To Sail Beyond The Sunset

‘And you aren't?'

‘Shall I take off my panties? Or shall we finish this discussion?'

‘I'm too tired. Go on.'

‘Sissy. Eventually they all took the Howard shilling, and now all three couples are friendly, with, I think, occasional Westchester weekends. But they keep such things out of my sight to keep from shocking poor old strait-laced Mama. But these two don't have that easy-going attitude. Jim, I've got to get that girl married.'

‘Maureen, Priscilla isn't ready to get married. The cure would be worse than the disease. You would ruin some man's life while spoiling hers, not to mention the damage to possible children. Hmm - Priscilla told me she had just moved here from Dallas. I don't know Marian. Hardy family - right? What sort of a person is Marian?'

‘Jim, I am not an unprejudiced witness.'

‘That from the woman who can always see the good side in the Devil himself tells me all I need to know. Well, Marian may have had good intentions but she did not do a good job on Priscilla. At least not good enough to risk letting her marry at fourteen, no matter how mature her pelvic measurements are. Maureen, I'll fake any age you say - but don't let her get married so young.'

‘I'll try, dear. I've got a tiger by the tail. Thank you.'

He kissed me goodbye. Shortly I said, ‘Stop that; you said you were too tired. And you've got a waiting-room full of patients.'

‘Sissy.'

‘Yup. Some other time, dear. Give my love to Velma. I want to get you both over for dinner next week to see my new house. Maybe then.'

Princess Polly took a while to accept the move. For two weeks I kept her indoors and using a sand box. Then I let her out. An hour later, not being able to find her, I drove slowly back the eight blocks to our old house. When I was almost there, I spotted her, parked quickly and called her. She stopped and listened, let me approach her, then scampered away, straight for her old home. No, her only home.

I watched in horror as she crossed diagonally at Meyer and Rockhill - two busy boulevards. She make it safely and I breathed again and went back for my car and drove to our old house, arriving as she did because I conformed to traffic rules while she did not. I let per sniff around inside an empty house for a few minutes, then picked per up and brought per home.

For the next ten days this was repeated once, and sometimes twice, a day. Then came a day - the day after Labor Day, I believe - when a wrecking crew arrived to clear the site. George had warned me, so that day I did not let per out. I took per there - let her go inside as usual and sniff around, then the crew arrived and started tearing the house down. Princess came running to me and I let per sit in my lap in the car, at the kerb.

She watched, while the Only Home was destroyed.

Aside from fixtures, which had been removed earlier, nothing was salvaged. So they tore down that fine old nineteenth-century frame structure in only a morning. Princess Polly watching, unbelieving. When the wreckers hitched bulldozers to the north wing and pulled it down, made it suddenly rubbish, she hid per face against me and moaned.

I drove us home. I did not like watching the death of that old house, either.

I took Polly back the next day. There was nothing but soil scraped bare and a basement hole where our home had been. Princess Polly would not get out of the car; I am not sure she recognised the site. She never ran away again. Sometimes gentlemen friends came to call on her, but she stayed home. I think that she forgot that she had ever lived anywhere else.

But I did not forget. Never go back to a house you once lived in - not if you loved it.

I wish that Priscilla's problems had been as easy to cope with as Polly's. It was Friday before I saw Dr Rumsey; Thursday we moved to our new house and any such move is exhausting, even though I used professional packers and handlers, not just their vans. It was simplified, too, by the fact that most of the furniture was not moved to our new house, but given to Good Will - I told both Good Will and the Salvation Army that a houseful of furniture, plus endless minor chattels, were to be donated to charity but they must send a truck. The Salvation Army wanted to come over and select what they wanted, but Good Will was not so fussy, so they got the plunder.

We kept only the books, some pictures, my desk and my files, clothing, some dishes and flatware, an IBM typewriter, and a few oddments. About eleven I sent Donald and Priscilla over to the new house with all salvaged food from pantry and freezer and refrigerator.

‘Donald, please come back for me after you unload. Priscilla, see what you can find for lunch; I think they will be loaded by noon. But don't fix anything for which timing is critical.'

‘Yes, Mother.' Those were almost the only words she spoke to me that morning. She had done whatever I told per to do but made no attempt to use initiative, whereas Donald tackled the job with imagination.

They drove away. Donald came back for me at noon, just as the crew-was breaking for lunch.

‘We'll have to wait,' I told him, ‘as they are not quite finished. What did you do with Princess?'

‘I shut her into my bathroom for now, with per sand box and food. She resents it.'

‘She'll just have to put up with it for a while. Donald, what is eating Priscilla? Last night and this morning she has been acting as if someone - me, I think - had broken her little red wagon.'

‘Aw, Mother, that's just the way she is. Doesn't mean anything.'

‘Donald, it's not the way she is going to be, not if she stays here. I will not cater to sullenness. I have tried to give all my sons and daughters a maximum of freedom consistent with civilised behaviour towards other people, especially towards their own family. But civilised behaviour is required of everyone at all times. This means politeness and a cheerful demeanour, even if simulated rather than felt. No one is ever exempt from these rules, no matter how old. Do you think you can influence her? If she's sulky, I am quite capable of telling her to leave the table... and I don't think she would like that.'

He laughed without mirth. I'm sure she wouldn't like it'

‘Well, perhaps you can put it over to her. Possibly she won't resent it from you.'

‘Uh, maybe.'

‘Donald, do you feel that there is anything I have said or done - or required of her, or of you - that she is justified in resenting?'

‘Uh... no.'

‘Be frank with me, son. This is a bad situation; it can't go on.'

‘Well... she never has liked to take orders.'

‘What orders have I given that she doesn't like?'

‘Well... she was pretty upset when you told her she couldn't come along and help decide which house we would take.'

‘That was not an order. I simply told her that it was my business, not hers: And so it is.'

‘Well, she didn't like it. And she didn't like being told that she had to be what she calls "poked at". You know.'

‘Yes, a pelvic examination. That was indeed an order. An order not subject to discussion. But tell me, what did you think of my requiring her to submit to a pelvic examination? Your opinion won't change my mind; I would just like to know what you think about it'

‘Uh, none of my business.'

‘Donald.'

‘Well... I guess girls have to have them. If her doctor is going to know whether she's healthy or not. Yeah, I suppose so. But she sure didn't like it.'

‘Yes, girls do have to have them for their own protection. I don't like them and never did and I've had them so many, many times that I couldn't begin to count. But it's just a nuisance, like getting your teeth cleaned. Necessary, so I put up with it... and Priscilla must put up with it too, and I won't take any nonsense out of her about it.' I sighed. ‘Try to make her see it. Donald, I'm going to drive you back and drop you, while they are still eating, and then I'll turn right around and hurry back, or something will wind up in the wrong truck.'