THE JOHN O'HARA SOCIETY
On July 11, 1964, publication of "His Excellency." The New Yorker. The Horse Knows the Way.
Conversation between business owner Norman White and his employee Miss Tasmer. Miss Tasmer speaks first.
"Well, I'm not a tattletale, but the new man, that Heckman, he talks worse than you do. It's got so I just dread going out in the shop, the things he says."
"Heckman? What kind of things?"
"Fresh things. And right in front of the other men. I told him to stop or I'd report him to you, but he just goes right ahead."
"What kind of things?"
"About me," she said.
"You mean - about your person?"
"Yes, my person. He says things about my person. And not only about my person." . . .
"Listen, Tazzie, we're all out here on the edge of town, and you're the only female surrounded by six men. If they didn't take some notice of you, that wouldn't be much of a compliment either.". . .
"I can't help it if I'm overdeveloped, in certain ways."
THE JOHN O'HARA SOCIETY celebrates the life and works of John O'Hara, Pennsylvania's pre-eminent contemporary author and America's greatest short-story writer. The JOHS studies, publishes, and diffuses works by and about the author. Membership is free. For details, contact the JOHS's Corresponding Secretary, Richard Carreño, via Philabooks@yahoo.com. © MMXXIV John O'Hara Society.
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