrubbedthemgentlywithhisfingertips."Ilovethewaywomenlook.OneofthethingsIlikebestaboutNewYorkisthebattalionsofwomen.WhenIfirstcametoNewYorkfromOhiothatwasthefirstthingInoticed,themillionwonderfulwomen,alloverthecity,Iwalkedaroundwithmyheartinmythroat."

"Akid,"Francessaid."That'sakid'sfeeling."

"Guessagain,"Michaelsaid."Guessagain.I'moldernow.I'mamangettingnearmiddleage,puttingonalittlefat,andIstilllovetowalkalongFifthAvenueatthreeo'clockontheeastsideofthestreetbetweenFiftiethandFifty-seventhStreets.They'realloutthen,shopping,intheirfursandtheircrazyhats,everythingallconcentratedfromallovertheworldintosevenblocksthebestfurs,thebestclothes,thehandsomestwomen,outtospendmoneyandIfeelinggoodaboutit."

TheJapanesewaiterputthetwodrinksdown,smilingwithgreathappiness.

"Everythingisallright?

"heasked.

"Everythingiswonderful,"Michaelsaid.

"Ifit'sjustacoupleoffurcoats,"Francessaid,"andforty-fivedollarhats--"

"It'snotthefurcoats.Orthehats.That'sjustthesceneryforthatparticularkindofwomen.Understand,"hesaid,"youdon'thavetolistentothis."

"Iwanttolisten."

"Ilikethegirlsintheoffices.Neat,withtheireyeglasses,smart,chipper,knowingwhateverythingisabout.IlikethegirlsonForty-fourthStreetatlunchtime,theactresses,alldresseduponnothingaweek.Ilikethesalesgirlsinthestores,payingattentiontoyoufirstbecauseyou'reaman,leavingladycustomerswaiting.IgotallthisstuffaccumulatedinmebecauseI'vebeenthinkingaboutitfortenyearsandnowyou'veaskedforitandhereitis."

"Goahead,"Francessaid.

"WhenIthinkofNewYorkCity,Ithinkofallthegirlsonparadeinthecity.Idon'tknowwhetherit'ssomethingspecialwithmeorwhethereverymaninthecitywalksaroundwiththesamefeelinginsidehim,butIfeelasthoughI'matapicnicinthiscity.Iliketositnearthewomeninthetheatres,thefamousbeautieswho'vetakensixhourstogetreadyandlookit.Andtheyounggirlsatthefootballgames,withtheredcheeks,andwhenthewarmweathercomes,thegirlsintheirsummerdresses."Hefinishedhisdrink."That'sthestory."

Francesfinishedherdrinkandswallowedtwoorthreetimesextra."Yousayyouloveme?

"

"Iloveyou."

"I'mpretty,too,"Francessaid."Asprettyasanyofthem."

"You'rebeautiful,"Michaelsaid.

"I'mgoodforyou,"Francessaid,pleading.“agoodwife,agoodhousekeeper,agoodfriend.I'ddoanydamnthingforyou."

"Iknow,"Michaelsaid.Heputhishandoutandgraspedhers.

"You'dliketobefreeto--"Francessaid.

"Sh-h-h."

"Tellthetruth."Shetookherhandawayfromunderhis.

Michaelflickedtheedgeofhisglasswithhisfinger."0.K.,"hesaidgently.

"SometimesIfeelIwouldliketobefree."

"Well,"Francessaid,"anytimeyousay."

"Don'tbefoolish."Michaelswunghischairaroundtohersideofthetableandpattedherthigh.

Shebegantocrysilentlyintoherhandkerchief,bentoverjustenoughsothatnobodyelseinthebarwouldnotice."Someday,"shesaid,crying,"you'regoingtomakeamove."

Michaeldidn'tsayanything.Hesatwatchingthebartenderslowlypeelalemon.

"Aren'tyou?

"Francesaskedharshly."Comeon,tellme.Talk.Aren'tyou?

"

"Maybe,"Michaelsaid.Hemovedhischairbackagain."Ho