I put everything back the way I found it.
About 1.0 a.m. the front door chimed. I answered it from bed. ‘Who is it?’
‘It’s me, Mama. Donald.’
(Dirty names!) ‘Well, come in.’
‘I can’t, it’s bolted.’
‘Sorry, I’m not awake yet. I’ll be down.’ I grabbed a robe, found some slippers,
went downstairs and let my youngest son in. ‘Come in, Donald. Sit down. When did you
eat last?’
‘Uh, I grabbed a Big Mac in Bethany.’
‘Oh, Lordy.’ I fed him first.
When he had polished off all of a giant Dagwood and had eaten a big dish of
chocolate ice-cream, I said, ‘All right, why did you come here?’
‘You know why, Mama. To see Priss. I know you said she didn’t need me… but you’re
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mistaken. Ever since she was a baby girl, when she was in trouble, she came to me.
So I know she needs me.’
(Oh, dear! I should have fought it in court. I should not have left my two youngest
in the custody of – Regrets, regrets! Father, why did you have to go get yourself
killed in the Battle of Britain? I need your advice. And I miss you dreadfully!)
‘Donald, Priscilla is not here.’
‘Where is she?’
‘I won’t tell you.’
Donald looked stubborn. ‘I won’t go back to Grinnell without seeing her.’
‘That’s your problem. Donald, you two have outworn both my patience and my
resourcefulness. You ignore my advice and disobey necessary orders and you are each
too big to spank. I have nothing else to offer.’
‘You won’t tell me where she is?’
‘No.’
He heaved a big sigh. I’m going to stay here until I see her.’
‘That’s what you think. Son; you are not the only stubborn member of this family.
Any more of your lip and I’ll call your father and tell him to come get you because
I can’t handle you -‘
‘I won’t go!’
`- and then close this house and take an apartment for myself at the Kansas Citian –
a single apartment, big enough for a sand box for Polly, not big enough for another
person. I was about to move into an apartment when you and your sister showed up…
so I changed my plans and rented this house, especially for you two. But neither of
you have treated me decently and I’m sick of trying. I’m going to bed. You can
stretch out on that couch and get a nap. But if you are not gone when I get up, I
intend to call your father and tell him to come get you.’
‘I won’t go with him!’
‘Your problem. The next step could be juvenile court but that is up to your father.
As a result of your choice, six years ago, he has custody.’ I stood up, then
recalled something. ‘Donald, do you know marijuana when you sec it?’
‘Uh… maybe.’
‘Do you, or don’t you?’
‘Yeah… I do.’
‘Wait here.’ I was back in a few moments. ‘What is this?’
‘That’s marijuana. But, shucks, Mama, everybody does marijuana now and then.’
‘I don’t. And no one living in this house is permitted to. Tell me what this is
for.’ I reached into one pocket of my robe, got out that mirror so inappropriate to
a girl’s room, reached more carefully into the other pocket, got out that
single-edged razor blade, placed it on the mirror. ‘Well?’
‘What am I supposed to say?’
‘Did you ever cut a line of cocaine?’
‘Uh… no.’
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‘Have you seen it done?’
‘Uh… Mama, if you are trying to tell me that Priss is hooked on coke, all I can
say is that you must be out of your mind. Of course, most kids these days have tried
it once or twice but -‘
‘You have tried it?’
‘Well, sure. The janitor at our school sold it. But I didn’t like it. It rots your
nose out – did you know that?’
‘I knew that. Has Priss tried it?’
He looked at the mirror and blade. ‘I suppose so. It looks like it.’