Bill’s Summer Job

“Graduation Day”

Listen to Chapter 10, “Bill’s Summer Job”

Graduation Day 1964 brought a great deal of celebration and festivity to Riverdale. By this time, though, Bill and Kurt had each found his own separate way and didn’t pal around together much anymore. No one thought too much about it, but later Julie would find out some things that none of the other kids knew. Anyway, Kurt was going back east to some prestigious college. Bob and Sandra were coming home to Riverdale for the summer and would transfer from Pacific Christian College to La Paloma College in the fall. At long last, Sandra and Julie would get to be roommates.

Bill and Julie skipped the all-night graduation party at Riverdale High and spent the time alone together, since Julie would spend the summer on campus at La Paloma working for the summer-long National Science Institutes and taking classes, too. Bill would work in Riverdale for a local house painter, Mr. Lear.

“I don’t like being away from you this summer,” Julie told Bill as they sat in the porch swing at his house.

“You know how hard I tried to get a job on campus at La Paloma,” he reminded her, “but there just isn’t anything available for me until fall. Anyway, painting will pay a lot more.”

Julie frowned, even as she hugged him. “I know,” she admitted, “but Mr. Lear’s daughter Beth is just too cute for you to be around!”

Bill laughed, surprised. “I don’t love Beth, honey,” he assured her. “I love you.”

Several weeks later, when Julie came home for a weekend, she found out just how right she had been. It was Sandra who told her what a hard crush Beth Lear had on Bill. But Julie waited to see what Bill would say about it.

Bill had been unusually quiet at the Emorys’ Saturday night swimming pool party. Julie just figured he was tired at first, but then she could see that something was really bothering him.

“What’s wrong, Bill?” she asked gently. “Did you have a hard week of painting?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, sort of, I guess.” He did not return Julie’s steady gaze.

“There’s more, isn’t there?” she ventured. “Please, baby, you can tell me.”

“Well,” he began, “I know you knew Beth had a crush on me from the beginning.” He paused.

Julie nodded, but did not speak.

“She even came right out and asked me if I would be her boyfriend since you were away at college.”

A shiver of fear shot through Julie, not totally sure of what Bill might say next. She waited for him to speak again.

Bill put his arm around Julie and squeezed her just a little, looking directly into her eyes. “Beth is pretty cute and all, but I’m not attracted to her.” Julie breathed a secret sigh of relief as Bill went on.

“Last week Mr. Lear took me aside and told me in no uncertain terms that I was not good enough for his little girl, that I could never support her in the manner to which she was accustomed. It was a real slap in the face!”

For a brief instant Julie felt sympathy for Bill, but her feelings of relief were strong. She looked up into his tired eyes. “Oh, Bill, you know my Momma would never say something like that to you!”

Bill hugged her tightly. “I know, Sugar. You and I—well, we’re just so right for each other. No one will ever take your place in my heart!”

Julie sighed, returning his embrace, settling into his arms for a very long time.

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