Free Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! by Fannie Flagg Page A

and on her first night in town Dena was taking him places he’d never been before. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder how a nice person like her would fare in New York. She might do just fine. He hoped so. But he also knew that New York was a tough town, full of ruthless types waiting to rip you to shreds if they could. Success here could be brutal. He glanced over at the headline on the front page of the local news rag his secretary had put on his desk earlier. These days being nice or even distinguished was no protection anymore. One slip and your reputation is ruined forever. Look what had just happened to Arthur Rosemond. Poor guy.

A Nice Person
    New York City

1968
    Arthur Rosemond was born in Norway and at seventeen had become one of the leaders of the underground movement during WWII. Arrested in 1942, he was sent to a German war camp but managed to escape two years later. After the war, he came to America and received a master’s in political science from Georgetown University and by age thirty-nine, he had written three books, served four years as special adviser to the secretary of state, and was only forty-two years old when appointed to his post at the United Nations, where he had been the spearhead in major peace negotiations for the past eleven years, traveling widely. Two years before he had shared the Nobel peace prize for his efforts.
    In his personal life, Rosemond was considered somewhat unusual, because although happily married, he had as many women friends as he did men. He genuinely liked the company of women and he found their particular insights and observations about people helpful. One such friend was Pamela Lathrope. They had been good friends while she had been married and remained so after her divorce. Rosemond believed she had one of the keenest minds he had ever come across and he always asked for her advice whenever a particularly difficult negotiation was going on. They would often havedinner together to discuss it, sometimes with his wife or friends or sometimes just the two of them. Tonight was just such an occasion. He was having a hard time with the new man from France. He needed his support on several upcoming issues and was getting nowhere. He had enjoyed a wonderful working and social relationship with the previous French ambassador but this new man was a bird of a different feather.
    Arthur needed to get together with him in the right social situation without dozens of people around so he could get a handle on what this guy was about, and he had called Pamela to help him out. Pamela was famous for her dinner parties and most people did not turn down an invitation. Like most, the French diplomat did not say no. It was to be just Arthur and his wife, Beverly; the ambassador and his wife; and Pamela. Arthur was anxious for Pamela to spend a little time observing up close. She was always able to see a person clearly and size him up much more precisely than he ever could. Three hours before the party, Arthur’s wife called Pamela on the phone.
    “Pam, it’s me, Beverly. Listen, would you take a gun and shoot me if I didn’t come tonight?”
    “Of course not.”
    “I hate to call this late, but I am just walking on my knees, I am so tired. I’ve been out in the yard working with the gardeners since seven o’clock this morning. Wouldn’t you know that this would be the day they would show up with all the new plantings; anyway, I’m filthy dirty, and by the time I take a bath, dress, and come all the way in, I’ll be late anyway. So … do you think Arthur will be very upset?”
    “No, of course not. Don’t worry, I’ll tell Arthur; you just get in a hot tub and relax.”
    “You are an angel from heaven. I’ll make this up to you, I swear I will.”
    Pamela, in fact, did not mind. She knew that Beverly, who was sixteen years younger than Arthur, adored him, but hated all the endless socializing. She would much rather stay home with her children and read a good book.