and so, richardson, you are resolved to go forward with your mad plan to forego your final year at h_______ in order to travel to asia and lead a revolution there?
i am indeed, aunt. after all, i can always return to h________ and complete whatever studies i fancy, but the situation in asia requires immediate action! if i do not strike now, someone else will do so, with what results who can say?
but uncle chester has been in the state department for forty years and he assures us that there is no situaton in asia,
i beg your pardon. chester has only been in the state department for thirty-four years. before that, i believe he was in the treasury department. in any case, he is too high up in the organization to have his ear properly to the ground. what say you, uncle waldo?
i defer to your judgment, my boy, having no interest in the matter.
marlowe, the butler, appeared and announced that dinner was ready.
richardson, aunt arlene, and uncle waldo repaired to the dining room.
the table had been set for four but cousin gloria had pleaded a few minutes before that she felt unwell.
it is too bad gloria will not be with us, waldo observed to richardson as they seated themselves, as she had showed such an interest, just this afternoon, in your adventure.
i am interested enough myself, richardson answered with a smile, for all of us. please, make any conversation you like, or none at all.
dreadful weather, aunt arlene observed, and expected to continue for a few days. i hope it will not delay your trip.
there is little chance of that, richardson replied.
outside, the wind howled, and rain beat on the french windows.
suddenly the phone, arlene’s old landline phone in the hallway outside the dining room, rang.
it must be for you, richardson, aunt arlene observed complacently, as the rest of us lead such uneventful lives that no one would ever dream of calling us.
in that case i i will answer it, richardson replied, picking up up his fork.
marlowe reappeared and announced that the call was for waldo and did wish to take it?’
how extraordinary, waldo said, no one ever calls me. but seeing as it is such a stormy night, i suppose i had better take it.
and with that, waldo got up from the table, leaving richardson alone with aunt arlene.
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