notice a couple Dentist figurines set up on a sideboard. Most have to do with yanking teeth out of mouths with pliers.
Dr. Rosen is sitting in a wheelchair near the hospital bed and talking into a cordless phone.
âArnie?â blurts Monae. âVisitors. Christineâs police officer friends.â She reaches for Ceepakâs bagel bag. âLet me put those in the kitchen â¦â
She leaves and Dr. Rosen raises a hand to let us know heâll be with us shortly.
The former dentist looks a little weary and shrunken as he slumps forward in his wheelchair. Heâs wearing a navy blue Adidas jogging suit and Velcroed running shoes. His hair is white and neatly combed to the side. His upper lip sports a trim and very dignified mustache. There is an oxygen tank strapped into a hand trolley next to his wheelchair. Clear plastic tubing runs from the canisterâs regulator valve up to a thin nosepiece jammed up into his nostrils.
âMichael?â Dr. Rosen says to the phone. âI have visitors. Exalted members of the local constabulary.â
He shoots us a wink. And I can tell, the guy might be ninety-four, but heâs still sharp, with it, and kind of funny.
âOkay, Dad,â says the voice on the speakerphone. âBut seriously, call the guys at Best Buy. Theyâll come over and install it for you.â
My eyes drift over to an adjoining room where I see the unopened cardboard carton for a Panasonic TC-P55ST50âtheir 3-D, high-def TV with a 55-inch-wide plasma screen. I also see unopened Amazon and Barnes and Noble boxes stacked on the couch. And on the floor.
âItâs a very generous gift, Michael,â says Dr. Rosen. âBut â¦â
âNo buts. I gave Best Buy my credit card number. Theyâll hook up the satellite dish, too.â
Okay. Now Iâm drooling like Homer Simpson in a doughnut factory.
âBut,â says son Michael on the speakerphone, âthe guys from Best Buy canât do your exercises for you. Did Monae set up the recumbent bike?â
âYes, Michael. She and Christine put it in my bedroom.â
âGood. Itâs a Monark. Excellent for rehab patients.â
âMichael?â
âYeah?â
âThe girls did a Google on the bike. Did it really cost you twenty-six hundred dollars?â
âI donât know. Iâll have to ask my accountant. I just told my people to get you the best low-impact exercise machine on the market because your doctors want you exercising.â
âBut twenty-six hundred dollars â¦â
âCall it an early Fatherâs Day gift. Oh, hereâs another one: Iâm flying home to New Jersey next weekend!â
The expression on Dr. Rosenâs face?
I donât think heâs looking forward to his sonâs visit.
14
D R . R OSEN LOOKS UP FROM THE PHONE WITH AN EMBARRASSED smile, then raises his hand to let us know he wonât be on the phone very much longer.
âWell, thatâs terrific, Michael. Itâll be great to see you again.â
âWe wrapped our final episode last night. Thought it might be fun to spend some time with you. Whip those gals of yours into shape.â
âHiya, Michael!â This from Monae, who has come back into the dining room with a raisin bagel slathered with peanut butter.
âHiya, sweetheart. You taking good care of my pops?â
â Your pops? Sorry, Michael. Christine and me? Weâre adopting him.â
Michael laughs. Dr. Rosen laughs. Ceepak and I smile. Itâs a regular Hallmark moment.
âAnd Dad?â says Michael. âAndrew and I have some exciting news to share with you.â
âOh, really? What is it?â
âUh, uh, uh. No cheating. I need to tell you this news in person.â
âVery well. Will Andrew be coming with you?â
There is a long pause.
âNo, Dad. Andrew is busy.â
âOh, Iâm sorry to hear that. Well, give him my