64
PARTISAN REVIEW
he did; hut for me there remained one or two more things to
remember, things that he didn't know of.
I was in the bathroom one morning, lying in a full tub, soak·
ing, enjoying the luxury of a long, warm, Sunday morning hath.
The bathroom door was open, as it always was in our house, and I
could hear mother moving about downstairs. Then the telephone
rang. I heard mother leave the kitchen and walk into the living·
room to answer it. I stopped swishing the washrag around and
listened. I heard mother say, "Oh, hello, Ray," and then, "No, he
isn't here." Then there was a pause, and I heard her say, "What
do you want him for, Ray?" My heart heat so I could count it.
Then after another pause I heard mother say, "No, he won't be
home all day, hut I'll tell him you called," and then, "All right,
~ay,
goodbye." I sat up in the tub, listening hard, my mouth open,
my heart sounding against my ribs. Then I heard mother leave the
living-room, come out into the hall, and start up the stairs. I got
up on my knees in the tub, leaned over, and shut the bathroom door
very quietly. Then I sat hack and began to whistle, not too loudly,
and busied myself with water and soap. I heard mother's foot·
steps coming down the hall, and then a rap on the door. I stopped
my sloshing around and said, "Yes?" ... Mother said, "What's
Ray Verne calling you up for?" ... I said, "What do you mean?
Who?" ... Mother said, "Ray Verne just called you up. What
does he want you for?"-accenting the "you"-and again, "Why
should he he calling you up?" ... I said, "Why,
I
don't know! How
should
I
know?" ... Then she said, "Why should Ray Verne
be
calling? Do you know anything about it?" ... I said, "For
heaven's sake, mother, I don't know what you're talking about!
What did he
say
he wanted?
You
answered the 'phone!"-Mother
was silel't a moment and then said, "He said he wanted you to go
riding will.! him this afternoon." ... "Well, then he wanted me to
go
riding
with him this afternoon," I said huffily..•. Mother was
quiet for a minute and then she said, "Listen. I don't want Ray
Verne calling you. Do you understand?" ... I said, "My gosh,
what are you talking about! I don't know what you're talking
about!" ... "Yes you do," mother said, "you know very well what
I'm talking about. And I don't want Ray Verne calling you again,
do you hear?"-Before I could say anything more, mother was
