SundayinthePark BelKaufman (Relating:Connections2,19)

Itwasstillwarminthelateafternoonsun,andthecitynoisescamemuffled
throughthetreesinthepark. Sheputherbookdownonthebench,removedher
sunglasses,andsighedcontentedly. MortonwasreadingtheTimesMagazinesection,
onearmflungaroundhershouldertheirthreeyearoldson,Larry,wasplayinginthe
sandbox: afaintbreezefannedherhairsoftlyagainsthercheek. Itwasfivethirtyofa
Sundayafternoon,andthesmallplayground,tuckedawayinacornerofthepark,wasall
butdeserted. Theswingsandseesawsstoodmotionlessandabandoned,theslideswere
empty,andonlyinthesandboxtwolittleboyssquatteddiligentlysidebyside. How
goodthisis,shethought,andalmostsmiledathersenseofwellbeing. Theymustoutin
thesunmoreoftenMortonwassocitypale,coopedupallweekinsidethegray
factorylikeuniversity. ShesqueezedhisarmaffectionatelyandglancedatLarry,
delightinginthepointedlittlefacefrowninginconcentrationoverthetunnelhewas
digging. Theotherboysuddenlystoodupandwithaquick,deliberateswingofhis
chubbyarmthrewaspadefulofsandatLarry. Itjustmissedhishead. Larrycontinued
diggingtheboyremainedstanding,shovelraised,stolidandimpassive.
No,no,littleboy. Sheshookherfingerathim,hereyessearchingforthechilds
motherornurse. Wemustntthrowsand. Itmaygetinsomeoneseyesandhurt. We
mustplaynicelyinthenicesandbox. Theboylookedatherinunblinkingexpectancy.
HewasaboutLarrysagebutperhapstenpoundsheavier,ahuskylittleboywithnoneof
Larrysquicknessandsensitivityinhisface. Wherewashismother? Theonlyother
peopleleftintheplaygroundweretwowomenandalittlegirlonrollerskatesleaving
nowthroughthegate,andmanonabenchafewfeetaway. Hewasabigman,andher
seemedtobetakingupthewholebenchasheheldtheSundaycomicsclosetohisface.
Shesupposedhewasthechildsfather. Hedidnotlookupfromhiscomics,butspatone
deftlyoutofthecornerofhismouth. Sheturnedhereyesaway.
Atthatmoment,asswiftlyasbefore,thefatlittleboythrewanotherspadefulofsand
atLarry. Thistimesomeofitlandedonhishairandforehead. Larrylookedupathis
mother,hismouthtentativeherexpressionwouldtellhimwhethertocryornot.
Herfirstinstinctwastorushtoherson,brushthesandoutofhishair,andpunishthe
otherchild,butshecontrolledit. ShealwayssaidthatshewantedLarrytolearntofight
hisownbattles.
Dontdothat,littleboy,shesaidsharply,leaningforwardonthebench. You
mustntthrowsand!
Themanonthebenchmovedhismouthasiftospitagain,butinsteadherspoke. He
didnotlookather,butattheboyonly.
Yougorightahead,Joe,hesaidloudly. Throwallyouwant. Thishereisapublic
sandbox.
ShefeltasuddenweaknessinherkneesassheglancedatMorton. Hehadbecome
awareofwhatwashappening. HeputhisTimesdowncarefullyonhislapandturnedhis
fine,leanfacetowardtheman,smilingtheshy,apologeticsmilehemighthaveoffereda
studentinpointingoutanerrorinhisthinking. Whenhespoketotheman,itwaswith
hisusualreasonableness.
Yourequiteright,hesaidpleasantly,butjustbecausethisisapublicplace.
 ThemanloweredhisfunniesandlookedatMorton. Helookedathimfromheadto
foot,slowlyanddeliberately. Yeah? Hisinsolentvoicewasedgedwithmenace. My
kidsgotjustasgoodrighthereasyours,andifhefeelslikethrowingsand,hellthrow
it,andifyoudontlikeit,youcantakeyourkidthehelloutofhere.
Thechildrenwerelistening,theireyesandmouthswideopen,theirspadesforgotten
insmallfists. ShenoticedthemuscleinMortonsjawtighten. Hewasrarelyangryhe
seldomlosthistemper. Shewassuffusedwithatendernessforherhusbandandan
impotentrageagainstthemanforinvolvinghiminasituationsoalienandsodistasteful
tohim.
Now,justaminute,Mortonsaidcourteously,youmustrealize.
Aw,shutup,saidtheman.
