Standing in the Rainbow - Fannie Flagg [184]
Empty Nest
NORMA WARREN was getting ready to have her daughter leave home for the first time and she was not at all happy about it. When their daughter, Linda, graduated from high school, she immediately went to work for AT&T. On career day the representatives had come to school trying to recruit women, in particular, for management training. They needed a quota of women now that the federal and the state governments were paying attention. Aunt Elner’s niece by marriage, Mary Grace, had a good job at the telephone company in St. Louis and put in a good word for her. When Linda was chosen, Norma was disappointed. “I wish you’d think about going to college for at least two years, if nothing else. I wish I hadn’t gotten married so young. I wish I had gone to college.”
“I know, Mother, but think about the great opportunity this is. I’m going to be trained for a top job. Why waste four years in college when I can already be working and making good money?”
“But, honey, think of the fun you’ll miss—the sororities, the dating, living in the dorm with all the other girls.”
“People don’t do all that anymore and I can have just as much fun making money. If you weigh all the options, Mother, it’s really the most logical and practical thing to do.”
“You’re too young to be logical and practical. You must get that from your daddy. I was never practical or logical. Maybe I should have been more like you. I just got married and didn’t learn a thing. If something happens to your daddy, I’ll probably wind up as someone’s maid or cook—that’s all I know how to do. I don’t have any skills but cooking and cleaning.”
“Oh, Mother, you do too. Real cooking is a skill.”
“No, it’s not,” Norma said. “Any old person can cook.”
“I can’t,” said Linda.
“You never really tried. You know your daddy is going to be very upset that you’re not going to college.”
“No, he’s not. He thinks it’s a great idea.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I went down to the store and showed him the letter.”
“When?”
“This morning.”
“Before you showed me?”
“Well, I wanted to see what he thought. And he said I should do it.”
“Oh, I see, so as usual you and he have decided—I’m just out of the loop, I don’t count.”
“Oh, Mother . . .”
“Well, it’s true. I don’t know why you bother to tell me anything. I might as well be a knob on the door for all you two care. Why did you bother to ask me? You’re going to do what your daddy says, you always do.”
“Mother, you know that’s not true. And if you’re so dead set against it, I won’t go.”
“Sure, and if you don’t go you’ll never let me live it down. I was just hoping you would be a little closer to home, that’s all, not too far away.”
Linda said, “So that’s what is really worrying you.”
“Why shouldn’t it? I’m a normal mother.”
“But you don’t have to worry. I’ll be fine.”
“Do you think I am going to let you go up to some big city full of gangs and white slavers and not worry?”
“Oh, Mother, there aren’t any white slavers in San Francisco.”
“You don’t know. I look at television and I see things. Barbara Walters just had a piece about some Russian girls that got mixed up with white slavers. It still goes on, don’t kid yourself.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “And here I thought you would be on some safe college campus for four years.”
“Mother.”
“I hope you carry a gun in your purse, that’s all I can say. People are getting knocked in the head right and left. I hope you know I won’t sleep for the next four years!”
An hour later Linda called Macky.
“Daddy, you’re going to have to talk to Mother—she’s having a fit about me getting knocked in the head or getting kidnapped by white slavers.”
Macky said, “I figured as much. Has she said anything about earthquakes yet?”
“No, not yet,