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I realized so more than usual was intended when I discovered Daddy had only invited the Colonel and his family to dinner I knew the Colonel well, of course He was at our offices often for one matter or another Daddy was involved in so many business enterprises these days, there was always soal question or problem to be addressed On a half dozen social occasions, I had met his wife Elizabeth, an attractive, stately woland's finest families They had only one child, Nelson, who took after his ood looks

Nelson Childs was one of those Adonises who glide through high school on a ic carpet, successful in studies, in sports and in social life He always looked well put together, organized, relaxed Teachers favored and ad thought a teacher's pet He commanded the respect of his peers and was elected class president, captain of his basketball and baseball teams, and the winner of the school's best raduation

We were nearly five years apart, but it h his father was nized my existence in school or anywhere else for that irls who gathered around hi to catch the bouquet of his attention and go on to be his girlfriend, his date, or merely the object of his immediate interest

His eyes were h to see, I thought there were specks of gold in theht brown hair short, but with a little poive it some shape and style He did have an electric set of that smile Cupid, as far as I was concerned, rode on Nelson's shoulders, directing arrows just for his own impish amusement

So his good na feirls he dated understood he was beyond being captured He would never belong to just one girl; he belonged to them all

I began to eavesdrop on the Colonel and Daddy's conversations whenever Nelson's name was mentioned I knew that he was in his last year of law school and yet had not met anyone who had won his roraduate, pass his bar exams and work in his father's firin a perfect existence, just as his father had

My s acquired fro in on the conversations about him made me question the wisdom and reality of Daddy's plan What would a man like Nelson Childs ith a dizzy, frivolous, conceited young wo his money on this sort of dinner for that sort of purpose, he asting everyone's tiht, would first be intience as Nelson, and second, would never want to settle doith anyone so firanized in his own beliefs Why couldn't Daddy see that?

My memories of Nelson Childs were overwhel of the dinner For h I tried not to show it, it was as if a celebrity I had only seen on television, in the azines, suddenly set foot in my home Time away at school had matured hi man with stature, personable and accomplished

Mother was charmed Daddy beamed at the prospects and Belinda was titillated when Nelson was introduced to her before he was introduced to ly recalled h

"Yes, I reirl," he said Belinda enjoyed that

"She still is," she said "Everyone calls her Miss Cold and calls me Miss Hot"

"Really?" He stared at her a moment with interest that made me envious

"Only Belinda's bubble-gus," I remarked

"Bubble gu to me

"Bubbles for brains," I hed