The Outsider Read Online Free PDF Page A

Sure, why not?”
    â€œ Bimah ?”
    â€œThe step up. The platform at the front.”
    â€œI’m getting an interesting education.”
    â€œAnd I’m getting chilled,” Shelly said.
    â€œJust a few minutes more,” Carter assured her. “I must show them the parsonage. It’s small but pleasant,” he assured Lucy. “Millie — that’s my wife, Millicent — Millie and I would be living there, except that she’s a local girl, and her parents passed away and left her their house. Big house, and we need it, with our kids.” He led them across the lawn to the parsonage, a small white clapboard Colonial house; living room, dining room, and kitchen downstairs, and then narrow stairs up to three bedrooms. It was sparsely furnished with old maple and pine pieces, and there were rag rugs on the floors.
    The two of them together were alone upstairs for a minute or so, and David asked Lucy what she thought of it.
    â€œBeats me. I’m a stranger here, David.”
    â€œSo am I. But I’ve been a stranger on earth since the first two Christian kids jumped me and beat the hell out of me. It’s something you get used to, and in a way it has its advantages.”
    â€œTell me about it some time.”
    â€œWhen we have more time.”
    â€œAnd meanwhile we worship in a Christian church and live in a Christian house and make love in a Christian bed — unless you bring up your mother’s bed. This is lumpy.”
    â€œWe’ll bring up Mom’s bed. And I don’t think buildings partake of either faith or prejudice. Anyway, you’re an atheist, so you shouldn’t mind.”
    â€œI’m a Jewish atheist.”
    â€œRight. I’ll try to remember that.”
    Washing for dinner that evening, in the guest bathroom of the Osner house, Lucy said to David, “Maybe I shouldn’t dislike that pissy Shelly Osner so much. After all, she bounced around with us all afternoon and then got out dinner for how many?”
    â€œEight, I believe.”
    â€œEight. And I’ll bet it’s delicious,” Lucy said unhappily. “I’m a lousy cook, David. I’ve kept that from you because I never had to cook anything for you.”
    â€œScrambled eggs this morning. Delicious.”
    â€œThat’s not cooking. And the Osners are putting us up for the night. That’s kind of nice. I guess I have a lot of quick, dumb opinions.”
    â€œNo. You’re sensitive and you’re worried. I guess I am too. I guess neither of us has ever been in a situation like this before, and if you feel that you can’t hack it, tell me. It’s not irreversible.”
    â€œDavid, they sent me down to a U.S.O. in Georgia. I spent six months there. If I could take that, I can take anything. And I kind of like that little house. I always wanted to live in a parsonage, ever since going on a Brontë bender at age fifteen. And I’ll tell you something else, that sweet little house isn’t insulated, and it appears to have some kind of primitive hot-air heating system, and everyone’s been boasting about the wonderful cold winters — so we’re going to have lots of fun trying to stay warm. Did you ever hear of bundling? That’s an old New England mishegas I read about somewhere —”
    â€œI think we’d better go down to dinner,” David said firmly.
    Having a cocktail before dinner, David and Lucy met the three men who would form the pro tern committee for the functioning of the synagogue. They also met the wives, but that was simply social necessity and not the purpose of the evening. The host and Shelly Osner’s husband was a heavy-set man, Jack Osner by name, balding, mid-forties, a pair of heavy brows over small blue eyes. David had already learned that Osner had spent the war with the Judge Advocate and held the rank of colonel at discharge. He was part of a prestigious law firm, and