A sighting in Texas

On my fourth day in the city

I looked through the window

and saw a dreamlike figure sauntering by.

He had a sack over his arm, and a stick over his

shoulder,

and he wore a high-crowned hat and a cloak, I think,

and he strolled past easy, insolent and amused.

My heart leapt to see him.

‘Who was that?’ I cried, rushing to the window,

‘that man with the stick, and the high-crowned hat,

and the sack on his arm?’

My hostess returned me reprovingly to our

conversation.

‘I saw nobody,’ she sweetly and carefully said.

‘But tell me, have you had time to see our new Picasso

in the Fine Arts Museum?

And will you have an opportunity to meet with

Mrs Oveta Culp Hobby?’