Today we complete the story Paul's Case. It was written by WillaCather. Here is Kay Gallant with the story.
Paul was a student with a lot of problems. He hated school. He didn'tlike living with his family on Cordelia Street in the industrial cityof Pittsburgh. Paul wanted to be surrounded by beautiful things. Heloved his part-time job as an usher at the concert hall. He helpedpeople find their seats before the concert, then he could listen tothe music and dream of exciting places. Paul also spent a lot of timeat the local theater. He knew many of the actors who worked there. Heused to do little jobs for them and they would let him see plays forfree. Paul had little time left for his studies. So he was always introuble with his teachers. Finally, Paul's teachers complained againto his father. His father took him out of school and made him take ajob in a large company. He would not let Paul go near the concert hallor the theater.
Paul did not like his job as a messenger boy. He began to plan hisescape. A few weeks later, Paul's boss Mr. Danny gave Paul a largeamount of money to take to the bank. He told Paul to hurry because itwas Friday afternoon. He said the bank would close soon and would notopen again until Monday. At the bank, Paul took the money out of hispocket. It was 5,000 dollars. Paul put the money back in his coatpocket and he walked out of the bank. He went to the train station andbought a one-way ticket for New York City. That afternoon, Paul leftPittsburgh forever. The train traveled slowly through a Januarysnowstorm. The slow movement made Paul fall asleep. The train whistleblew just as the sun was coming up. Paul awoke, feeling dirty anduncomfortable. He quickly touched his coat pocket. The money was stillthere. It was not a dream. He really was on his way to New York Citywith 5,000 dollars in his pocket.
Finally, the train pulled into central station. Paul walked quicklyout of the station and went immediately to an expensive clothing storefor man. The salesman was very polite when he saw Paul's money. Paulbought two suits, several white silk shirts, some silk ties ofdifferent colors. Then he bought a black tuxedo suit for the theater,a warm winter coat, a red bathrobe and the finest silk underclothes.
He told the salesman he wanted to wear one of the new suits and thecoat immediately. The salesman bowed and smiled. Paul then took a taxito another shop where he bought several pairs of leather shoes andboots. Next, he went to the famous jewelry store Tiffanies and boughta tiepin and some brushes with silver handles. His last stop was aluggage store where he had all his new clothes put into severalexpensive suitcases.
It was a little before one o'clock in the afternoon when Paul arrivedat the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The doorman opened the hotel's glassdoors for Paul and the boy entered. The thick carpet under his feethad the colors of a thousand jewels. The lights sparkled from crystalchandeliers. Paul told the hotel clerk he was from Washington D.C. hesaid his mother and father were arriving in a few days from Europe. Heexplained he was going to wait for them at the hotel.
In his dreams, Paul had planned this trip to New York a hundred times.
He knew all about the Waldorf-Astoria, one of New York's mostexpensive hotels. As soon as he entered his rooms, he thought thateverything was perfect except for one thing. He rang the bell andasked for fresh flowers to be sent quickly to his rooms. When theflowers came, Paul put them in water and then he took a long hot bath.
He came out of the bathroom, wearing the red silk bathrobe. Outsidehis windows, the snow was falling so fast that he could not see acrossthe street. But inside, the air was warm and sweet. He lay down on thesofa in his sitting room. It had all been so very simple, he thought.
When they had shut him out of the theatre and the concert hall, Paulknew he had to leave. But he was surprised that he had not been afraidto go. He could not remember a time when he had not been afraid ofsomething even when he was a little boy. But now he felt free, hewasn't afraid any more. He watched the snow until he fell asleep.
It was 4 o'clock in the afternoon when Paul woke up. He spent nearlyan hour getting dressed. He looked at himself often in the mirror. Hisdark blue suit fit him so well that he did not seem too thin. Thewhite silk shirt and the blue and lilac tie felt cool and smooth underhis fingers. He was exactly the kind of boy he had always wanted tobe.
Paul put on his new winter coat and went downstairs. He got into ataxi and told the driver to take him for a ride along 5th Avenue. Paulstared at the expensive stores.
As the taxi stopped for a red light, Paul noticed a flower shop.
Through the window, he could see all kinds of flowers. Paul thoughtthe violets, roses, and lilies of the valley looked even more lovelybecause they were blooming in the middle of winter. Paul began to feelhungry. So he asked the taxi driver to take him back to the hotel.
As he entered the dinning room, the music of the hotel orchestrafloated up to greet him. He sat at a table near a window. The freshflowers, the white tablecloth and the colored wine glasses pleasedPaul's eyes. Soft music, below voices of the people around him, andsoft popping of champagne corks whispered into Paul's ears. This iswhat everyone wants, he thought. He could not believe he had everlived in Pittsburgh on Codelia Street. That belonged to another timeand place. Paul lifted the crystal glass of champagne and drank thecool precious bubbling wine. He belonged here.
Later that evening, Paul put on his black tuxedo and went to theopera. He felt perfectly at ease. He had only to look at his tuxedo toknow he belonged with all the other beautiful people in the operahouse. He didn't talk to anyone. But his eyes recorded everything.
Paul's golden days went by without a shadow. He made each one asperfect as he could. On the 8th day after his arrival in New York, hefound a report in a newspaper about his crime. It's said that hisfather had paid the company the 5,000 dollars that Paul had stolen.
It's said Paul had been seen in a New York hotel and it's said Paul'sfather was in New York. He was looking for Paul to bring him back toPittsburgh.
Paul's knees became weak. He sat down in a chair and put his head inhis hands. The dream was ended. He had to go back to Codelia Street,back to the yellow papered bedroom, the smell of cook cabbage, thedaily ride to work on the crowded street cars. Paul poured himself aglass of champagne and drank it quickly. He poured another glass anddrank that one too.
Paul had a taxi take him out of the city and into the country. Thetaxi left him near some railroad tracks. Paul suddenly remembered allthe flowers he had seen in a shop window his first night in New York.
He realized that by now every one of those flowers was dead. They hadhad only one splendid moment to challenge winter. A train whistlebroke into Paul's thoughts. He watched as the train grew bigger andbigger. As it came closer, Paul's body shook. His lips were afrightened smile. Paul looked nervously around as if someone might bewatching him. When the right moment came, Paul jumped. And as hejumped, he realized his great mistake. The blue of the ocean and theyellow of the desert flashed through his brain. He had not seen themyet. There was so much he had not seen. Paul felt something hit hischest. He felt his body fly through the air far and fast. Theneverything turned black. And Paul dropped back into the great designof things.
You have just heard the American Story "Paul's Case". It was writtenby Willa Cather. Your storyteller was Kay Gallant. Listen again nextweek at this time for another American story told in Special Englishon the Voice of America. I'm Steve Ember. |