Chapter 6

Mr. Parsons came back home that Friday night. I saw him mostly at dinner time, because he was in his study most of the rest of the time. On Saturday, Mrs. Parsons and I went to the country club and played eighteen holes. I had a hundred and seven, but she shot a seventy three. We didn't stay at the club for lunch because we were going to have an early dinner with company coming over. I went into the kitchen when we returned, and Gerta took pity on me, making me a nice sandwich.

We were going to have five guests for dinner, although one of them was Mr. Chalmers. The other guests were a friend of Mr. Chalmers, and his family. Mr. Connor was also a friend of Mr. Parsons, and he was a business associate as well. It was the family part that was the reason for the dinner invitation. Mr. Connor had a son, Richard, who was fifteen, and he was also going into the tenth grade in the same school I would be going to. His sister, Brenda, was fourteen years old, and she was going into ninth grade at the junior high.

Mr. Chalmers wanted me to meet Richard, mostly so I'd already know someone when school started up in September. The problem was that Richard and I took an instant dislike to each other. He was a little taller than I was, maybe an inch, but he weighed about thirty or forty pounds more than I did. All he could talk about was football and all the girlfriends he was going to have because he was a football player. He didn't play golf, and said it was a sissy sport. He also asked me if Mrs. Parsons was crazy. He said he'd heard his mother and father talking about that before they drove over that day. I got mad at him, but I tried not to let it show.

Richard had one more very annoying habit, that was the way he looked at and talked about Bea. I listened to him talking about what he would want to do with her until I just couldn't listen to it any longer.

"Your mother looks good from behind. Does she always walk that way, or just when she wears high heels?"

That is when we started fighting. He got me down before we had a chance to throw any punches, but Hans and Mr. Connor got to us, breaking it up before we could do any damage to each other. As soon as we were separated, Mr. Connor asked Richard why we had started fighting.

"He said something bad about mom." Mr. Connor looked over at me. His expression made it clear that he wanted me to repeat what I'd said.

"I said she looked nice, and asked if she walked like that when she wore high heels." Mr. Connor laughed.

"What's wrong with that, Dick? He was paying your mother a compliment. What did you think he meant by it?"

"I think he thought I meant the same sort of thing as he did when he talked about what he wanted to do to Bea." At the orphanage, I'd learned that the best way to keep from being punished was to just tell the truth. I also learned that there were more effective ways to present the truth if you wanted the heat taken off of you. Richard looked at me like he wanted to slit my throat.

"Were you speaking or behaving insultingly towards Beatrice, Dick? You know that we've had this kind of discussion in the past. I think I remember telling you what would happen if I received any further complaints? I want you to apologize to Kenny, and then I want you to go apologize to Beatrice as well."

"She didn't hear what I said, but when he said mom looked good from behind, he meant her ass!"

"You'll do what I told you, young man, and you better get to it right now. Apologize to Kenny, Dick." Richard looked at me, hate was evident in his eyes.

"Sorry."

"I forgive you, Dick." The way I emphasized dick made it obvious that I wasn't referring to his name. When Dick went off to find Bea to apologize to her, Mr. Connor remained with me. Hans went back to the kitchen to help Gerta.

"That wasn't very nice or gentlemanly of you Kenny, insulting Mrs. Connor that way."

"I was only trying to make him quit talking about Bea that way. I'm sorry if I made you angry. I know I shouldn't have said that about Mrs. Connor."

"No, you shouldn't. It was the truth though, she does look nice from behind, especially when she walks in heels. It is gentlemanly to observe and say nothing. To comment on something such as that brings you down to Richard's level. You should aspire to be better than that." He turned away from me and walked back out to where everyone else was gathered in the living room. I felt like going back up to my bedroom and hiding out like Mrs. Parsons sometimes liked to do. Instead, I went out to the kitchen. Hans was talking to Gerta, and they were both laughing together until I came into the kitchen. Seeing me, they both got quiet. I knew he was telling her about the trouble I'd gotten into. I went out the back door from the kitchen after Gerta told me it would be another thirty minutes before dinner was served. I wanted to be all alone and try to keep out of getting into more trouble.

