Show TH GOOD LOSER by 0 S MONTAYNE AMES could always tell L LUCY when he her r husband drove in by the childre childrens a uproarious welcome they were crowding down to the garage now bill junior calvin cynthia paula and roger aged 8 lucy heard their shrill excited cries and after a minute bills h hearty earty roaring laugh she smelled skilled a ii little atle faintly as she went to the window and drew the curtain aside why she wondered did children always adore their fathers perhaps it was because lathers fathers were not home all day telling them to do this not to do that or because they were something of 0 a novelty who came home from week trips with intriguing gifts her smile faded as the she let the curtain drop this Ms father lucy reflected with a sigh was a strange mixture of bluff good nature generosity and egotism bill was a king in his own home a fat rollicking monarch whose reign had never been disputed and there lucy decided was the trouble the children humored him they purposely indulged his desire to win n at t whatever games they played because they seemed to instinctively know how much it meant to him they fed his vanity took a delight in keeping his laughter quick and ready lucys bucys face shadowed she wondered why such a trivial matter as bills winning childrens games should annoy her but it did it had from the first that day last summer when she had seen calvin deliberately libera tely throw a handicap tennis match so his father could win dinner ready they streamed in bill in the van the children following he caught lucy by the elbows and raised h her er for a kiss at the table there was a great clatter of crockery voices bill telling about his trip the children like trained stooges giving him leading questions bill junior looked down the table at his father how about the family ping pong tournament finals dad play them off tonight lucy saw her husbands nod sure any time but wed better make it tomorrow ive got a report to write after dinner he added amused think you can beat me ive been practicing all week at the Y young bill told him in the dark long after the others were asleep lucy thought about the family tournament for a long time bill junior had wanted a bicycle to cover the rounds he made after school in search of magazine subscriptions script ions dreamily lucy decided that if he won the tournament ment lf if he beat his fat hershe would get it for hirn him again she wondered at herself at her annoyance such a small harmless conceit this desire to win on big bills part why should she want to have him defeated it was wag silly and yet they assembled in the playroom the next night calvin made a log fire and cynthia arranged the chairs paula was umpire and and cross croas legged graced the top of the radio table her expression was serious as it if with the heavy responsibility lity of her role lucy he her arm about roger who had been allowed to stay up an extra hour for or the momentous struggle sat on the corner comer divan wat watching it was brilliant table tennis hard ought fought clean clever twice bill junior seemed to have his father beaten twice his aggressive 8 defensive appeared to bewilder ral 4 aam agm 6 gg j g P v lucy wondered why young bill failed to press his advantage drant aee and nd then glanced at her husbands grimly set face bill lucy noticed that her husbands smile had faded how grim his face was and then at each psychological moment he rallied and evened the score why lucy asked herself did juniors flashy pressing play weaken why he drive his advantage home when he had the game and set practically won THE HE heavy significant silence broken only by the click of the bouncing celluloid ball and the gal berys strained anxious breathing ended in a scream of sudden joy game and sell bill threw down the rubber faced paddle and let out a shout of laughter the children swarmed enthusiastically over him this lucy knew was her husbands usual moment her smile was small and cryptic when she began rounding up her brood sending them off to bed bill shook hands with his oldest son and switched the lights off guess the champ cant be beaten beats t young bill said hu huskily s aily later lucy went from room to room making sure windows were not open too wide that blankets were over small hunched shoulders doors properly closed the dark lay thick in the room bill junior shared with calvin she heard someone move when she went in on quiet feet that you mother she sat down on the edge of the bed her sons hand sill slipped d into hers hem A good game bill she squeezed his fingers before she released them well played im sorry you win in wa he drew a deep long breath som 1 I pops tough got to be awful good to take him 1 I suppose so her voice was wai low flat goodnight dear after she quietly closed the door and her footsteps dwindled down the hall bill junior raised himself on one arm awake stinky the springs in calvins bed twanged as he turned over yeah why bill junior chuckled got some news for you its a secret for the time being but ill let you in on it if you keep your mouth shut 1 I wont say a word calvin promised what Is it last night dad told me hes getting getling me a brand new bike the first of the montal nion young bills whisper was excitedly vibrant 1 I ought to double up on the subscriptions soon as I 1 get it pretty swell eh |