Real People by Alison Lurie

Author:Alison Lurie [Lurie, Alison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4532-7118-6
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2012-10-12T23:53:00+00:00

July 4th

I FEEL VERY BAD: cross, hurt, and ashamed of myself. Just now at breakfast I behaved—at Illyria—worse than I ever would at home.

Again it’s Anna May’s fault; at least, it wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t been here. Kenneth and I were sitting at the table by the window, quietly finishing our coffee, when she came bouncing over; and then started giggling and pretending to be afraid to speak to him. But finally she got breathlessly around to the point.

ANNA MAY: You really promise you won’t be mad? Because I just have to ask you something. You see, we’re all going to the races in Saratoga Springs for the day, everybody’s coming, and I want you to come too. It’s the Fourth of July, a national holiday, you know! And I’m sure you need a holiday, you’ve been working so hard. Why, gosh, I’ve hardly spoken to you all weekend. I’ve been scared to, perfectly petrified (giggles), but Aunt Caroline says I must get to know you, ’cause you’re one of the most interesting people here, she says ...

Besides, if you come, there’ll be heaps of room in your yummy car, and then Leonard can take whoever’s left over, so they won’t have to go in Gerry’s dumb old Beetle that’s probably going to break down anyhow. Please?

It seemed so obvious that she wanted Kenneth mainly as a chauffeur, since he happens to have the most elegant car here (Roz’s new convertible); just as she invited Gerry to escort her to the concert last night because he’d look well in evening clothes. And I was so sure Kenneth wouldn’t want to go that I spoke up, as I thought helpfully, and gave an excuse for him.

JANET: Oh, I’m sorry; we can’t come. We’ve been planning to go to the parade in Jerico this afternoon.

And I explained how we wanted to see the Independence Day celebration (as we did last year and I’d assumed we would again). When Kenneth brushed that off like a fly and without asking my opinion agreed to drive Anna May and her entourage to Saratoga, I was stunned. And the moment she’d gone I said so, very untactfully.

JANET: Don’t you see she’s just using you? She wants to go to the races in a fancy convertible, and you have one; that’s all. You’ll have to drive for about six hours, there and back, through the holiday traffic. And there’ll be an impossible crowd when you get there. It’ll be awful.

KENNETH: I think it sounds like fun. We’ve seen the parade, there’s really no point in going again; and I’ve never been to Saratoga before.

JANET: And you’ve never made a fool of yourself running after Anna May before.

KENNETH: What? ... You know, Janet, you’re welcome to come along.

JANET: No, thank you. I wasn’t invited.

KENNETH: Oh, of course you were. Don’t be ridiculous. Anyhow, it’s my car. I’m inviting you.

JANET: I don’t want to go to Saratoga! I’m going to stay here and work.

Not that I think I should have gone; it’s sure to be an unpleasant trip—hot, noisy, crowded.

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