EasyRory
JUB Addict
Chapter Fifty-Four - Tommy Lynn
“It's Luna's fault. That's what it is, Tommy Lynn. Luna. A corrupting fiend is what she is. You know there was insanity on both sides of her family? BOTH SIDES! All those Smith's marrying each other. What would you expect?” Marlee sat wringing her hands and looking out the window in a desperation I had never seen in her before. “That boy is unconscious.”
“Sartre says that consciousness is nothingness ...” I began but she cut me off.
“Stuff it, Tommy Lynn. With all the philosophers running around, one of them is bound to seem useful once in his life.”
“Mmmm, but Sartre's not running around. He's dead.
“See what all that negativism got him?”
“Actually he's not negative at all. He's much more of a take-charge type.”
“Tommy Lynn! WHAT has that got to do with Willis and that pregnant old woman he's living with?”
“The point I was GETTING to, Marlee, is Willis has it in hand. He wants to marry the woman; he's not making excuses or trying to duck anything … and she's not THAT old. Thirty-f… Thirty-something.”
“Oh, for God's sake. Do something useful. Make me a margarita.”
“Honey, it's only two in the afternoon ...”
“TOMMY LYNN!!!!”
I went to the wet bar in the library and looked for the fixin's. “Make it a pitcher,” she called from the solarium. There didn't seem to be any limes. Would she notice if I used lemons? Probably not in her present state. It's hard being a mother - definitely harder than being a father. Of course, fathers get disappointed, too; but somehow it's not as gut-wrenching as women seem to find it. Willis actually has a pretty good notion of what he's going to do, if he ever gets to do it. He wants to marry her and then work for me and Fairfax, although I believe he used the phrase work with me. And that might work out well, he's mastered a lot of the basics: net present values and forward rates of return, that sort of thing and the analysis he did for me last summer was good. He's getting good grades, better than I got, truth be told.
“Oh, my GAWD!” Now what is Marlee going on about? “Police are coming up the DRIVE!” I heard her run for the door and decided to add more tequila to the pitcher. I relaxed when I heard Emma's voice.
“Take it easy, Momma. I got a flat tire and the policeman gave me a ride home. Orville Spooner? Remember him? He had the hots for me when I was about twelve and he worked at the Club. But he's married now. Has four little kids all under the age of five. They're like zero, two, three, and four. WHEW! Imagine the stretch marks!” I heard Emma go upstairs as I salted two glasses.
“Now there's one I wish WOULD get married,” Marlee scowled, accepting the drink and sipping. “Something's different about this drink ...”
The lemons.
“No matter. It tastes good. A girl or a boy do you think? Boys can handle being bastards better I think.”
“Marlee, I don't think it matters as much any more. So many marriages are late or never at all things.”
“It matters to our friends, Tommy. You know it does.”
“Then they're not much as friends, are they? And give it a try. Name one family that hasn't got some story they'd love to hide.”
“Well ...”
“The Morgans and the cleaning woman? Kitty Lee Loomis peculating the church flower fund? The Arringtons and the disappearing daughter-in-law? Whatever DID happen to her anyway?”
“They found her in North Carolina in a motel.” Marlee brightened at the recollection. “With a man AND a woman! I always said nothing good happens in North Carolina.” She chuckled. “And the best part was the couple used to work for Renee LaGerbille. And you can just IMAGINE what went on in that house!”
“So Willis and Sarah being a bit tardy in making it down the aisle won't be so remarkable really.” I tried to sound soothing and reasonable.
“Her initials will be S.F.P. Now that's a pity. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, that's what we used to call the girls at Madeira who made too blatant a play for boys. 'Too blatant' usually meant pregnant, although one – Dolleen What-was-her-name? - got chlamydia!” Marlee held her glass out steadily and let me refill it.
“See what I mean. It's not like the What-was-her-names can never hold their heads up again, right? And you can't even remember her name.”
“Maybe I could if these drinks weren't so tasty.” She held out her glass for more but had to pull it back when her phone made a gurgling noise. She looked at the text. “He's bringing her. They'll be here in a half hour.” She held out the glass again and instantly drained it. “I had better get ready. You'll stay, won't you?”
Thirty-seven minutes later Willis and Sarah walked through the front door. “It's official!” he said. “Sarah Felsen has said 'Yes' to my proposal.”
I offered congratulations to Willis and best wishes to Sarah. I never understood it; but you not supposed to congratulate the prospective bride. So what if it's a bit triumphal? Marlee was more reserved mumbling something about being pleased to hear it directly. She awaited Sarah's reply.
“Ooohh” gasped Sarah looking into the reception room. “Is that rug an Oushak? May I say it's gorgeous?” She turned back to Marlee for confirmation.
“Why … yes, it is ...” Marlee smiled.
“And the colors are so PERFECT for the room.” Even I thought Sarah was laying it on a bit thick.
“We have some others. Would you like to see? Or could I offer an iced tea first?”
“I have some cousins in New York who deal rugs – strange for Jews to be in an Arab business, isn't it? But that rug is far better than their usual stuff. I can't wait to see the others. If I may ...”
“Why, of course, Sarah, honey. Come with me ...” I watched the two of them walk toward the dining room. Will and I exchanged a look and a smile.
“I gave Sarah a few suggestions,” Will confided.
