9

A Short Digest of a Long Novel

BU D D SC H U LBERG (b. 1914)

B o rn in N e w Y o rk C ity, B u d d Sch u lb e rg m o ve d at th e age o f fiv e to H o lly w o o d ,

w h e re h is fa th e r b eca m e h e a d o f Para m o u n t Stu d io s. Sc h u lb e rg h as e n jo y e d a
v a rie d ca re e r as n o v e list, sh ort - story w rite r, p la y w rig h t, tra v e l w rite r, b o x in g
e d ito r, a n d w rite r o f scre e n p la ys. F re q u e n tly e m p lo yin g th e first - p erso n n a rra tiv e ,
Sc h u lb e rg ’s n o ve ls e x p lo re h o w ra p id success a ffects th e m o ral fib e r o f his
ch aracters. H e h as said , “I b e lie v e th at th e seaso ns o f success a n d fa ilu re are
m ore v io le n t in A m e rica th a n a n yw h e re else o n e a rth .”
Sch u lb erg ’s first n o ve l, What Makes Sammy Run? (1941), a satire o n H o lly w o o d ,
cata p u lte d him to fa m e. O th e r n o vels in clu d e The Disenchanted 0 9 5 0 ), m o d ele d
o n F. Sco tt Fitz g erald , w h o m h e k n e w ; Sanctuary V (1 9 6 9); an d Everything That
Moves (1 9 8 0). H e has also p u b lish e d tw o co llectio n s o f sh ort stories: Some Faces in
the Crowd (1 9 5 3) a n d Love, Action, Laughter, and Other Sad Tales (1 9 8 9), as w e ll
as a co lle ctio n o f b o x in g essays, Sparring with Hemingway: And Other Legends o f
the Fight Game (1 9 9 5).

113
114 ■ Parent and Child

A SH O RT D I G E S T '
O F A L O N G N O V EL
A father watches helplessly as his young daughter learns
about betrayal.

H
e r le gs w e re sh a p e ly a n d firm a n d w h e n sh e crosse d th e m a n d s m ile d
w ith th e self - assurance th at a lw a ys d elig h te d h im , h e th o u g h t sh e w as
th e o n ly p erso n h e k n e w in th e w o rld w h o w as u n b le m ish e d .2 N o t life lik e
b u t a n im p ro ve m e n t o n life , as a w o rk o f art, h e r d e lica te fe atu res w e re
c h is e le d 3 fro m a so lid b lo c k . T h e w o o d - sculp tu re im a g e ca m e e asy to h im s
b eca u se h e r p a rtic u la r sh a d e o f b lo n d e a lw a ys su g g este d m a p le 4 p o lish e d
to a g o ld e n g ra in .5 A s it h a d b e e n fro m th e m o m e n t h e sto o d in a w e a n d
a m a z e m en t in fro n t o f th e glass w in d o w w h e re sh e w as first e x h ib ite d , th e
sig h t o f h e r m ad e h im p h ilo s o p h ica l. So m e o f us a p p e a r in b e a u tifu l
co lo rs, to o, o r w ith b e a u tifu l g rain s, b u t w e d e v e lo p im p e rfectio n s. In s p e ct 10
us ve ry' clo s e ly a n d yo u fin d w e ’re d a m ag e d b y th e e le m e n ts.6 So m etim es
w e ’re o n ly n ic k e d 7 w ith cy n icis m .8 So m etim es w e ’re crac k e d w ith
d isillu sio n m e n t.9 O r w e ’re s p lit w ith fear.
W h e n sh e b e g a n to sp e a k , h e le a n e d fo rw a rd , e a g er fo r th e w o rd s
th at w e re lik e g o o d m usic, p ro fu n d ity 10 e x p resse d in term s th at p le ase d is
th e e a r w h ile ch a lle n g in g th e m in d .
“Ev e ry b o d y lik e s m e ,” sh e said . “A b s o lu te ly e v e ry b o d y .”
It w as n o t th a t sh e w as co n ce ite d . It w as sim p ly th at sh e w as o n ly
th re e. N o o n e h a d e v e r ta k e n h e r " w ith sw e e t a n d w h is p e re d p ro m ises
th a t tu rn e d in to m o rnin g - after lie s, u g ly a n d co ld as u n w ash e d d ish es 20
fro m last n ig h t’s d in n e r lyin g in th e sin k . Sh e h a d n e v e r h e ard a d icta to r
ro c k h e r c o u n try to sle e p w ith p e a c e fu l lu lla b ie s 12 o n e d a y a n d ro c k it
w ith b o m bs th e n e x t. Sh e w as u n d e ce iv e d . H e r fa th e r ra n h is h an ds
r e v e r e n tly 13 th ro u g h h e r so ft y e llo w h air. Sh e is v ir g in ,14 h e th o u g h t, fo r
th is is th e tru e v irg in ity , th at b rie f m o m e n t in th e tim e o f y o u r life b e fo re 25
y o u r m in d o r y o u r b o d y h as b e e n d e file d 15 b y acts o f tre ach ery'.
It w as just b e fo re C hristm as a n d sh e w as sittin g o n h e r little ch air, h e r
lip s p resse d to g e th e r in co n ce n tra tio n , w ritin g a last - m in u te le tte r to Sa n ta

