When Madeline Was Young
“To me she said, "Why aren't you wearing your smock? You're covered in blood!" Louise and Stephen were in the living room, taking another stab at Chopin. Cleveland and Malzena were out on the front porch, eating the candy they'd bought with money the church had given them for their educational experience. Louise had probably told Mikey to go home, or maybe he had needed no prompting, running off down the alley. Madeline was in her room bawling. The dress! Where was that dress? Had she taken it o...ff, and would she hide it?
My mother listened up the back stairs. "What's wrong with her?" I had never lied to Julia, or not much anyway, and I did not on that occasion begin. "She's mad at Buddy," I said. Poor Madeline, ripped from Jerry's arms, deprived of his manly attention.
"Now, why would anyone be mad at you?" my mother said to Buddy. "Great big girl--you'll have to excuse her. She'll be fine in a few minutes. Actually, she'll be right as rain by noon tomorrow, when Mikey gets back. She doesn't know what to do with herself when her sweetheart is away." I was slow to come to it, but I suddenly realized that Buddy hadn't figured out who Mikey was; he thought the man on the sofa was a nobody, a generic neighborhood misfit.MoreLess
My mother listened up the back stairs. "What's wrong with her?" I had never lied to Julia, or not much anyway, and I did not on that occasion begin. "She's mad at Buddy," I said. Poor Madeline, ripped from Jerry's arms, deprived of his manly attention.
"Now, why would anyone be mad at you?" my mother said to Buddy. "Great big girl--you'll have to excuse her. She'll be fine in a few minutes. Actually, she'll be right as rain by noon tomorrow, when Mikey gets back. She doesn't know what to do with herself when her sweetheart is away." I was slow to come to it, but I suddenly realized that Buddy hadn't figured out who Mikey was; he thought the man on the sofa was a nobody, a generic neighborhood misfit.MoreLess
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