Scene 25
Scene Twenty-five...The Betty
Time: Afternoon, Sunday, March 17, 1946
Place: Library parking lot
Storyteller: Janet
"Warm up girls," says William.
"We already did before you got here. I pretended that Betty is Nancy; got a few jabs in. Teach us something new."
My sister adds, "Thankfully the library is closed on Sundays, so we have an empty parking lot for our boxing lessons. It's hot though."
"Toughen up." He shows no sympathy. "You need to memorize sparring drills, then practice in Doris's back yard. Let's start with the jab, like I showed you before."
"Shouldn't we wear gloves?" Betty asks. "I need my hands for surgery."
"Good point. I'll buy two pairs for Janet's birthday. It's right around the corner."
"You remembered! Take us out to eat, too?" I beg.
"Only if your parents don't already have plans. Now back to work. I want to see a two punch combo. Left. Right."
He makes us do a three and then four punch combo. I'm getting winded.
"Janet, your footwork needs improvement. You are not free to dance all around the ring, even if you are a future Rockette."
"Can we call it a day?" Betty is panting.
William looks at his watch. "Sal is serving Irish coffee for St. Patrick's Day. Meet me there."
Fifteen minutes later, he's waiting in front of the restaurant. "Inside or out, ladies?"
"In," says Betty. "Enough sun for one day. Can we have iced Irish Coffee?"
"I'll ask the waitress. Gail's wearing green for a change."
He orders, "Two iced Irish, one of them virgin, and a classic hot one."
"You are going to drink whiskey?" I chide.
"It will be the first time without Tony. He loved to tell me how they dyed the river green in Chicago for St. Pat's. Then the two of us would toast with our Irish coffee."
"So he was like a daddy-father to you?" Betty asks.
"What about the nuns?" I join in.
"The word 'nuns' takes me back to primary school days. I was writing at my little desk when..."
"Smack! Sister Bertha slaps the yard stick on my hand. The pencil flies across the aisle, landing on Kathy's skirt. The girl jumps."
"Bertha snatches it out of the child's lap and hands it to me."
"I slowly put the yellow pencil back into my left hand."
"The witch raises her yard stick and says, 'right hand.'"
"I told her I can't make letters with my right hand."
"Kathy is crying now."
"Sister Ruth rings the bell and says, 'That's all for today.'"
"Kathy and I run through the door, passing nuns in the hall."
The Irish coffee arrives. William takes the hot one with his left hand.
"So, you stuck to your guns and remain a lefty. How did that happen?" I ask.
"Ruth squealed to Tony. Bertha was transferred to an 'adults only' facility that very night."
Betty says, "Thank God. The very thought of that monster beating innocent little children, especially you...makes me want to punch her in the mouth."
"And you know how to do it...since the boxing lessons. Let's toast to Tony," I reply.
"To Tony." The three of us click glasses.
I down mine and and then suggest we go to the boat for a game of Monopoly. William refuses. I ask why. He won't tell. "Are you hiding a woman there? Maybe Vivien?"
"You're ruining my surprise for Betty. It's not finished."
"What's not finished?" I tease.
"The surprise!" William isn't happy with me.
"I want to see it, finished or not. Otherwise she won't shut up and I'll be tempted to punch HER in the mouth." My sister has lost her temper with me again.
William shakes his head as we walk toward the boat. "It's not done," he repeats.
Oh, no, no, no. I see what he means. He's in the middle of changing the name on the back of the boat. It used to say "The Vivien". Now it says "The Bet..."
"I'm so sorry. I'm so very sorry." I really am sorry. But who's Vivien? Did he love her?
"That name was on the boat when I got it. There was no reason to change it until now. Do you understand that, Betty?"
She blushes and grabs his hand. They stare longingly into each others eyes. This is too mushy.
I spoil the moment. "How about a movie? 'Going My Way' is at The Palace. Bing Crosby plays a priest."
"Tony's favorite," he says. "Hurry, or we'll miss the previews." We pile into the Ford.
A couple of hours later, a full moon greets us as we exit the theatre.
"No wonder it got Best Picture. Musical-comedy-dramas are my favorite." Betty is content.
"They should have written some ballet into the musical plot," I reply.
William pokes fun at me. "Yea, the nuns should have worn black tutus instead of habits."
