Show I W Was as Good All Day Dav Ii j By FLORENCE BITTNER BIITNER But Mom I was good ALLDAY ALLDAY ALL DAY yesterday Jonathan protested protested pro pro- protested tested considering himself not only abused but also unappreciated unappreciated unappreciated when I sentenced him to an hour on his bed for fighting with Warren AFTER THE tumult and the shouting had died and the blood had been wiped up I took that statement out and looked at it again I HI was good all day yesterday yester- yester day So why should he be punished for being bad today Isn't there some kind of bank account where good behavior is deposited to be drawn against on bad days I HAD a good laugh at his childish reasoning but it was an uncomfortable laugh because because because be be- cause it occurred to me I hope I have just that sort of account on dep deposit sit somewhere Surely all the times I have been a good mother will make makeup makeup up for the times I had a headache headache headache head- head ache and whaled two boys just for being noisy boys After all I had been a good mother for days so wasn't it all right for me to be a bad mother for a few minutes DOES BEING good one day entitle a or boy-or a to mother be bad the next day Are we in effect to be allowed time OFF FROM good behavior I didn't like the way this thinking was going but I kept bravely on following the scent of an idea to the skunks skunk's hole J JAM AM I really more comfortable comfortable comfort- comfort II able when I am off my good I behavior I thought of the last I time I was in Las Vegas where I there was a convention of I plumbers staying in the same I motel we were in in 4 They were having one I Iding ding of a good time the noisy I kind with paper hats and confetti confetti confetti con- con conI I and all night parties and paper bags full of water to drop on people JONE JJ J J ONE OF the men said tome to J i me one bleary morning when J i we were waiting for an elevator elevator ele- ele J vator JIve a J Ive worked for a whole 3 J year to earn this good time 3 J JJ J ai and Im I'm going to enjoy ever every ra minute of it if it kills me I WONDERED at the time if f his whole years year's work was r really so uncomfortable he C couldn't wait to shuck his sober r responsible citizen image and enjoy himself Followed to the unsavory end U this idea would mean that I Iam Iam Iam a am really a shrew at heart ai and only enjoy myself when I let my temper fly at will b but I know this isn't so any anymore anymore anymore n- n more than the plumber is really a clown at heart and 0 only pastes his dependable adult jj image on over his real self MY YOUNG Jonathan isn't r really happier happier- when he can p pick a fight with Warren than when they are getting along But the idea lurks that I s should have an account on deposit deposit deposit de de- de- de p posit to draw against to cover r my off days MA MAYBE that's what a reputation reputation reputation t tation is I have lived in this house for twenty years reared h half halI a family worked in church a and PTA and p politics and assorted assorted assorted as as- s sorted fund raising drives for v worthy causes so I hope that r reputation is an account I can c draw against when I dont don't bother both both- er to do much about my hair f IlL IlL IlL IlL IlL IlL IlL IlL IlL a or change a grimy ho house use dress dress' r when I go to the store Maybe that's my time off f from good behavior I HAVE to confess I use f. f this kind of ersatz reasoning to excuse myself when I loaf for fora a day after I have really been organized and accomplished plashed all aU I wanted to for a few days 1 I worked d yesterday shouldn't I be allowed to take it easy f. f today Of course course the net result result result re re- sult is that the second day cancels can cels eels out the first and I didn't really accomplish much with J 1 all my industry 1 ABOUT THE time I reached the conclusion I had better close out my good behavior 1 account and depend upon daily earnings to bolster my reputation r tion lion as a steadfast mother m mj my sixteen sixteen year old Kevin appeared with a request to go o out with some friends for the a evening ng Youre to be where you sa sa Y j youre you're going and be home bj by ten thirty On time l HOW COME I have to b he be in on time He was all injured injured in in- dignity I have bee been in on t time i m e the past three nights Its It's an epidemic We all think t weve we've a good behavior bank ing account i 4 at k t |