Because the Howard Foundation does indeed want Howards to marry Howards, and spends
millions of dollars to that end.’
‘But, Mama, I can’t possibly get married until I’m out of school. That’s five years
away, at least. I need an MS. A Ph.D. wouldn’t hurt.’
‘You talked to your sister Susan yesterday. Did you wonder how Susan and Henry were
able to go to college, straight from their wedding? Quit worrying, Donald. If you
will just pick a college not too close to Kansas City, all your problems can be
worked out. And your mother can quit worrying.’
Priscilla blew all her fuses when she learned that Donald was going to, go to school
somewhere else. We kept her from knowing about it until the last minute; the day she
registered at Southwest High was the day he left for Grinnell. Donald packed while
his sister was at school, then waited until she got home to break the news. Then he
left at once, driving a Chevrolet so old that it could not be used on a control
road; it had no bug.
She threw a fit. She insisted that she was going with him. She made silly noises
about suicide. ‘You’re deserting me! I’ll kill myself, I will! Then you’ll be sorry
you did this to me!’
Donald looked glum but he left. Priscilla went to bed. I ignored the fact. Threats
of suicide are just another tantrum to me, blackmail to which I will not submit.
Besides, if a person wants to take his own life, it is (I think) his privilege.
Also, if he is dead serious about it, no one can stop him.
(Yes, I am a cruel and heardess scoundrel. Stipulated. Now go play with your dolly
somewhere else.)
Priscilla came downstairs about 10.0 p.m. and said that she was hungry. I told her
that dinner was long over but that she could fix herself a sandwich and a glass of
milk – which she did, and then joined me in the family room… and started in on
recriminations.
I cut her short. ‘Priscilla, you will not sit there and call me names while eating
my food. Stop one or the other.’
‘Mama, you’re cruel!’
‘That counts as name calling.’
‘But – Oh, I’m so unhappy!’
That was self-evident and did not call for comment, it seemed to me, so I went back
to watching Walter Cronkite and listening to his sonorous pronouncements.
She gloomed around for some days, then discovered the advantages of living close to
school, of having a family room that was hers to use as she liked, and of a mother
who permitted almost any racket and mess as long as it was cleaned up afterwards –
or at least once or twice a week. The house started to be filled with young people.
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I found that as Priscilla became happy, so did I.
In late September I came downstairs one Friday night about eleven for a glass of
milk and a midnight snack, and heard those give-away squeaks coming out of the
maid’s room across from the kitchen. I was not tempted to disturb them as I felt
relief rather than worry, especially as the sound effects proved that Priscilla had
learned to have orgasms as readily with another male as with her brother. But I went
up and checked a calendar in my bathroom, one that duplicated the one in hers – and
saw that it was a ‘safe’ day for her and then felt nothing but relief. I never
expected Priscilla to give up sex. Once they start and find they like it, they never
quit. Or perhaps I should say that I would worry if one did.
The next day I called Jim Rumsey and asked him to take a smear and a blood test each
time I sent Priscilla in, as I did not trust her judgement and knew she might be
exposed.
He snorted. ‘Do you think I’m not on the ball? I check everybody. Even you, you old
bag.’
‘Thanks, dear!’ I threw him a kiss through the screen.
It was shortly after that cheerful occasion that George Strong called me.