I
want
to see them. I’m looking for anything to prove that when I drop dead there’s a chance I’ll be doing something a little more exciting than decaying.
Anyway, we finally got away from Norton and Dennis, but it was too late to go over to the Pigman’s—mainly because Lorraine had to get home to check in with her mother.
She finally got out of the house again that night by performing an elaborate ritual about having to go to the library. As for myself, I didn’t have much of a problem.
“Eat your peas, John,” the Old Lady said, dabbing her mouth with a napkin. “Don’t roll them around.”
“I’m not rolling them around.”
“Your mother said to stop it,” Bore ordered. It was the first thing he’d said to me during dinner, and even though it wasn’t the warmest remark, I could tell he had given up prosecuting the case of the phantom gluer.
“Your father sold over three hundred lots today,” the Old Lady said, like she was patting a cocker spaniel on the head. Bore has a seat on the Coffee Exchange, and if he sells more than two hundred lots in a day, he’s in a good mood. Anything less than that and there’s trouble.
“It was like pulling teeth,” Bore returned, slightly embarrassed but pleased with the praise. He cut deep into the steak on his plate. “Wait until you start working, John.”
“I have to get the dessert,” the Old Lady said, violently polishing a teaspoon and dashing out to the kitchen. She always gets terrified if it looks like my father and I are going to have any type of discussion. A suitable pause occurred after Hyper left the room, and then he started in.
“I think your problem is you have too much spare time.”
“That’s an interesting point of view.”
“Don’t be fresh. I was thinking maybe you’d like to work with me over at the Exchange a few days a week. Just after school?”
I almost choked on a mouthful of yams when he said that. I mean, I’ve been over to the Exchange and seen all the screaming and barking Bore has to do just to earn a few bucks, and if he thought I was going to have any part of that madhouse, he had another thought coming.
“It’d be better than the way you waste all your time now. After all, what are you going to do in life?”
“I’m thinking of becoming an actor.”
“Don’t be a jackass.”
“You asked me what I’m going to do, and I told you.”
“Your brother is doing very well at the Exchange. He makes a fine living, and there’s still room for you. I’ve only got a few years left, and somebody has to take over.”
“Kenny will.”
“The business can be half yours, and you know it. I can’t take the strain much longer.”
Every time he says that, I get a little sick to my stomach because I know it’s true. He’s almost sixty years old, and I know he’s not going to be around much longer. All the guys at the Exchange drop dead of heart attacks. They gather around this circle and bellow out bids all day long, like Mexicans at a bullfight.
“Pass me the butter, please.”
“Just a couple of hours a day. You could help me close out the accounts. Even a dummy can learn how to do that.”
“Yes, I
could
—”
“An actor?” Bore blurted, as if it finally got through to him. “Thank God Kenneth isn’t a lunatic.”
“Dad, it’s the only thing I’m really interested in doing. I want to go to acting school right after graduation. Everyone says that’s what I should be, with my imagination—”
“Try eating your imagination when you’re hungry sometime.”
“I just don’t want to wear a suit every day and carry an attaché case and ride a subway. I want to be
me
. Just me. Not a phony in the crowd.”
“Who’s asking you to be a phony?”
“You are.”
“I’m asking you to try working for a change. At your age I was working hard, not floundering around in a fool’s dream world.”
“Do you both want whipped cream and nuts on your strawberry whirl?” The Old Lady stood at
want
to see them. I’m looking for anything to prove that when I drop dead there’s a chance I’ll be doing something a little more exciting than decaying.
Anyway, we finally got away from Norton and Dennis, but it was too late to go over to the Pigman’s—mainly because Lorraine had to get home to check in with her mother.
She finally got out of the house again that night by performing an elaborate ritual about having to go to the library. As for myself, I didn’t have much of a problem.
“Eat your peas, John,” the Old Lady said, dabbing her mouth with a napkin. “Don’t roll them around.”
“I’m not rolling them around.”
“Your mother said to stop it,” Bore ordered. It was the first thing he’d said to me during dinner, and even though it wasn’t the warmest remark, I could tell he had given up prosecuting the case of the phantom gluer.
“Your father sold over three hundred lots today,” the Old Lady said, like she was patting a cocker spaniel on the head. Bore has a seat on the Coffee Exchange, and if he sells more than two hundred lots in a day, he’s in a good mood. Anything less than that and there’s trouble.
“It was like pulling teeth,” Bore returned, slightly embarrassed but pleased with the praise. He cut deep into the steak on his plate. “Wait until you start working, John.”
“I have to get the dessert,” the Old Lady said, violently polishing a teaspoon and dashing out to the kitchen. She always gets terrified if it looks like my father and I are going to have any type of discussion. A suitable pause occurred after Hyper left the room, and then he started in.
“I think your problem is you have too much spare time.”
“That’s an interesting point of view.”
“Don’t be fresh. I was thinking maybe you’d like to work with me over at the Exchange a few days a week. Just after school?”
I almost choked on a mouthful of yams when he said that. I mean, I’ve been over to the Exchange and seen all the screaming and barking Bore has to do just to earn a few bucks, and if he thought I was going to have any part of that madhouse, he had another thought coming.
“It’d be better than the way you waste all your time now. After all, what are you going to do in life?”
“I’m thinking of becoming an actor.”
“Don’t be a jackass.”
“You asked me what I’m going to do, and I told you.”
“Your brother is doing very well at the Exchange. He makes a fine living, and there’s still room for you. I’ve only got a few years left, and somebody has to take over.”
“Kenny will.”
“The business can be half yours, and you know it. I can’t take the strain much longer.”
Every time he says that, I get a little sick to my stomach because I know it’s true. He’s almost sixty years old, and I know he’s not going to be around much longer. All the guys at the Exchange drop dead of heart attacks. They gather around this circle and bellow out bids all day long, like Mexicans at a bullfight.
“Pass me the butter, please.”
“Just a couple of hours a day. You could help me close out the accounts. Even a dummy can learn how to do that.”
“Yes, I
could
—”
“An actor?” Bore blurted, as if it finally got through to him. “Thank God Kenneth isn’t a lunatic.”
“Dad, it’s the only thing I’m really interested in doing. I want to go to acting school right after graduation. Everyone says that’s what I should be, with my imagination—”
“Try eating your imagination when you’re hungry sometime.”
“I just don’t want to wear a suit every day and carry an attaché case and ride a subway. I want to be
me
. Just me. Not a phony in the crowd.”
“Who’s asking you to be a phony?”
“You are.”
“I’m asking you to try working for a change. At your age I was working hard, not floundering around in a fool’s dream world.”
“Do you both want whipped cream and nuts on your strawberry whirl?” The Old Lady stood at
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