Sixteen
“Do you mind if I stay on a bit, Dad?” asked Micky.
“No, of course not. I’m delighted. Is it all right with your firm?”
“Yes,” said Micky. “I rang ’em up. I needn’t be back until after the week-end. They’ve been very decent about it. Tina’s staying over the weekendtoo,” he said.
He went to the window, looked out, walked across the room with handsin his pockets, gazing up at the bookshelves. He spoke¹ then in a jerky,awkward voice.
“You know, Dad, I do appreciate really all you’ve done for me. Just latelyI’ve seen—well, I’ve seen how ungrateful I’ve always been.”
“There’s never been any question of gratitude,” said Leo Argyle. “Youare my son, Micky. I have always regarded you as such.”
“An odd way of treating a son,” said Micky. “You never bossed meabout.”
Leo Argyle smiled, his remote, far-away smile.
“Do you really think that’s the only function of a father?” he said. “Toboss his children about?”
“No,” said Micky, “no. I suppose it isn’t.” He went on, speaking in a rush.
“I’ve been a damned fool,” he said. “Yes. A damned fool. It’s comic in away. Do you know what I’d like to do, what I’m thinking of doing? Takinga job with an oil company out in the Persian Gulf². That was what Motherwanted to put me into to begin with—an oil company. But I wasn’t havingany then! Flung off on my own.”
“You were at the age,” said Leo, “when you wanted to choose for your-self, and you hated the idea of anything being chosen for you. You’ve al-ways been rather like that, Micky. If we wanted to buy you a red sweater,you insisted you wanted a blue one, but all the time it was probably a redone you wanted.”
“True enough,” said Micky, with a short laugh. “I’ve been an unsatisfact-ory sort of creature always.”
“Just young,” said Leo. “Just kicking up your heels. Apprehensive³ of thebridle, of the saddle, of control. We all feel like that at one time in ourlives, but we have to come to it in the end.”
“Yes, I suppose so,” said Micky.
“I’m very glad,” said Leo, “that you have got this idea for the future. Idon’t think, you know, that just working as a car salesman and demonstra-tor is quite good enough for you. It’s all right, but it doesn’t lead any-where.”

分享到：