I, etcetera: Stories by Susan Sontag

Author:Susan Sontag [Sontag, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Published: 2016-02-23T16:00:00+00:00

Baby

Monday

What we decided, doctor, was that it would be best to lay our problems before a really competent professional person. God knows, we’ve tried to do the best we could. But sometimes a person has to admit defeat. So we decided to talk to you. But we thought it would be better not to come together. If one of us could come Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and the other on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, that way you could get both of our points of view.

A few debts. Not many. We try to live within our means.

Of course we can afford it. We don’t want to spare any expense. But, to tell the truth, we picked you because your fee was more reasonable than some others. And Dr. Greenwich said you specialized in problems of this sort.

No, we’re not doing anything right now. Just riding out the storm.

Certainly not. That’s what we’re here to find out from you.

How much background do you need to know?

Yes, we’ve both had physical check-ups within the past year.

Both born in this country, good native stock. Why, did you think we were foreigners? You’re a foreigner, aren’t you, doctor? You don’t mind questions like that, do you?

At the beginning, you can imagine, we felt very sure of ourselves. With a good income, a house with no mortgage, membership in three—

Sometimes. Sure. Doesn’t every couple? But they blow over. Then we usually celebrate by seeing a movie. We used to take in the plays at the Forum, too. But we don’t have much time for that any more.

Oh, we dote on him. After all, when you have an—

Pretty regularly. Once, twice a week. Thank God, there’s nothing wrong with that side of things.

No, it was the group that suggested we consult you. We’re not claiming all the credit for ourselves. But probably we would have thought of it anyway.

All right, sure. We do. But what’s wrong with that? We really get along very well, considering the difference in our educational backgrounds.

Perhaps our problem seems ridiculous to you.

No, no, we didn’t mean it that way.

All right.

That door?

Tuesday

It’s really Baby who’s the problem, doctor.

What?

Oh, complete sentences right off the bat. He just started right in.

We take turns. It’s not far.

He likes to. After the alarm rang, every morning, Baby used to bring us cups of steaming hot coffee in bed.

We try not to interfere. Baby’s room is full of junk. We offered him the bigger bedroom, but he insisted—

We took a camping trip last spring in Big Sur for two weeks. We wanted to take Baby along, but he wouldn’t go. He said he had to study for his exams.

Sure, he’s perfectly able to take care of himself, cook his own meals. Still, sometimes we do worry.

He loves to.

But we’re afraid Baby is ruining his eyes. He doesn’t want to play with the other kids.

Comic books, Poe, Jack London, the encyclopedia, it doesn’t matter to him. After we turn the lights off at nine, he reads under the covers with a flashlight.

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