Sutton. J. Moehringer R.

Island flutter on. Willie tells Bess that there are a quarter million bulbs in all. No wonder Coney Island is the first thing seen by ships at sea. Imagine—this right here is the first glimpse the immigrants have of America.

      It’s also the last thing you see when you sail away, Bess says.

      How do you know that?

      I’ve seen it. Several times.

      Oh.

      She points at the moon. Look. Isn’t the moon lovely tonight?

      Like part of the park, Willie says. Lunar Park.

      Bess speaks in the stagy voice of an actress. Why, Mr. Sutton—handsome and clever?

      He plays along. I say, Miss Endner, would you mind repeating that?

      Can you not hear me, Mr. Sutton?

      On the contrary, Miss Endner, I cannot believe my good fortune at being paid a compliment by so fine a young woman, therefore I was hoping I might memorize it.

      She stops. She looks up at Willie with a smile that says, Maybe there’s more here than first met the eye. After a slow start he’s turning her. Like the Whip.

      The three couples gather at the rail and listen to the pounding waves, a sound like the echo of the war drifting across the sea. The wind picks up. It billows the girls’ long dresses, causes the boys’ neckties to snap like flags. Bess keeps one hand on her hat. Happy gives his hat to Eddie and plucks his ukulele.

       I don’t wanna play in your yard

       I don’t like you anymore

       You’ll be sorry when you see me

       Sliding down our cellar door

      They all know the words. Bess has a fine voice, but it’s quavering, because she’s cold. Willie takes off his coat and wraps it around her shoulders.

       You can’t holler down our rain barrel

       You can’t climb our apple tree

      People drift toward them, adding their voices. No one can resist this song.

       I don’t wanna play in your yard

       If you won’t be good to me

      With the final notes Happy makes his battered ukulele sound like a ukulele orchestra. Everyone claps and Bess squeezes Willie’s bicep. He flexes it bigger. She squeezes it harder.

      Heavens, First Girlfriend says, looking at her bracelet watch, it’s late.

      Bess protests. First Girlfriend and Second Girlfriend overrule her. The three couples follow the crowd toward the trolleys and subways. Willie and Bess begin to say their goodbyes. Then find themselves alone. Willie looks around. In the shadows of a bathhouse Eddie and First Girlfriend are entwined. Behind a fortune-teller’s booth Happy is stealing kisses from Second Girlfriend. Willie looks at Bess. Her eyes—pools of blue and gold. He feels the earth tip toward the moon. He leans, touches his lips softly to hers. His skin tingles, his blood catches fire. In this instant, he knows, in this unforeseen gift of a moment, his future is being reshaped. This wasn’t supposed to happen. But it is happening. It is.

      At last, on the street, the girls stand facing the boys. Thank you for a lovely evening. Nice meeting you. And you as well. Merry Christmas. Good night. Ta ta. Happy New Year.

      And yet Bess will be seeing Willie in just a few days. They have a date. The girls walk off, First Girlfriend and Second Girlfriend on either side of Bess. Willie watches them melt into the crowd. At the last second Bess turns.

      You can’t holler down my rainbarrel, she calls.

      You can’t climb my apple tree, Willie calls back.

      She sings: I don’t wanna play in your yaaard.

      He thinks: If you won’t be good to me.

       Sutton looks at his reflection in the water. He realizes it’s not his reflection, but a cloud. Did you know Socrates said we love whatever we lack? Or think we lack?

       Socrates?

       If you feel stupid, you’ll fall for someone brainy. If you feel ugly, you’ll flip your lid for someone who’s easy on the eyes.

       You’ve read Socrates?