Part 11 (1/2)
”No, it's not, and you know it” The father picked up a fork and drew a picture of the place on the tablecloth. ”It's too d.a.m.n small, too far from everywhere. No view. And, the heating, my G.o.d, the heating!”
”Well, it does get cold in the winter,” admitted his mother.
”Cold, h.e.l.l. So cold it runs cracks up one side and down the other of all the places out there. Oh, and another thing. I don't like some of our neighbors.”
”You never liked neighbors anytime, anywhere, anyhow,” said his mother. ”People next door moved out Thank G.o.d, you said. New people moved in: Oh, G.o.d, you said.”
”Well, these are the worst, they take the cake. Son, can you do anything about it?”
”Do?” said the son, and thought my G.o.d, they don't know where they've come from, they don't know where they've been for twenty years, they can't guess why it's cold- ”Too hot in summer,” added his father. ”Melts you in your shoes. Don't look at me that way, Mother. Son wants to hear. h.e.l.l do something about it, won't you, son? Find us a new new place-” place-”
”Yes, Dad.”
”You got a headache, son?”
”No.” The son opened his eyes, and reached for the bottle. ”I'll look into it I promise.”
I wonder he thought, has anyone ever moved anyone out of a place like that to another place, all for a view, all for better neighbors? Would the law allow? Where could he take them? Where might they go? North Chicago, maybe? There was a place there on a hill- The waiter arrived just then to take their orders.
”Whatever he's he's having.” His mother pointed at the son. having.” His mother pointed at the son.
”Whatever that man over there is eating,” said the father.
”Hamburger steak,” said the son.
The waiter went away and came back and they ate quickly. ”Is this a speed contest?”
”Slow down, boy. Whoa.” And suddenly it was all over. Exactly one hour had pa.s.sed as the son put down his knife and fork and finished his fourth gla.s.s of wine. Suddenly his face burst into a smile.
”I remember remember!” he cried. ”I mean, it's come back to me. Why I called, why I brought brought you here!” you here!”
”Well?” said his mother.
”Spit it out, son,” said his father.
”I,” said the son.
”Yes?”
”Yes, yes?”
”I,” said the son, ”love you.”
His words pushed his parents back in their seats.
Their shoulders sagged and they glanced at each other out of the corners of their eyes, quietly, with their heads lowered.
”h.e.l.l, son,” said his father. ”We know that.”
”We love you, too,” said his mother.
”Yes,” said his father, quietly. ”Yes.”
”But we try not to think about it,” said his mother. ”It makes us too unhappy when you don't call.”
”Mother!” cried the son, and stopped himself from saying: you've forgotten again!”
Instead, he said: ”I'll call more often.”
”No need,” said his father.
”I will, believe me, I will!”
”Don't make promises you can't live up to, is what I say. But now,” said the father, drinking more wine, ”son, what else did you want to see us about?”
”What else?” The son was shocked. Wasn't it enough he protested his great and enduring love-”Well....” The son slowed. His gaze wandered through the restaurant window to the silent phone booth where he had placed those calls.
”My children-” he said. ”Children!” The old man exploded. ”By G.o.d, I'd forgot myself. What were they now-?”
”Daughters, of course,” said the wife, punching her husband's arm. ”What's wrong with you?”
”If you don't know what's been wrong with me for twenty years, you'll never know.” The father turned to the son. ”Daughters of course. Must be full-grown now. Little tads, last time we saw-”
”Let son tell us about them,” said the mother.
”There's nothing to tell.” The son paused awkwardly. ”h.e.l.l. Lots. But it doesn't make sense.”
”Try us,” said the father. ”Sometimes-”
”Yes?”
”Sometimes,” the son continued, slowly, eyes down, ”I have this feeling my daughters, mind you, my daughters have pa.s.sed away and you, you're alive! Does that make any sense?”
”About as much sense as most families make,” said the father, taking out, cutting, and sucking at a fresh cigar.