Show N t tf FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH 1 r 1 By Dy Bessie Dessie Heck 1 I SUPPOSE the reason Mom Ic let the six Ix of us eat cat early that eve ping was so wed we'd feel teel good In Inside and give the photographer less lest trouble She didn't eat cat with us sale said shed she'd wait walt and cat eat with Dad after arter wards We kids kid had come to accept this 1 getting scrubbed and polished as asA A ort of a Thursday evening ritual For iFor every Thursday evening ever since since Mom hit I the telephone jack o pot and won the coupon for tor or a afree afree afree free family group grout photograph shed she'd seen to it that wo we got dressed up lip for that purpose Thursdays were the only evenings the studio was open oper She made sure Bure the bathroom bath room was clear early so Dad wouldn't have any excuse for not getting ready as soon Boon as he got in In it If indeed hed he'd ever get In in time Mom looked swell In her hr black suit and white blouse with wilh the lace collar She smiled on us and tried to keep us in a n good humor and she he looked d at the mantel clock real often orten Alice Allee the youngest ran her her blond curls and pulled her blue ribbon out Oh Alice Allee Mom begged Please stay pretty She went over and over and Alices Alice's hair How much longer da do we have to d do this Alice demanded pout pout- i ing J. This is the last time darling I i Mom said We Just have to get that picture this time The coupon expires today you know Daddy would I hr t r I. I have to go out of town today I Joyce griped Now Joyce Mom said sald pleasantly pleas antly your f tether father ther has s to make it it a 0 living Jiving for us you know Hell He'll make it it Mom continued lIe He left town two hours early this morning just to make sure hed he'd get back In time You know the lady at the studio said if it we didn't get there thereby thereby by six-fifteen six we didn't need to come David said Yes I know Mom agreed looking at the clock thirty Five c came came me five forty five forty forty five but not D Dad d. d Every five minutes by that clock seemed like Wee an hour to me We lived so far out that wed we'd need nearly fifteen minute to drive down town Mom got so that she twisted her lace handkerchief I 1 couldn't ever remember seeing her do a thing like that I picked up the desk calendar and began idly counting For thirteen Thursday evenings straight wed we'd had to bathe and dress and sit h here re and twiddle our thumbs My tongue felt sort of funny and andI I guess I stuck it out to get some air because Alice yelled Mother make George stop making faces Mom had to quiet us down after that Then she sho my cowlick cow lick and set lIet my Boy Doy Scout pin at a Mom looked at the clock again Oh dear she sighed clinching her fists He Ito promised me faithfully faithfully faith faith- fully hed he'd be here in plenty of time Something must have happened hap I At lIve five she put her hat haton haton on the piano plana and told Alice she I could change to her blue jeans and I go ride her bike I never saw a seven year old girl get around quite as as fast as Alice Allee did She was gone like greased lightning I reckon the rest relt of us were like Mom too disappointed to stir At exactly nine five I hap happened happened to be looking at the clock clock clock- Dad bounded In 10 he ha shouted Weve barely got time to make it We all jumped and simply could not nor believe our eyes Dad had bad washed up at the plant gone by bythe bythe the department store stort and dressed Himself up in 10 new clothe from head to foot You can depend on me to do doa a thing right if it 1 I do it at all aU Jane he said to Mom How do doI I look He Ile clicked his heels and spun around I decided Id I'd do you up proud with our first family group picture lIe He paused and seemed to really reaDy see Mom for the first time She hadn't laid saida salda 8 word the the matter he asked Why dont don't we get going I could have told him why Alice Allce was missing I |