“It's Luna's fault. That's what it is, Tommy Lynn. Luna. A corrupting fiend is what she is. You know there was insanity on both sides of her family? BOTH SIDES! All those Smith's marrying each other. What would you expect?” Marlee sat wringing her hands and looking out the window in a desperation I had never seen in her before. “That boy is unconscious.”
“Sartre says that consciousness is nothingness ...” I began but she cut me off.
“Stuff it, Tommy Lynn. With all the philosophers running around, one of them is bound to seem useful once in his life.”
“Mmmm, but Sartre's not running around. He's dead.
“See what all that negativism got him?”
“Actually he's not negative at all. He's much more of a take-charge type.”
“Tommy Lynn! WHAT has that got to do with Willis and that pregnant old woman he's living with?”
“The point I was GETTING to, Marlee, is Willis has it in hand. He wants to marry the woman; he's not making excuses or trying to duck anything … and she's not THAT old. Thirty-f… Thirty-something.”
“Oh, for God's sake. Do something useful. Make me a margarita.”
“Honey, it's only two in the afternoon ...”
“TOMMY LYNN!!!!”
I went to the wet bar in the library and looked for the fixin's. “Make it a pitcher,” she called from the solarium. There didn't seem to be any limes. Would she notice if I used lemons? Probably not in her present state. It's hard being a mother - definitely harder than being a father. Of course, fathers get disappointed, too; but somehow it's not as gut-wrenching as women seem to find it. Willis actually has a pretty good notion of what he's going to do, if he ever gets to do it. He wants to marry her and then work for me and Fairfax, although I believe he used the phrase work with me. And that might work out well, he's mastered a lot of the basics: net present values and forward rates of return, that sort of thing and the analysis he did for me last summer was good. He's getting good grades, better than I got, truth be told.
“Oh, my GAWD!” Now what is Marlee going on about? “Police are coming up the DRIVE!” I heard her run for the door and decided to add more tequila to the pitcher. I relaxed when I heard Emma's voice.
“Take it easy, Momma. I got a flat tire and the policeman gave me a ride home. Orville Spooner? Remember him? He had the hots for me when I was about twelve and he worked at the Club. But he's married now. Has four little kids all under the age of five. They're like zero, two, three, and four. WHEW! Imagine the stretch marks!” I heard Emma go upstairs as I salted two glasses.
“Now there's one I wish WOULD get married,” Marlee scowled, accepting the drink and sipping. “Something's different about this drink ...”
The lemons.
“No matter. It tastes good. A girl or a boy do you think? Boys can handle being bastards better I think.”
“Marlee, I don't think it matters as much any more. So many marriages are late or never at all things.”
“It matters to our friends, Tommy. You know it does.”
“Then they're not much as friends, are they? And give it a try. Name one family that hasn't got some story they'd love to hide.”
“Well ...”
“The Morgans and the cleaning woman? Kitty Lee Loomis peculating the church flower fund? The Arringtons and the disappearing daughter-in-law? Whatever DID happen to her anyway?”
“They found her in North Carolina in a motel.” Marlee brightened at the recollection. “With a man AND a woman! I always said nothing good happens in North Carolina.” She chuckled. “And the best part was the couple used to work for Renee LaGerbille. And you can just IMAGINE what went on in that house!”
“So Willis and Sarah being a bit tardy in making it down the aisle won't be so remarkable really.” I tried to sound soothing and reasonable.
“Her initials will be S.F.P. Now that's a pity. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, that's what we used to call the girls at Madeira who made too blatant a play for boys. 'Too blatant' usually meant pregnant, although one – Dolleen What-was-her-name? - got chlamydia!” Marlee held her glass out steadily and let me refill it.
“See what I mean. It's not like the What-was-her-names can never hold their heads up again, right? And you can't even remember her name.”
“Maybe I could if these drinks weren't so tasty.” She held out her glass for more but had to pull it back when her phone made a gurgling noise. She looked at the text. “He's bringing her. They'll be here in a half hour.” She held out the glass again and instantly drained it. “I had better get ready. You'll stay, won't you?”
Thirty-seven minutes later Willis and Sarah walked through the front door. “It's official!” he said. “Sarah Felsen has said 'Yes' to my proposal.”
I offered congratulations to Willis and best wishes to Sarah. I never understood it; but you not supposed to congratulate the prospective bride. So what if it's a bit triumphal? Marlee was more reserved mumbling something about being pleased to hear it directly. She awaited Sarah's reply.
“Ooohh” gasped Sarah looking into the reception room. “Is that rug an Oushak? May I say it's gorgeous?” She turned back to Marlee for confirmation.
“Why … yes, it is ...” Marlee smiled.
“And the colors are so PERFECT for the room.” Even I thought Sarah was laying it on a bit thick.
“We have some others. Would you like to see? Or could I offer an iced tea first?”
“I have some cousins in New York who deal rugs – strange for Jews to be in an Arab business, isn't it? But that rug is far better than their usual stuff. I can't wait to see the others. If I may ...”
“Why, of course, Sarah, honey. Come with me ...” I watched the two of them walk toward the dining room. Will and I exchanged a look and a smile.
“I gave Sarah a few suggestions,” Will confided.
































