constant state of anxiety. It was his mother's fault.
"He would so go away and leave us." Bobby was still sobbing, but now clinging to Nora for comfort. "He did. Out there in that ole California, he went away a lot of times."
"Only twice, honey, and only to hunt for a job. He always came back, didn't he?"
She got the little boy in the car and drove on home.
In the kitchen, Bobby's mother, who did most of the cooking, was taking an apple pie out of the oven. She said hello to Nora, scolded Bobby for running off, and immediately cut a small wedge of the pie to taste. Ethel was a compulsive eater, forever nibbling and tasting.
Nora stood for a moment, chatting, watching Ethel, and wondered, as she often wondered, why Jerry's wife didn't take drastic measures to cut down her weight. Five years before, when they were married, Ethel had been a slim blonde girl with a very pretty face. Now she was a fat blonde girl, the prettiness fast disappearing.
Surely she must realize that all that fat might become repulsive to a man, especially a man like Jerry who was a very attractive hombre. Yet Ethel was so madly in love with Jerry that it was pathetic. Her jealousy of him was a kind of sickness which seemed to be growing worse all the time. She nagged at him, accusing him of being interested in other girls, although Nora was certain he was not.
Then when Jerry got fed up, made a few biting remarks of his own and went out to get a beer and have a little peace, Ethel went through agony, wondering if he had left her forever. Then she would eat, to comfort herself.
It was all wrong. Nora wished there were something she could do about it, particularly on Bobby's account. His mother's dread and insecurity were communicating themselves to the child. He adored his daddy, literally adored him. And, like Ethel, he was beginning to live in constant terror that Jerry wasn't coming back. Today wasn't the first time Bobby had taken off on his own to hunt for his daddy and bring him home.
Just as Ethel was beginning a harrowing, blow-by-blow account of that day's quarrel, they heard the front door open, then bang shut. "Hi, everybody! Where are all my sweethearts?" And into the kitchen walked Jerry, with Bobby in his arms. Bobby was squealing and laughing, hugging his father tight. His fears were gone now.
Jerry gave Ethel a warm kiss exactly as if nothing had happened, then embraced Nora, who never ceased to puzzle over the conflicting feelings she had about him. In money matters, he was as irresponsible as little Bobby, and at times it drove her wild. Yet she loved him dearly, not only because he was her brother and as children they had been very close, but also because, as she sometimes put it to herself, He was the kind of guy you just couldn't help loving.
He was a big man with thick, wavy reddish-brown hair, sparkling hazel-brown eyes and a charming easygoing manner, almost always smiling.
"Well," he said, setting Bobby down while he got a drink of water, "had a change of heart yet, Nora honey?"
"About what, Jerry?" As if she didn't know what! He had his heart set on that motorboat, and no matter how often she said No, Jerry would keep after her until she agreed.
"Oh, you know." He grinned at her, gave Bobby a swat on his plump little behind and winked at Ethel. "Baby, how are we going to persuade Miss Skinflint here to let loose of a few of her hoarded dollars?"
"Well, it's her money, Jerry." Ethel went to the stove to stir the vegetable soup which was simmering in a big pot. "Maybe if you'd go get yourself a job, you could save up enough to buy that crazy boat you're always yakking about."
"But if I had a job, baby, I wouldn't have any time to use the boat. Furthermore, as long as I have this slipped disc in my back, I can't hold down a job. On the other hand, once I get the boat, I'll get out on that old lake and bake in the sun. That will put the disc back in place."
"I doubt it." Nora was grinning.
"You doubt what,
"He would so go away and leave us." Bobby was still sobbing, but now clinging to Nora for comfort. "He did. Out there in that ole California, he went away a lot of times."
"Only twice, honey, and only to hunt for a job. He always came back, didn't he?"
She got the little boy in the car and drove on home.
In the kitchen, Bobby's mother, who did most of the cooking, was taking an apple pie out of the oven. She said hello to Nora, scolded Bobby for running off, and immediately cut a small wedge of the pie to taste. Ethel was a compulsive eater, forever nibbling and tasting.
Nora stood for a moment, chatting, watching Ethel, and wondered, as she often wondered, why Jerry's wife didn't take drastic measures to cut down her weight. Five years before, when they were married, Ethel had been a slim blonde girl with a very pretty face. Now she was a fat blonde girl, the prettiness fast disappearing.
Surely she must realize that all that fat might become repulsive to a man, especially a man like Jerry who was a very attractive hombre. Yet Ethel was so madly in love with Jerry that it was pathetic. Her jealousy of him was a kind of sickness which seemed to be growing worse all the time. She nagged at him, accusing him of being interested in other girls, although Nora was certain he was not.
Then when Jerry got fed up, made a few biting remarks of his own and went out to get a beer and have a little peace, Ethel went through agony, wondering if he had left her forever. Then she would eat, to comfort herself.
It was all wrong. Nora wished there were something she could do about it, particularly on Bobby's account. His mother's dread and insecurity were communicating themselves to the child. He adored his daddy, literally adored him. And, like Ethel, he was beginning to live in constant terror that Jerry wasn't coming back. Today wasn't the first time Bobby had taken off on his own to hunt for his daddy and bring him home.
Just as Ethel was beginning a harrowing, blow-by-blow account of that day's quarrel, they heard the front door open, then bang shut. "Hi, everybody! Where are all my sweethearts?" And into the kitchen walked Jerry, with Bobby in his arms. Bobby was squealing and laughing, hugging his father tight. His fears were gone now.
Jerry gave Ethel a warm kiss exactly as if nothing had happened, then embraced Nora, who never ceased to puzzle over the conflicting feelings she had about him. In money matters, he was as irresponsible as little Bobby, and at times it drove her wild. Yet she loved him dearly, not only because he was her brother and as children they had been very close, but also because, as she sometimes put it to herself, He was the kind of guy you just couldn't help loving.
He was a big man with thick, wavy reddish-brown hair, sparkling hazel-brown eyes and a charming easygoing manner, almost always smiling.
"Well," he said, setting Bobby down while he got a drink of water, "had a change of heart yet, Nora honey?"
"About what, Jerry?" As if she didn't know what! He had his heart set on that motorboat, and no matter how often she said No, Jerry would keep after her until she agreed.
"Oh, you know." He grinned at her, gave Bobby a swat on his plump little behind and winked at Ethel. "Baby, how are we going to persuade Miss Skinflint here to let loose of a few of her hoarded dollars?"
"Well, it's her money, Jerry." Ethel went to the stove to stir the vegetable soup which was simmering in a big pot. "Maybe if you'd go get yourself a job, you could save up enough to buy that crazy boat you're always yakking about."
"But if I had a job, baby, I wouldn't have any time to use the boat. Furthermore, as long as I have this slipped disc in my back, I can't hold down a job. On the other hand, once I get the boat, I'll get out on that old lake and bake in the sun. That will put the disc back in place."
"I doubt it." Nora was grinning.
"You doubt what,
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