The Studs Lonigan Trilogy - James T. Farrell [11]
“Well, it’s a good thing I do. Someone ought to expose him, and tell him how mean and selfish and inconsiderate he is, and how he only thinks of himself.”
“Now, children, this is your graduation night, and you know your graduation night ought to be one of the happiest of your lives,” the mother said.
The smoke had cleared now, so Studs could take a chance. He marched out, leaving the bathroom in perfect order. Frances indignantly brushed by him, her head held proud.
Frances was a very pretty girl of thirteen. Her body had commenced to lose its awkwardness, and she had a trim little girlish figure. Her plain white graduation dress set her off well, with her dark hair and her blackish eyes. She looked older than Studs.
“William, you should be more considerate,” the mother said, unheard.
“Bill, you’re gettin’ at the age where you should be more . more chivalrous toward the ladies,” the old man said as he chewed away at the remains of his stogy.
“Yeah, but heck, the way she yells over nothing, and starts raisin’ all kinds of Cain when there ain’t no reason,” he said.
Father and mother cautioned him on the use of the word ain’t. It was not polite, or good diction.
“Bill, you have to put up with the ladies, and make allowances for their... defugalties,” the old man said pompously.
He nudged Studs, intimately, and slipped him a buck as a graduation present. Studs felt good over getting the buck, and went to his bedroom to put on the white tie he hated to wear, but had to. He looked at the tie, feeling uncomfortable. He looked out the window, and Goddamned the tie.
He heard his old man and his old lady speaking.
“Well, Mary, we got our children started now. We got Bill and Frances pretty near raised.”
“Yes, Patrick, and I’m so happy, because it’s been such a hard job, you know.”
“Yeah, we done well by ‘em, and paid their way, and now it won’t be so hard as it was, and when we get ‘em all raised, and brought up, and educated, we’ll take a trip to Ireland. It will be our second honeymoon... And, Mary, you and I’ll have to give more time to ourselves and spark about a little. This summer sure, we’ll go out to Riverview Park and have a day of our own, like we planned for so long,” he said.
“Yes, Patrick... And, Patrick, these little spats the children have, they’re nothin’ at all,” she said.
“Nope. They happen in the best regulated families,” the old man said; he laughed, as if he had cracked a good joke.
“And nobody can say we ain’t done right by our children,” he said.
“They certainly can’t.”
“And we paid their way,” he said.
“Yes... and Sister Bernadette Marie told me how fine a boy William was, and how grand a girl Frances is,” Mrs. Lonigan said.
“Yeah!” the old man said.
Then the old lady started to talk about the high school they would send Studs to. Studs knew what was coming. She was going to suggest that he be sent to study for the priesthood. He got sore, and wanted to yell at her. But the old man dismissed the whole subject. He said they could decide later, adding:
“I got the money, and we can send the lad any place we want to.”
“But here, you get your tie on and comb your hair. We have to go, Patrick... And, Martin, come here and let me see your fingernails and behind your ears. Did you wash your neck? That’s a good boy. And your teeth? Open your mouth... Well, for once you are presentable . and Loretta, is your dress on? Come here. Yes, you look like a little lady .. “
She entered Studs’ room, retied his tie, and recombed his hair, much to his discomfort, and made him go over his fingernails again; he felt as if they were trying to make a molly-coddle out of him. She pinned on the long class ribbons of golden yellow and silvery blue. He sat on the bed, waiting for them, thinking about all kinds of things.
Looking like Sunday, or as if they had just walked out of a dusty family album, the Lonigan family promenaded down Michigan Avenue. Studs and Frances marched first. Studs felt stiff; he told himself he must look like some queer egg or other. Frances marched along, proud and lady-like. She did not deign to glance at Studs, but she teased him in a voice so loud that all heard her. He walked along, looking straight ahead, his eyes vacant; he thought up all the curse words he could and silently flung them at her. Loretta and Martin followed. Loretta was carrying the beautiful bouquet of. white roses and carnations that were for Frances, and she walked along imitating her sister. She even teased Martin with the same words that Frances was using. Martin had to be cautioned by his parents, because he did not suffer in sulky silence, as Studs did. Father and mother formed the rear guard; parental pride oozed from them like healthy perspiration; the lean mother looked frugal, even in the plain but expensive blue dress she had bought for the occasion. Passersby glanced at them a second time, and they smiled with satisfaction. The old man kept repeating that he hoped Father Gilhooley would give the kids a big send-off.