SEIZE THE DAY
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"That's it- just it," Tamkin said. "You don't have to go about
it their way. There's also a calm and rational, a psychological ap–
proach."
Wilhelm's father, old Dr. Adler, lived in an entirely different
world from his son, but he had warned him once against Dr. Tam–
kin. Rather casually-he was a very bland old man-he said, "Wilky,
perhaps you listen too much to this Tamkin. He's interesting to talk
to. I don't doubt it. I think he's pretty common but he's a persuasive
man. However, I don't know how reliable he may be."
It made Wilhelm profoundly bitter that his father should speak
to him with such detachment about
his
welfare. Dr. Adler liked to
appear affable. Affable! His own son, his one and only son, could
not speak his mind or ease his heart to him. I wouldn't turn to
Tamkin, he thought, if I could turn to him. At least Tamkin
sympathizes with me and tries to give me a hand, whereas Dad
doesn't want to be disturbed.
Old Dr. Adler had retired from practice; he had a considerable
fortune and could easily have helped his son. Recently, Wilhelm
had told him, "Father-it so happens that I'm in a bad way now. I
hate to have to say it. You realize that I'd rather have good news
to bring you. But it's true. And since its true, Dad-what else am
I supposed to say? It's true."
Another father might have appreciated how difficult this con–
fession was- so much bad luck, weariness, weakness and failure. Wil–
helm had tried to copy the old man's tone when he made it and
sounded gentlemanly, low-voiced, tasteful. He didn't allow his voice to
tremble; he made no stupid gesture. But the doctor had no answer.
He only nodded . You might have told him that Seattle was near Puget
Sound, or that the Giants and Dodgers were playing a night game,
so little was he moved from his expression of healthy, handsome,
good-humored old age. He behaved toward his son as he had form–
erly done toward his patients, and it was a great grief to Wilhelm;
it was almost too much to bear. Couldn't he see-couldn't he feel?
Had he lost his family sense?
Greatly hurt, Wilhelm struggled however to be fair. Old
people are bound to change, he said. They have hard things to
think about. They must prepare for where they are going. They
can't live by the old schedule any longer and all their perspectives