1 d ig e st a sh or t e n e d lit erary f or m , like a 9 disillusionm e n t t h e st at e o f m in d aft er o u r

s u m m a ry d re a m s are d estro ye d
2 unblem ish e d u n m ar k e d , p er f e ct 10 pro fu n d ity in t ellect u al d e p t h
3 chiseled carv e d 11 taken her m a d e love t o h er
4 m aple a lig h t - colore d w o o d 12 lullabies so n gs su n g t o b a bies t o h e lp t h e m
5 gra in t h e m ar k in gs or t e x t ure of w o o d slee p
6 th e elem en ts a t m o s p h e ric f orces like w in d 13 reveren tly resp ectf ully
or rain 14 v irgin p ure, u n t o u c h e d ; se x u ally in n o c e n t
7 nick ed c u t slig h tly 15 de filed m a d e i m p u re
8 cynicism t h e b e lie f t h a t h u m a n s b e h a v e o n ly
selfishly
 A Short Digest o f a Long Novel ■ 115

C la us. T h e w o rd s w e re w ritte n in so m e la n g u a g e o f h e r o w n in v e n tio n

b u t sh e o b lig in g ly tra n sla te d as sh e w e n t alo n g . 30

D e a r Sa n ta, I am a v e ry g o o d g irl an d e v e ry b o d y lik e s m e. So p le ase

d o n ’t fo rg e t to b rin g m e a set o f d ish es, a d o ll th at g oes to sle e p a n d
w a k e s u p a g ain , a n d a w a sh in g m ach in e. I n e e d th e w a sh in g
m ach in e b eca u se Ra g g e d y A n n ’s 16 d ress is so d irty.

A fte r sh e fin ish e d h e r le tter, fo ld e d it, a n d ask e d h im to a d d ress it, h e 35

