I Never Sang for My Father Page #6

I just know I want you.

Well, this is a pleasant surprise.

Now I told you yesterday when

I left I'd be out tonight.

You did?

Yes.

Well, my mind is a complete sieve.

Dad, this is Peggy Thayer,

Dr. Peggy Thayer.

Doctor, I have a slight pain right here.

How do you do, my dear?

How do you do,

Mr. Garrison?

Dad, I don't think Peggy could help

you out much. She's a gynecologist.

A what?

I'm a woman's doctor.

Yes, yes. Margaret was always

running to one of those.

Well, I'll just have to take

my trade to someone else.

I, I must apologize for the

condition of this house.

You see, Mrs. Garrison

passed on just recently.

Yes.

I was very sorry to hear about that.

Hundreds of letters to answer.

And look at this, Gene. We simply

must do something about this.

Your mother's magazine subscriptions.

And this book club.

I've been reading some of it.

Absolutely revolting, the things

they get away with nowadays.

I'm sure you don't read things like this.

What do you mean,

"things like this," Dad?

I'm not going to describe them

in front of this charming girl.

Are you from this area, Miss...

Did you tell me your name?

Dad, this is Peggy from California.

Yes.

Do you intend to stay long, Miss...

Please, call me Peggy.

May I? Thank you.

Is that your real name,

or is it short for Margaret?

My real name's Margaret.

My wife's name was Margaret.

But she was never called Peggy or Maggie.

Always Margaret.

Yes, it would never have occurred

to me to call her Peggy.

She was a Margaret.

But Peggy is right for you.

I'm going to go tuck him

in and say good night.

Gene. Don't get mad.

What?

What?

I think he's charming.

Most people do.

I'll just be a minute.

Are you ready to be tucked in?

Yes.

Look at all the weight I've lost.

You got quite a little pot there, Dad.

Yeah, but through here, through my chest.

We're going to put all that back on you.

You know, I never had

any hair on my chest.

I don't understand it.

You had hair on your chest.

I just never had any.

Well, I'm confident if I

can get some exercise...

Do you remember when I used

to get you up in the morning

and we'd go down and do

calisthenics to the radio?

Yeah.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

Take it easy now.

You gotta wait till morning for that.

And then we... Then we'd put on the

gloves and spar on the side porch.

Yeah.

The manly art

of self-defense.

Gentleman Jim Corbett.

Hey!

Well, I've gotta get over to the club.

Play some golf.

Sit around and swap

stories with the boys.

Too bad you never took up golf.

I was just going through

these desk drawers.

I don't know, just going over things.

Pictures.

I think you've seen most of them.

The family.

You know, Dad,

I don't think I've ever seen

a picture of your father.

He's just a boy.

That was taken just about

the time he got married.

He was

a fine-looking man

before he started drinking.

Big, square, high collar.

But he became my mortal enemy.

Did I ever show you this?

Careful.

I'd made a home for

my brother and sister.

We were out one day and he came around

and ripped up all my

sister's clothes and shoes.

Drunk, of course.

A few days later he came

around to apologize

and ask for some money.

I threw him out.

The next day he left that note.

"You are welcome

to your burden."

And you kept it.

I didn't see him again

until many years later,

when he was dying, in Bellevue.

Somebody got word to me and I went

down to see if he wanted anything.

Said he'd like some fruit.

So, I sent him in some oranges.

He died the next day.

There must have been something

there to love and understand.

In my father?

Do you remember this, Gene?

"To the greatest dad in the

world on Father's Day."

I appreciate that, Gene.

That's a lovely tribute.

I think I have all of your

Father's Day cards here.

You know, I never wanted children,

coming from the background I did.

We didn't have Alice for a long time.

But Margaret finally persuaded me.

She said they'd be

a comfort in our old age.

And you are, Gene.

Well, I...

A program of yours from college,

some glee club concert.

I have everything in here

but the kitchen stove.

Do you still sing?

No, Dad.

No, I haven't for years.

That's too bad.

You had a good voice.

Well, we can't do everything.

I remember,

your mother'd sit at the

piano hour after hour

and I'd be up here at my desk

listening to you sing.

You... You always

used to ask me to sing.

When I Grow Too Old to Dream.

Did I?

I don't remember your ever singing that.

You always seemed to be just finishing

when I came into the room.

Did you used to sing that for me?

No.

But you always asked me

to sing it for you.

Well, I... I certainly enjoyed

sitting up here and listening.

That was my mother.

Yes.

I've seen this, Dad.

It's lovely.

She was just 25 when that was taken.

She died the next year.

I used to carry it in

my wallet all the time.

Then I felt I was wearing

it out, so I put it away.

Just a little bit of a thing.

Hey. Hey.

Hey, Dad.

I never thought it would be like this.

I always thought I'd go first.

I'm sorry.

Just comes over me. I...

It'll pass.

I'll get a hold of myself.

Don't try, Dad.

Believe me, it's best.

No, no, it... It's just that...

I'll be all right.

No, it's rough, Dad.

It's bound to be rough.

It'll pass.

It'll pass.

Dad, do you want me to help

you put these things away?

No, I... I can...

Yes, if...

If you would.

I don't know what we'd

do without you, Gene.

Dad... How'd you like Peggy?

Who?

Yes.

Very nice, very attractive.

Dad, I'm...

I'm thinking very seriously

about marrying her

and going out to California to live.

Dad, I... I know this is your

home, well, what you're used to,

but, well... I'd like you to

come out there with me, Dad.

It's lovely out there

and we'd get you an apartment

close to us and...

You know, I would like

to make a suggestion.

All right.

Why don't you all come here to live?

Well, Peggy has her

practice out there, Dad.

A what?

She's a doctor, I told you.

And she has children

and they have their school and friends.

We have a big house here.

And you always liked this house.

It's wonderful for children.

You used to play baseball out back

and then there's that basketball thing.

Well, Dad, I'd like to get away

from this country for a while.

It's been rough here

ever since Carol died.

And it'd be good for

you, too, getting away.

Your mother would be very happy

to have the house full of children again.

I won't be around long, and...

And then it's all yours.

Dad, that's very kind of you.

I don't think it would work out.

Besides, Peggy's work and her children,

all her family's out there.

Your family's here.

Yes, I know.

You know, Gene, I'm just

saying this for your own good,

but you went out to California

shortly after Carol's death,

and you were exhausted

from her long illness,

and, well, naturally, very susceptible.

I'm wondering if you waited long

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