PARTISAN REVIEW
lasting Mr. Fixit, stared at the box and said patiently, "Just a
min–
ute." But at last everything was ready and Rose began to pour the
tea while the man spread peanut butter on the English muffins. The
old woman sucked the bouillon and gave a sip to Waldo now and
then.
"I wish she wouldn't do that," said the man, preoccupied with
the muffins. "It gives him an intestinal condition."
Rose said politely, "How old is Waldo?"
"Forty-eight," he said. "Quite a character. He used to say
some other things. 'I think you're rather foolish,'
was
one and
'Go
bye-bye, Aunt Louisa' was another, but he's lost everything but 'Just
a minute'."
"It is remarkable," said Rose, referring to the habit in this
household of mislaying language.
"Yes," he mused, giving her a muffin in his hand. "Yes, Waldo's
quite a character. He keeps Mother company.
If
it
weren't for
Waldo, I'd never get to have my little afternoons off at the library."
Because there was something in his voice that was not altogether
trustworthy, she said, "What does he eat?"
"A special food for parrots," he said. "Called 'Polly's Perfect
Preparation.' But he likes fruit too. The trouble with fruit, though,
is that it gives
him
that intestinal condition I alluded to."
Mother finished her bouillon with a hoarse swallow and said,
"Time toast.''
"Right you are, Mother. Time for toast," and handed her a
muffin with marmalade. Returning, he said
sotto voce,
"Time for
toast and tea for two, what? Do you often eat at the inn?"
"Oh, no, almost never.
Do
you?"
No. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Patriots' Day, that's all.
Not that the cuisine is not to my liking. But I am rather tied here
to my poor sick mother. That is to say, I generally dine
en famille."
A note of woe came into his voice:
((En famille
with Waldo."
She could not think of any comment to make on this very sad
state of affairs and so she said, "What delicious peanut butter.'' In
point of fact, it was dry and tasteless and the muffin
was
cold and
rubbery.
As
for the tea,
it
could not be described. She promised herself
that she would eat the whole muffin and drink the whole cup of tea
and then she would go even if it meant being rude.
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