"What did you do to make my pinhead brother get so upset?" I turned around and noticed Brenda for the first time. She was sitting over on one of the lawn chairs along the side of the house. She was built a lot less husky than her brother. She had small breasts, and seemed somehow to be delicate and healthy at the same time. Her hair was almost a copper color, curly and not very long. when I first saw her, I had thought about Little Orphan Annie. I guess it was her hair color and the fact that her face wasn't like any other I'd ever noticed. She wasn't pretty, at least not pretty like the women on the television, but, I liked the way her face looked. She was only about five feet three, so I was a lot taller than her.

"He made me mad, so I said something I shouldn't have."

"He always does that. Mother says he has an inferiority complex, and that's why he acts like such a drip all the time. My parents are going to be unhappy with Richard. He was supposed to become your friend. My parents wanted to suck up to your family so they would keep sending us their business. My father's company gets almost all of our business from your company."

"It isn't my company, I'm just staying here for awhile. I'm an orphan, but they kicked me out of my orphanage, so I got to come here."

"I know that, because Mr. Chalmers told my dad and my dad told it to my mother at the dinner table. My dad says you are a lucky bastard, for falling into shit, and then coming up in a bed of roses. That's the way he talks when he's at home, and Richard talks the same way."

"What about you? Are you like that too?"

"I hope I'm more like my mother. I think she's nice, and she doesn't like to talk bad about other people. She said that all of the people at the country club are happy to see Mrs. Parsons feeling better, and coming out to the club more."

"Do you play golf? Richard said golf was a sport for sissies."

"No, I play tennis though, and he says the same about it. Do you play tennis?"

"No, we never had tennis at the orphanage. We didn't have golf either, but I'm learning how to play that. Where do you play tennis?"

"At the country club. There are six courts, two grass and four hardcourts. You should take up the game. We could use more young guys for the mixed doubles. Last week I had to partner with Mr. Glenrose, and he's almost eighty years old. We lost in the first round, and then I had to sit around and watch everyone else play."

"Are you a good player?"

"I'm all right in singles, but I can't find another girl to play doubles with. There aren't too many singles events around here. Next year, I'm going to try out for the high school team, but I don't know if I'll be good enough to make it."

"I wouldn't mind learning how to play, but when do you play? I've got golf lessons from ten thirty to eleven thirty, and then I usually play a round with Mrs. Parsons." Brenda started laughing, and I wondered what she thought was so funny."

"You play around with Mrs. Parsons? Isn't she a little old for you?"

"That's what you think. I've never even come close to beating her. She shot a 62 on the course. It might still be the course record." I had finished talking before I figured out what she had meant. I started blushing then. She was making fun of me. She had seemed pretty nice up until then.

"I'm sorry, Kenny. That was just a joke. Don't be mad. I knew what you meant, but I thought it still sounded funny."

"That wasn't funny. She's been nice to me, and she treats me like her son. It isn't nice to poke fun at people."

"You're right, it isn't. I was laughing at your choice of words, not at her. Still, I apologize. I usually practice in the afternoons, usually after four, when it begins to cool down some. Tennis is a more active game than golf is. You sweat. I'll be there tomorrow after four. You can come by and we can hit around. I can teach you some of the basics, and you can see if you like it or not."

"I don't have a tennis racket, or any balls." She laughed at me again, but at least she didn't say anything. I knew what I'd said, and what she was thinking. "Tennis balls."

"Of course. Can I expect you tomorrow?"

"I'll have to talk to Mrs. Parsons first. How would I get back home?"

"My mother usually comes to pick me up. I'm sure she'd be willing to give you a ride back here. We'll ask her."

That was the beginning of my friendship with Brenda Connor, and the beginning of my lack of friendship with Richard, the dick. Over the next three years, many changes occurred in this friendship, and also with the way Richard and I learned to act around each other. It all started that Saturday though.

Later, sitting at the dinner table, I noticed that Bea wasn't joining us for dinner. I was sitting in my usual place, to the right of Mrs. Parsons. Mr. Chalmers and Mr. Connor were sitting across from each other, next to the head of the table where Mr. Parsons sat. Across from me was Mrs. Connor, and Richard sat to her left. Brenda sat next to me. I knew that there had been a hasty change in place settings because I was supposed to have Richard sitting on my right. I liked it a lot better this way, as did Richard. I wasn't sure whether or not Brenda was happy with the switch. We had been eating for about fifteen minutes, and the three men were discussing business things. Mrs. Connor was discussing a play that she had recently seen. Mainly her conversation was meant for Mrs. Parsons. Richard spent most of his attention on wrestling with the steak on his plate. Brenda and I kept silent. Mrs. Connor had finished telling Mrs. Parsons about her play, and then she turned her attention to me.

