PERFECTLY MARVELOUS Sally: I THINK PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE, I REALLY DO CLIFF, DON'T YOU? I DON'T THINK PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING. FOR EXAMPLE, IF I SHOULD PAINT MY FINGERNAILS GREEN (OH, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT I DO PAINT THEM GREEN), WELL, IF ANYONE SHOULD ASK ME WHY, I SAY I THINK ITS PRETTY. "I THINK ITS PRETTY," I REPLY. SO, IF ANYONE SHOULD ASK ABOUT YOU AND ME, YOU HAVE TWO ALTERNATIVES. YOU CAN EITHER SAY "OH, YES ITS TRUE WE'RE LIVING IN DELICIOUS SIN," OR YOU COULD SIMPLY TELL THE TRUTH AND SAY: I MET THIS PERFECTLY MARVELOUS GIRL IN THIS PERFECTLY WONDERFUL PLACE AS I LIFTED A GLASS TO THE START OF A MARVELOUS YEAR. BEFORE I KNEW IT SHE'D CALLED ON THE PHONE INVITING. NEXT MOMENT I WAS NO LONGER ALONE BUT SAT RECITING SOME PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL VERSE IN MY CHARMING AMERICAN STYLE. HOW I DAZZLED HER SENSES WAS TRULY NO LESS THAN A CRIME. NOW I'VE THIS PERFECTLY MARVELOUS GIRL IN MY PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL ROOM AND WE'RE LIVING TOGETHER AND HAVING A MARVELOUS TIME. Cliff: SALLY, I'M AFRAID THIS WOULDN'T WORK OUT. YOU'RE MUCH TOO DISTRACTING. Sally: DISTRACTING, NO! INSPIRING! SHE TELLS ME PERFECTLY MARVELOUS TALES OF HER THRILLINGLY SCANDALOUS LIFE WHICH I'LL PROBABLY USE AS A CHAPTER OR TWO IN MY BOOK. AND SINCE MY STAY IN BERLIN WAS TO FORCE CREATION, WHAT LUCK TO FALL ON A FABULOUS SOURCE OF STIMULATION. AND PERFECTLY MARVELOUS TOO IS HER PERFECT AGREEMENT TO BE JUST AS STILL AS A MOUSE WHILE I'M GIVING MY NOVEL A WHIRL! YES, I'VE A HIGHLY AGREEABLE LIFE IN MY PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL ROOM WITH MY NEARLY INVISIBLE PERFECTLY MARVELOUS GIRL. Cliff: SALLY...I JUST CAN'T AFFORD....DO YOU HAVE ANY MONEY? Sally: A FEW MARKS.....UH...6? Cliff: OH, GOD. Sally: OH, PLEASE CLIFF JUST FOR A DAY OR TWO, PLEASE? Cliff: I MET THIS TRULY REMARKABLE GIRL IN THIS REALLY INCREDIBLE TOWN AND SHE SKILLFULLY MANAGED TO TALK HER WAY INTO MY ROOM. I HAVE A TERRIBLE FEELING I'VE SAID A DUMB THING. BESIDES, I'VE ONLY GOT ONE NARROW BED... Sally: WE'LL THINK OF SOMETHING.