line in the
raining.
rain dripped
water
slipped
it was
the from the palm trees.
stood in on the gravel paths.
the sea broke in a long
back…
again…in the rain.
rain and
to come up and break
pools
rain
ing
rain
ing
rain
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rain
rain
rain
rain
rain
wate
r
wate
r
wate
r
wate
r wate
r
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rain
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the american wife stood at the
window looking out
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…right their window
cat was crouched
tables.
under
under
a
theone of
dripping
catcrouched
i’m going down and get
that kitty
“”
i’ll do it“ ”
no, i’ll get it.“ ”
don’t get wet,
“ ”he said.
the went on reading,propped up with the two
at the foot of the
lyingpillows
bed.
husband
the
wife
the
hotel owner stood up
and bowedto her as she
passed his office.
andwent downstairs
ow
ner
hote
l
she liked the way he
she liked the hotel-keeper.
the wife liked him.
she liked the deadly serious way he received any complaints.
she liked his dignity.
she liked the way he
she liked the way he felt about being a hotel-keeper.
she liked his old, heavy face and big hands.
wanted to serve her.
she liked the hotel-keeper.
wanted to serve her.
liking him she opened the door and looked out.
as she stood in the doorwayan behind her.umbrella opened
it was the maid…
she smiled, speaking italian.
you must not get wet,“ ”
of course,
the hotel-keeper had sent her.
the was there, washedtablebright green in the rain, butthe cat was gone.
!
(outside)
she went on up the stairs
george was reading again.
i wanted it so muchshe said.
i don’t know why i wanted it so much.
“ ,”
i wanted that poor kitty.
pillow
s
bed. lyinggeorge
i get so tired of it
“ ”
dro
ne
il pail padrone
stood up and bowed to her
the padrone made feelvery small and at the sametimereally important.
****
***** * her
i want to pull my hair back tight and smooth…
i want to have a kitty to sit on my lap and purr when i stroke her.
i want to eat at a table with my own silver and i want candles.
“”
“”
”
“
and it to be spri g and i w n to brush my hair ou in front of a mirror and want a kit y and i wa t some n w cl thes.
i want
ta t
e
it
o
“
”
n
n
oh, shut up and getsomething to read
“”
george said.
if i have long hair or any , can have a cat.“
anyway, i want a cat,
i want a cat.
i want a cat now.
she said,can’t
i ?
“ ”
”fun
[love]isn’t
not any of it.
fun
…anymore.
it isn’t any to be a
poor kittyout in the
rain
funrain
rain
rainra
in
rain
rain
rain
stood
someone at the door.knocked
avanti, george said.“ ”in the doorway th
emaid.
she held a big tortoise-shell …cat
the padrone asked me to bring this
for the signora.
excuse me,“
”for the signora.
rain
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wate
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catin the rain.
-the end-