tosse d h e r u p in th e air, ca u g h t h e r a n d tosse d h e r a g ain , to h e a r h e r
g ig g le. “H ig h e r, D a d d y, h ig h e r,” sh e in stru cte d . H is m in d e m b race d h e r
se n tim e n tally: Sh e is a virg in isla n d in a le w d 17 w o rld . Sh e is a w in g e d
se e d o f in n o c e n ce b lo w n th ro u g h th e w aste la n d . If o n ly sh e co u ld r o o t 18
so m e w h ere. If o n ly sh e co u ld g ro w lik e th is. 40
“Le t m e d o w n , D a d d y ,” sh e said w h e n sh e h a d d e cid e d th at sh e h a d
in d u lg e d h im 19 lo n g e n o u g h , “I h a ve to m ail m y le tte r to Sa n ta .”
“B u t d id n ’t y o u see h im th is a fte rn o o n?” h e ask e d . “ D id n ’t y o u ask fo r
e v e ry th in g yo u w a n te d? M o m m y said sh e to o k y o u u p to m e et h im an d
y o u sat o n h is la p .” 45
“I ju st w a n te d to re m in d h im ,” sh e said . “T h e re w e re so m a n y o th e r
c h ild re n .”
H e fo u g h t d o w n th e im p u lse to la u g h , b eca u se sh e w as n o t
so m e th in g to la u g h at. A n d h e w as o b sesse d w ith th e id e a th at to h u rt
h e r fe e lin g s w ith la u g h te r w as to n ic k h er, to b le m ish th e p e rfe ctio n . 50
“ D a d d y ca n ’t ca tch m e - ee,” sh e san g o u t, an d th e o ld ch ase w as o n,
fo llo w in g th e p a tte rn th at h a d b eco m e so fa m ilia r to th e m , th e sa m e w ild
sh rie k s a n d th e sa m e scre a m o f p re te n d e d a n g u is h 70 at th e in e vita b le
resu lt. T w o la p s aro u n d th e d inin g - ro o m ta b le 21 w as th e esta b lish e d
co u rse b e fo re h e ca u g h t h e r in th e k itch e n . H e sw u n g h e r u p fro m th e 55
flo o r a n d set h e r d o w n o n th e k itc h e n ta b le . Sh e sto o d o n th e e d g e,
p o ise d c o n fid e n tly fo r a n o th e r o f th e ir ga m es. B u t th is w as n o p a n tin g ,
g ig g lin g g a m e lik e tag o r hid e - an d - see k. T h is ga m e w as ce re m o n ial. T h e
ta b le w as se ve ra l fe e t h ig h e r th a n sh e w as. “Ju m p , ju m p , a n d D a d d y w ill
ca tch y o u ,” h e w o u ld ch alle n g e . T h e y w o u ld co u n t to g e th er, one, two, w>
a n d o n three sh e w o u ld le a p o u t in to th e air. H e w o u ld n o t e ve n h o ld
o u t h is arm s to h e r u n til th e last p o ssib le m o m en t. B u t h e w o u ld a lw a ys
ca tch h er. T h e y h a d p la y e d th e g a m e fo r m ore th a n a y e a r a n d th e
e x p e rie n ce n e v e r fa ile d to e x h ila ra te 22 th e m . Y o u see, I am a lw a ys h ere
to ca tch y o u w h e n y o u are fa llin g , it said to th e m , a n d e ach tim e sh e es
ju m p e d , h e r co n fid e n ce in cre ase d a n d th e ir b o n d d e e p e n e d .
T h e y w e re g o in g th ro u g h th e ce re m o n y w h e n th e w o m a n n e x t d o o r
ca m e in w ith h e r five - ye ar - old so n, B illy . “ H e llo , Mr. Ste e v e rs,” sh e said .
“W o u ld y o u m in d if I le ft B ill w ith y o u fo r a n h o u r w h ile I d o m y
m ark e tin g?” 70

16 R agg e d y A nn a p o p u la r rag d oll 20 angu ish in t e nse so rr o w or pain

17 le w d co arse, v u l g a r 21 t w o laps around the din ing-ro om table
1 8 roo t settle (t h e y ra n) t w ic e ar o u n d t h e di nin g ro o m t a ble
19 in d u lge d him let hi m d o w h a t h e w a n t e d 22 exhilara te gr e a t ly e x cite
116 ■ Parent and Child

“ N o , o f co u rse n o t, g la d to h a ve h im ,” h e said a n d h e m usse d B illy ’s

