OCEAN
33
Mommy gasped. "That's a red light, Saul
!"
The abrupt stop
nauseated Stephen.
"Who's driving this buggy, you or me?"
"You are, Saul."
"Then just sit back and keep quiet-unless you want to walk."
Now that they were standing still, the smoke from Daddy's
cigar, mixed with the smell of gasoline and the exhaust from
other cars, was sickening. Stephen tried to roll
his
window lower,
but the rear wheel prevented it. Honk! Honk! Honk! He turned
around and saw the man in the car behind, honking his horn im–
patiently. "Roggie, look! It's a Pierce Arrow."
"What's the matter with
you,
you bastard!" Stephen heard
Daddy shout. "Can't you see it's red?"
"It's green, Saul," Mommy corrected.
"God damn it! Whose side are you on?" Daddy demanded, as
he pulled his head back into the car and stepped on the gas. "That
imbecile began to honk before it changed. Or didn't you notice?
It's always
my
fault, isn't it? Never the other guy-always me! No
matter what happens-"
"I didn't say-"
"Could you get us there any better, brain trust?"
"Don't call me-"
"Then shut up, damn it, just shut up!"
"Don't you dare-"
Stephen sat forward on the seat in an effort to get more air.
He watched the orange signs go by and tried to read their message.
On the first and second he made out the words
she, the
and
by.
On the third and fourth he was able to read
She .
..
it was her.
...
The fifth, of course, he knew at sight: BURMA SHAVE.
"-any more of your god damn lip!" Daddy roared.
Turning away from the window, Stephen saw Mommy squeezed
into the opposite corner. She was watching the scenery. At the
same time, her white-gloved hand groped blindly for her beaded
bag, located it and fished out an embroidered handkerchief. For
a moment Stephen smelled her strong gardenia perfume until the
heavy cigar smoke overwhelmed its sweet aroma.
"What are you crying about, anyway?" Daddy asked.
"Nothing," Mommy answered, almost voicelessly, her shoulders