Time: Afternoon, Sunday, March 17, 1946
Place: Library parking lot
Storyteller: Janet
"Warm up girls," says William.
"We already did before you got here. I pretended that Betty is Nancy; got a few jabs in. Teach us something new."
My sister adds, "Thankfully the library is closed on Sundays, so we have an empty parking lot for our boxing lessons. It's hot though."
"Toughen up." He shows no sympathy. "You need to memorize sparring drills, then practice in Doris's back yard. Let's start with the jab, like I showed you before."
"Shouldn't we wear gloves?" Betty asks. "I need my hands for surgery."
"Good point. I'll buy two pairs for Janet's birthday. It's right around the corner."
"You remembered! Take us out to eat, too?" I beg.
"Only if your parents don't already have plans. Now back to work. I want to see a two punch combo. Left. Right."
He makes us do a three and then four punch combo. I'm getting winded.
"Janet, your footwork needs improvement. You are not free to dance all around the ring, even if you are a future Rockette."
"Can we call it a day?" Betty is panting.
William looks at his watch. "Sal is serving Irish coffee for St. Patrick's Day. Meet me there."
Fifteen minutes later, he's waiting in front of the restaurant. "Inside or out, ladies?"
"In," says Betty. "Enough sun for one day. Can we have iced Irish Coffee?"
"I'll ask the waitress. Gail's wearing green for a change."
He orders, "Two iced Irish, one of them virgin, and a classic hot one."
"You are going to drink whiskey?" I chide.
"It will be the first time without Tony. He loved to tell me how they dyed the river green in Chicago for St. Pat's. Then the two of us would toast with our Irish coffee."
"So he was like a daddy-father to you?" Betty asks.
"What about the nuns?" I join in.
"The word 'nuns' takes me back to primary school days. I was writing at my little desk when..."
"Smack! Sister Bertha slaps the yard stick on my hand. The pencil flies across the aisle, landing on Kathy's skirt. The girl jumps."
"Bertha snatches it out of the child's lap and hands it to me."
"I slowly put the yellow pencil back into my left hand."
"The witch raises her yard stick and says, 'right hand.'"
"I told her I can't make letters with my right hand."
"Kathy is crying now."
"Sister Ruth rings the bell and says, 'That's all for today.'"
"Kathy and I run through the door, passing nuns in the hall."
The Irish coffee arrives. William takes the hot one with his left hand.
"So, you stuck to your guns and remain a lefty. How did that happen?" I ask.
"Ruth squealed to Tony. Bertha was transferred to an 'adults only' facility that very night."
Betty says, "Thank God. The very thought of that monster beating innocent little children, especially you...makes me want to punch her in the mouth."
"And you know how to do it...since the boxing lessons. Let's toast to Tony," I reply.
"To Tony." The three of us click glasses.
I down mine and and then suggest we go to the boat for a game of Monopoly. William refuses. I ask why. He won't tell. "Are you hiding a woman there? Maybe Vivien?"
"You're ruining my surprise for Betty. It's not finished."
"What's not finished?" I tease.
"The surprise!" William isn't happy with me.
"I want to see it, finished or not. Otherwise she won't shut up and I'll be tempted to punch HER in the mouth." My sister has lost her temper with me again.
William shakes his head as we walk toward the boat. "It's not done," he repeats.
Oh, no, no, no. I see what he means. He's in the middle of changing the name on the back of the boat. It used to say "The Vivien". Now it says "The Bet..."
"I'm so sorry. I'm so very sorry." I really am sorry. But who's Vivien? Did he love her?
"That name was on the boat when I got it. There was no reason to change it until now. Do you understand that, Betty?"
She blushes and grabs his hand. They stare longingly into each others eyes. This is too mushy.
I spoil the moment. "How about a movie? 'Going My Way' is at The Palace. Bing Crosby plays a priest."
"Tony's favorite," he says. "Hurry, or we'll miss the previews." We pile into the Ford.
A couple of hours later, a full moon greets us as we exit the theatre.
"No wonder it got Best Picture. Musical-comedy-dramas are my favorite." Betty is content.
"They should have written some ballet into the musical plot," I reply.
William pokes fun at me. "Yea, the nuns should have worn black tutus instead of habits."