"I hear you've become quite the golfer, Kenny. We tried to get Richard enthused, but he seems to prefer football, and the other, earthier, endeavors to playing gentleman's games. Do you enjoy playing?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's a lot of fun, and hard too."

"Do you play tennis as well? Brenda's quite interested in the game, aren't you dear?"

"Yes. I was talking to Kenny about tennis at the club, and he said he might like to come out and see if it suits him. He wondered how he'd get back here after though."

"I'm sure it wouldn't be any trouble for Hans to pick him up afterwards, Brenda. I think it would be lovely if Kenny had an opportunity to meet some of the young people at the club, the ones from the better families. Do you want me to arrange that with Hans, Kenny?" Mrs. Parsons sounded a little strange when she was talking about the better families. As far as I remembered, she had never made any mention of who she might consider being better to me. I knew I didn't qualify as being someone from a better family. As far as I knew, I didn't really have any family. She had always treated other people well, so it kind of surprised me when she said it that way.

"I don't know what time we'd be finished. Brenda mentioned that Mrs. Connor could drive me back rather than have Hans waiting for me. The tennis doesn't start until four, so I could have my lesson and we could play eighteen and have lunch and still make it to tennis before four. We can still play golf, right?"

"Of course, dear. I hoped you would want to continue playing. I find it so enjoyable to have someone to play with." Brenda sounded like she was choking on the piece of bread she was eating, and I know my ears turned red. I didn't have much experience with girls, and none at all with younger girls. "Which days do you play, Brenda?"

"During the summer, I go out every day. Richard and I go to swim in the pool, before and right after lunch, and then I get ready for tennis at around three thirty. Richard remains at the pool, ogling the women in their swim suits."

"Brenda, stop teasing your brother. I'm sure he does no such thing. Richard is using swimming to stay in peak condition for football in the fall. If he fails to make the team, I don't know what we'll have to do with him. He is so single minded at times."

"I'll make the team, don't worry about that. Coach Terrell knows me from all the junior leagues. He knows how hard I work. He pretty much told me that I'd have a place if I come out."

"That's right. He's a chip off the old block when it comes to football. I'm expecting great things from him out on the football field. I just wish I could say the same thing for his school grades." Richard liked the first part of what his father said, but made a face at the last part. Mr. Chalmers spoke up then, telling everyone at the table that he was sure that I'd excel in the academic portion of school. That was when Mr. Parsons spoke up too.

"Kenny, can we look forward to your trying out for the team as well? Sports are a healthy outlet for a young man's aggressions. Football is one of the best for that. I boxed in college. Ask Bunny what my record was."

"He only lost three times in four years, He was conference champion in our junior year. He should have won it again as a senior, and would have except for an unfortunate accidental head butt in the semi's."

"There was nothing accidental about it. It was deliberate. I don't know why you refuse to admit that I'm right about that."

"I've known Jack Dunbar for my entire life, Tommy, he would never do something underhanded like that. I asked him after the fight and he swore that your head collided with his. He wouldn't lie. Also, if you remember, he withdrew from the competition after the decision went his way, because he suffered a cut as well."

"Perhaps it was his guilty conscience. He knew who the better man was, they all did." Mr. Parsons had made himself angry remembering something that had happened more than twenty years before. I noticed Mr. Connor shaking his head in agreement with Mr. Parsons. I wondered if he too had been there to witness the head butt. Bunny just looked at Mr. Parsons, but he refrained from adding any more fuel to the fire.

Brenda brought the conversation back to the subject of my playing tennis the following day. Mrs. Parsons and I didn't play on Sundays. In fact, she and Mr. Parsons had already announced that they had a social commitment the next day.

"How would you get there, Kenny? I'm afraid Hans will be tied up with us all day."

"My mother could come get him, and he could swim with us and eat lunch at the club. We'd make a whole day of it. There are a lot of kids that go, or will be going, to the high school that use the pool at the club. Richard and I can introduce him to people."

Finally, everyone agreed that Mrs. Connor would stop off and take me out to the club with Brenda and Richard at eleven o'clock the next day, and drop me off at around seven that evening. Mrs. Parsons had already arranged for me to be able to sign for food and for other purchases, so I didn't need any money. Mr. Parsons surprised me by giving me a twenty dollar bill, and telling me to enjoy myself with my new friends.