Scene 35
Scene Thirty-five...Birthday?
Time: Evening, Thursday, May 2, 1946
Place: Doris's house
Storyteller: Janet
"Surprise!" Doris, Paul, and I shout when Betty and William walk in. They look stunned.
"Doris says, "I peeked into your personnel file and jotted down your birthday, William. You look too young to be born in 1915. Maybe it's because you eat so healthy."
"Are you the one who told Harry I graduated from University of Virginia?"
"Well...Mr. Robertson wanted to know...didn't think you'd mind," replies Doris.
Paul says, "You could pass for my age."
"Thanks. I haven't aged much since almost freezing in the Chesapeake Bay one January. I'm going to research that someday."
"Oh, yea. That's when you woke up half-crazy thinking you were 'Superman,'" I add.
"I read those comics all the time in Italy," Paul says. "Doris and I were both in Anzio, but never saw each other."
"Thank God you didn't need a nurse, or we might have crossed paths," she replies.
"Was Anzio an important battle? History isn't my best subject," I admit.
"The allied forces invaded the Italian mainland there. It led to the fall of Rome," my brother answered.
"War is ugly, but Italy is beautiful. Did you get to Florence, Paul?" Doris asks.
"Yes, thanks to a German general. He refused to obey Hitler when ordered to blow up the bridges across the Arno River and level that city."
"Good for him," William applauds.
Paul switches to his favorite subject. "Italy made me aware of the European sports car heyday. The racing was suspended during the war, but I vowed to return and see the Monaco Grande Prix."
Betty asks, "Is that why you want to switch from law to engineering?"
"It isn't a switch. I haven't taken any law classes...just the basics. Janet will have to step up and become Dad's junior partner."
Paul is kidding, but I throw a pillow at him anyway.
Doris says, "Stop children. I don't have any flour in the house, so no birthday cake, but who wants ice cream?"
While she dishes out the pink, white, and brown dessert, I remind everyone that I'm going to be a Rockette, not a lawyer.
"My goal is to set the world land speed record in Daytona Beach," Paul counters.
"You aren't serious?" Betty is horrified.
"It's a four hour drive to Daytona. I've been sneaking off on long weekends."
"So you'll be quitting U.M.?" Doris figures.
"No, I need an engineering degree to design cars."
"Warn me in advance when you're going to drop that bomb on Dad," I say. Rockette and race car driver are hardly his career choices for us."
"What would he do without perfect Betty?" Paul teases.
She throws a pillow at him.
"What's the matter, Squirt? You seem kind of down in the dumps." William notices my mood changes.
"All this talk of cars depresses me. I really need one, thanks to Mom's new found independence."
"Be patient. You're barely sixteen and cars are hard to come by these days," he says.
Time: Evening, Thursday, May 2, 1946
Place: Doris's house
Storyteller: Janet
"Surprise!" Doris, Paul, and I shout when Betty and William walk in. They look stunned.
"Doris says, "I peeked into your personnel file and jotted down your birthday, William. You look too young to be born in 1915. Maybe it's because you eat so healthy."
"Are you the one who told Harry I graduated from University of Virginia?"
"Well...Mr. Robertson wanted to know...didn't think you'd mind," replies Doris.
Paul says, "You could pass for my age."
"Thanks. I haven't aged much since almost freezing in the Chesapeake Bay one January. I'm going to research that someday."
"Oh, yea. That's when you woke up half-crazy thinking you were 'Superman,'" I add.
"I read those comics all the time in Italy," Paul says. "Doris and I were both in Anzio, but never saw each other."
"Thank God you didn't need a nurse, or we might have crossed paths," she replies.
"Was Anzio an important battle? History isn't my best subject," I admit.
"The allied forces invaded the Italian mainland there. It led to the fall of Rome," my brother answered.
"War is ugly, but Italy is beautiful. Did you get to Florence, Paul?" Doris asks.
"Yes, thanks to a German general. He refused to obey Hitler when ordered to blow up the bridges across the Arno River and level that city."
"Good for him," William applauds.
Paul switches to his favorite subject. "Italy made me aware of the European sports car heyday. The racing was suspended during the war, but I vowed to return and see the Monaco Grande Prix."
Betty asks, "Is that why you want to switch from law to engineering?"
"It isn't a switch. I haven't taken any law classes...just the basics. Janet will have to step up and become Dad's junior partner."
Paul is kidding, but I throw a pillow at him anyway.
Doris says, "Stop children. I don't have any flour in the house, so no birthday cake, but who wants ice cream?"
While she dishes out the pink, white, and brown dessert, I remind everyone that I'm going to be a Rockette, not a lawyer.
"My goal is to set the world land speed record in Daytona Beach," Paul counters.
"You aren't serious?" Betty is horrified.
"It's a four hour drive to Daytona. I've been sneaking off on long weekends."
"So you'll be quitting U.M.?" Doris figures.
"No, I need an engineering degree to design cars."
"Warn me in advance when you're going to drop that bomb on Dad," I say. Rockette and race car driver are hardly his career choices for us."
"What would he do without perfect Betty?" Paul teases.
She throws a pillow at him.
"What's the matter, Squirt? You seem kind of down in the dumps." William notices my mood changes.
"All this talk of cars depresses me. I really need one, thanks to Mom's new found independence."
"Be patient. You're barely sixteen and cars are hard to come by these days," he says.