Mr. Bridge_ A Novel - Evan S. Connell [10]
12 Prohibition
When there were guests Mr. Bridge went into the kitchen to mix drinks because Harriet did not know how. Carolyn usually followed him to the kitchen and watched while he took the bottles out of the cupboard and measured the liquor. When he had finished he would reach for another glass and look at her inquiringly, and he was always surprised that this did not amuse her. He had played this game with Douglas, who responded by hiccuping and staggering around, and he had teased Ruth, who held out her hand and probably would drink it. But Carolyn’s attitude puzzled him.
One evening when the Arlens and the Lutweilers had been invited to dinner he was measuring gin for the martinis when Carolyn said, “Daddy, you’re breaking the law.” She took a step backward as though she expected him to slap her.
He said after a few moments, “No, it is not against the law.”
She walked out of the kitchen. He did not see her again until the next day. Ordinarily she liked to sit around listening to the adult conversation.
He waited for her to bring up the subject again, but she did not. He began to reproach himself because his tone had been sharp and he decided it might be best to have a talk with her, so one night he suggested they go into the study. Obediently she followed him upstairs. He shut the door and sat down at his desk.
“I wanted to talk to you about Prohibition,” he said. “You remember the evening when Mr. and Mrs. Lutweiler and Mr. and Mrs. Arlen were here?”
She nodded.
“I did not break the law,” he said, and tapped the desk for emphasis. “The Eighteenth Amendment to our Constitution prohibits only the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating beverages. It does not specifically prohibit the use of such beverages. Now, I am not scolding you,” he went on. “Please don’t misunderstand. This so-called ‘law’—this amendment to our Constitution—is absurd and it will be repealed before much longer. There’s no doubt about it. This law came into being through the shortsightedness of a few people a good many years ago. Let me it explain it this way: Some people became very distressed about public drunkenness, and they were quite right, so they banded together and eventually became powerful enough to force this legislation through Congress. However, they were not wise enough to foresee the consequences. What has happened is that Prohibition has encouraged bootlegging, because you cannot tell people how to live their lives. That is the great danger of government. A certain amount of government is necessary, but Thomas Jefferson was correct in saying that we ought to have as little government as possible. This country at the present time has too much government. The government interferes with the rights and privileges of private citizens. It’s getting worse every year. The labor unions, for example, are forcing more and more people to do whatever the union leaders say they should. This is an example of poor government and the President of the United States does not have sense enough to put a stop to it. These left-wing unions are wrecking our national economy. Lord only knows where it’s going to end. However, to get back to what we were talking about—I don’t approve of bootlegging. I dislike doing business with these people. At the same time, I do enjoy a cocktail before dinner and your mother enjoys a small glass of sherry. You have never known either of us to behave badly after a drink, have you?”
Carolyn sat rigidly on the edge of the couch. She was biting her upper lip. Her face was as hard as the face of a doll. He sighed and leaned back in his chair.
“You’re acting silly. I don’t expect you to understand this Prohibition nonsense, and since you don’t understand it I don’t think you ought to set yourself up as a judge of anyone