Its 1953... n.h.

Chapter 7

A week later I bring Ronnie home to meet Tom and my father. Tom decides we should go out for dinner, my father makes sure to look his best, no alcohol the night before, and talked the whole day about me bringing a guy home.

When Ronnie does arrive, I show him in and introduce him to the men of the house. We leave for the restaurant and when we arrive for dinner, all the food passed out before my father begins to question him.

"How did you two meet?"

"At a party a week ago," Ronnie smiles and dabs at the corners of his mouth with a napkin, "she was sitting alone so I thought i might join her."

"Got a job?" Tom asks and I begin to pick at my green beans, a vegetable I never much cared for unless it was smothered in tomato juice.

"Well, I am studying to be a lawyer," Ronnie smiles and my father sits back in his chair, obviously very pleased with his answer.

"A lawyer, well, what a good field to be in," my father continues to smile and I can't help but smile too. Not that I'm happy my father is happy, but how odd it is that I've found someone who is basically my father, just younger and so much more humble and attractive.

"I do believe so," Ronnie looks at me then eats a little before speaking again, "you see, back in California I was one of a few thousand in Los Angeles alone. Here, I am one among, how many, 10?"

"You like being a lawyer? Do you do anything for fun?" Tom asks and finishes off his roast.

"I do enjoy school quite a bit, when I'm not in classes or meetings I like to read, mostly Poe and that sort of thing."

Then it hits me. Ronnie is nothing special. He likes to read in his pare time? Lovely, yes, but doesn't he enjoy going out, going to the drive in for the Friday night double features?

"Anything else?" Tom asks, obviously a little off put by the answer he received.

"Just reading really," Ronnie nods and looks at me giddy, he knows he has my fathers approval.

"Maybe you'll get my Beth into college, she sure hasn't been incredibly excited," my father gives me a side glance and then continues to talk to Ronnie.

Then, on a whim, I really don't know where it came from or what came over me, I spoke up, "I'm not going to college, daddy."

My dad pauses and looks at me plainly, "yes you are, we've paid your tuition."

"Sorry,but I've canceled my tuition. I'm not going."

"Elizabeth," he says sternly, smiling at Ronnie then giving me a tough glare, "let's not talk about this here."

"Well I'd like to talk about this here, I don't want to go to college. I would prefer beauty school."

My father laughs from his belly and dabs his napkin to the corners of his mouth, "you are not going to beauty school."

"Yes I am, I've applied and been accepted," i lie for a second time tonight. I had in fact not cancelled my tuition nor been accepted into the beauty school.

"Your mother would never approve," my father shakes his head. I glance to Tom who has a fearful yet proud look on his face, "and frankly you're not going while under my roof."

"You don't know what mom would have approved of, she always told me to do exactly what I wanted, what made me happy, I love doing hair dad."

"You are making a scene Elizabeth," my father looks around to the other tables, none of which are looking to us.

"Well lucky for you I'll be making a bigger scene for you," I toss my napkin onto the table top and push my chair out from under me and storm off, leaving my date, brother and father behind.