Herheartbegantopound. MortonhalfrosetheTimesslidtotheground. Slowlythe
othermanstoodup. HetookacoupleofstepstowardMorton,thenstopped. Heflexed
hisgreatarms,waiting. Shepressedhertremblingkneestogether. Wouldtherebe
violence,fighting? Howdreadful,howincredible.Shemustdosomething,stopthem,
callforhelp. Shewantedtoputherhandonherhusbandssleeve,topullhimdown,but
forsomereasonshedidnt.
Mortonadjustedhisglasses. Hewasverypale. Thisisridiculous,hesaid
unevenly. Imustaskyou.
Oh,yeah?saidtheman. Hestoodwithhislegsspreadapart,rockingalittle,
lookingatMortonwithutterscorn. Youandwhoelse?
Foramomentthetwomenlookedateachothernakedly. ThenMortonturnedhis
backon themanandsaidquietly,Comeon,letsgetoutofher. Hewalked
awkwardly,almostlimpingwithselfconsciousness,tothesandbox. Hestoopedand
liftedLarryandhisshovelout.
AtoneLarrycametolifehisfacelostitsraptexpressionandhebegantokickand
cry. Idontwanttogohome,Iwanttoplaybetter,Idontwantanysupper,Idontlike
supper. Itbecameachatastheywalked,pullingtheirchildbetweenthem,hisfeet
draggingontheground. Inordertogettotheexitgatetheyhadtopassthebenchwhere
themansatsprawlingagain. Shewascarefulnottolookathim. Withallthedignityshe
couldsummon,shepulledLarryssandy,perspiringlittlehand,whileMortonpulledthe
other. Slowlyandwithheadhighshewalkedwithherhusbandandchildoutofthe
playground.
Herfirstfeelingswasoneofreliefthatafighthadbeenavoided,thatnoonewas
hurt. Yetbeneathittherewasalayerofsomethingelse,somethingheavyand
inescapable. Shesensedthatitwasmorethanjustanunpleasantincident,morethan
defeatofreasonbyforce. ShefeltdimlyithadsomethingtodowithherandMorton,
somethingacutelypersonal,familiar,andimportant.
SuddenlyMortonspoke. Itwouldnthaveprovedanything.
What?sheasked.
Afight. ItwouldnthaveprovedanythingbeyondthefactthathesbiggerthanI
am.
Ofcourse,shesaid.
Theonlypossibleoutcome,hecontinuedreasonably,wouldhavebeenwhat?
Myglassesbroken,perhapsatoothortworeplaced,acoupleofdaysworkmissedand
forwhat? Forjustice? Fortruth?
 Ofcourse,sherepeated. Shequickenedherstep.Shewantedonlytogethomeand
tobusyherselfwithherfamiliartasksperhapsthenthefeeling,gluedlikeheavyplaster
onherheart,wouldbegone. Ofallthestupid,despicablebullies,shethought,pulling
harderonLarryshand. Thechildwasstillcrying. Alwaysbeforeshehadfeltatender
pityforhisdefenselesslittlebody,thefrailarms,thenarrowshoulderswithsharp
winglikeshoulderblades,thethinandunsurelegs,butnowhermouthtightenedin
resentment.
Stopcrying,shesaidsharply. Imashamedofyou! Shefeltasifallthreeof
themweretrackingmudalongthestreet. Thechildcriedlouder.
Iftherehadbeenanissueinvolved,shethought,iftherehadbeensomethingtofight
for.Butwhatelsecouldherpossiblyhavedone? Allowhimselftobebeaten?
Attempttoeducatetheman? Callapoliceman? Officer,theresamanintheparkwho
wontstophischildfromthrowingsandonemine. Thewholethingwasassillyas
that,andnotworththinkingabout.
Cantyoukeephimquiet,forPetessake? Mortonaskedirritably.
WhatdoyousupposeIvebeentryingtodo?shesaid.
Larrypulledback,dragginghisfeet.
Ifyoucantdisciplinethischild,Iwill,Mortonsnapped,makingamovetowardthe
boy.
Buthervoicestoppedhim. Shewasshockedtohearit,thin andcoldandpenetrating
withcontempt. Indeed?sheheardherselfsay. Youandwhoelse?

SundayintheParkBelKaufman(Relating:Connections2,19)

1. Whatindicationsaretherethatthemanonthebenchisabully?

2. DidMortonhaveanyotheroptionsindealingwiththesituation?Explainyour
opinion.

3. HowcanyoutellthatbothMortonandhiswifeareashamedthathedidntfight
theman?Provedspecificexamplesforsupport.