h a ir 23 p la y fu lly . “ H o w ’s th e b o y, B illy ?”
B u t h is h e a rt w a s n ’t in it. T h is w as th e o n ly a fte rn o o n o f th e w e e k
w ith h e r a n d h e rese n te d th e in tru sio n . A n d th e n to o , h e w as co n vin c e d
th a t B illy w as g o in g to g ro w u p in to th e ty p e o f m an fo r w h o m h e h a d 75
a p a rtic u la r rese n tm e n t. A stu rd y , 24 g o o d - lo o k in g b o y, b ig fo r h is ag e,
a g g re ssive ly u n c h ild lik e , a m a licio u s , 25 arro g a n t, in s e n sitiv e e x tro v e rt.26 I
ca n just see h im d ru n k a n d re d - face d a n d p u llin g u p g irls ’ d resses at
Le g io n C o n v e n tio n s , 27 M r. Ste eve rs w o u ld th in k . A n d th e w o rst o f it w as,
h is d a u g h te r se e m e d b lin d to B illy ’s fa u lts. T h e m o m e n t sh e saw' h im sh e so
fo rg o t a b o u t th e ir ga m e.
“ H e llo , B illy - B o y ,” sh e c a lle d a n d ra n o v e r to h u g him .
“I w a n t a c o o k ie ,” said B illy .
“ O h , ye s, a co o k ie ; so m e a n im al crack e rs, D a d d y .”
Sh e h a d h e r h ostess fa ce o n a n d as h e w e n t in to th e p a n tiy , h e co u ld ss
h e a r th e tr e b le 28 o f h e r m u sical la u g h te r a g ain st th e p re m atu re b a rito n e 29
o f B illy ’s g u ffa w s . 30
H e sw u n g o p e n th e p a n try d o o r w ith th e a n im al crack ers in his h an d
just in tim e to see it. Sh e wras p oise d o n th e e d g e o f th e ta b le. B illy w as
stan din g b e lo w her, as h e h a d seen h er fath er d o. “Ju m p an d I ’ll catch y o u ,” 90
h e w as sayin g.
Sm ilin g , co n fid e n t an d u n b le m ish e d , sh e ju m p e d . B u t n o h a n d s
re ach e d o u t to b re a k h e r flig h t. W it h a cy n ic a l g rin o n h is face , B illy
ste p p e d b ac k a n d w a tc h e d h e r fa ll.
W a tch in g fro m th e d o o rw a y, h e r fa th e r fe lt th e h o rro r th a t p ossesse d 95
him th e tim e h e sa w a p a ra c h u tist31 sm ash e d lik e a b u g o n a w in d s h ie ld
w h e n h is ch u te fa ile d to o p e n . Sh e w as lyin g th e re, cryin g , n o t so m uch
in p a in as in d isillu sio n m e n t. H e ra n fo rw a rd to p ic k h e r u p a n d h e
w o u ld n e v e r fo rg e t th e e x p ressio n o n h e r face , th e new e x p ressio n ,
u n c h ild lik e , u n virg in a l, e m b ittere d . 100
“I h a te y o u , I h ate y o u ,” sh e w'as scre a m in g at B illy th ro u g h h yste rica l
sobs.
W e ll, n o w' sh e k n o w's, th o u g h t h e r fath er, th e facts o f life . N o w sh e ’s
o n e o f us. N o w' sh e k n o w s tre a c h e ry a n d fear. N o w' sh e m ust le a rn to
re p la ce in n o c e n ce w ith co u ra g e. 105

Sh e w as s till b a w lin g .32 H e k n e w' th ese te ars w e re as n a tu ral a n d as

n e cessary as th ose sh e sh e d a t b irth , b u t th a t c o u ld n o t o ve rco m e e n tire ly
th e h e a vy sad n ess th at e n v e lo p e d him . F in a lly , w h e n h e sp o k e, h e said ,
a little m o re h a rsh ly th a n h e h a d in te n d e d , “ N o w , n o w', sto p cryin g . Stan d
u p a n d act lik e a b ig g irl. A little fa ll lik e th at ca n ’t h u rt y o u .” 110

23 mussed Billy's hair ran his fin g ers t h r o u g h 2 8 tre ble a hig h - pitch e d n o t e (sin g in g)
Billy's hair, m a k in g it u n ti d y 2 9 prem a ture baritone t h e e arly d e e p e n i n g o f a
24 sturdy fir m ly b uilt, stro n g b o y's v o ic e
25 m alicious w a n t i n g t o h u rt s o m e o n e 30 gu ffa w s lo u d la u g h t er
2 6 extrove rt an o u t g o in g p e rs o n ali ty w h o 31 p arachu tist so m e o n e w h o j u m ps fr o m an
e x presses f e elin gs easily air p la n e w it h a saf e ty d evice
2 7 Legio n Con ve n tio ns m e e ti n gs o f 32 b a w ling cry i n g lo u dly
e x - service m e n