第10部分(第5/7 頁)

m　furiously　with　a　Brillo　pad。　Then　she　whirled　around　and　put

her　hands　on　her　hips。　She　was　wearing　a　pink　flannel　nightshirt

and　her　curly　brown　hair　was　sticking　out　all　over　because　she　had

gone　to　sleep　with　it　wet。　She　looked　like　a　mini　disgruntled

housewife　with　boobs　that　were　ten　times　too　big　for　her　body。

“I　don’t　care　what　you　say。　I’m　going　to　that　party！”　she　insisted。

“What　party？”　their　father　asked；　appearing　in　the　doorway　to　the

kitchen。

If　there　were　an　award　for　the　most　embarrassing　dad　in　the

universe；　Rufus　Humphrey　would　have　won　it。　He　was　wearing　a

sweat…stained　white　wife…beater　and　red　checked　boxer　shorts；　and

was　scratching　at　his　crotch。　He　hadn’t　shaved　in　a　few　days；　and

his　gray　beard　seemed　to　be　growing　at　different　intervals。　Some　of

it　was　thick　and　long；　but　in　between　were　bald　patches　and

patches　of　five　o’clock　shadow。　His　curly　gray　hair　was　matted　and

his　brown　eyes　bleary。　There　was　a　cigarette　tucked　behind　each　of

his　ears。

Jenny　and　Dan　looked　at　their　father　for　a　moment　in　silence。

Then　Jenny　sighed　and　turned　back　to　the　dishes。　“Never　mind；”

she　said。

Dan　smirked　and　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　Their　father　hated　the

Upper　East　Side　and　all　its　pretensions。　He　only　sent　Jenny　to

Constance　because　it　was　a　very　good　school　and　because　he　used

to　date　one　of　the　English　teachers　there。　But　he　hated　the　idea

that　Jenny　might　be　influenced　by　her　classmates；　or　“those

debutantes；”　as　he　called　them。

Dan　knew　their　dad　was　going　to　love　this。

“Jenny　wants　to　go　to　some　fancy　benefit　next　week；”　he　said。

Mr。　Humphrey　pulled　one　of