professional tree, his own judgments about world affairs and the human condition were superior to most other people's . Now, in the early hours of this day, it already appeared that the gap between Crawford and his father had not narrowed . As Angus had explained on countless other occasions, and did so once again , all his life he had liked to arrive wherever he was going early in the morning. It was why he had flown from Florida to La Guardia yesterday , stayed overnight with an American Legion crony who lived near the airport , then, soon after dawn, came to Larchmont by bus and taxi . While the familiar recital was proceeding, Crawford had raised his eyes to the ceiling. Jessica, smiling and nodding as if she had never heard the words before, had prepared for Angus his favorite bacon and eggs, and for herself and the other two served a more healthful homemade granola.
"About my heart and eggs ,” Angus said-he sometimes took a few minutes to absorb a remark that had been made, and then returned to it-"I figure if my ticker's lasted this long, I shouldn't worry about that cholesterol stuff. Also, my heart and I have been in some tight spots and come through them. I could tell you about a few .”
Crawford Sloane lowered his newspaper enough to catch Jessica's eye and warn her with a glance: Change the subject quick, before he gets launched on reminiscences. Jessica gave the slightest of shrugs, conveying in body language: If that's what you want, do it yourself . Folding the Times, Sloane said, "They have the casualty figures here from that crash at Dallas yesterday. It's pretty grim. I imagine we'll be doing follow-up stories through next week .”
"I saw that on your news last night ,” Angus said .” It was done by that fellow Partridge. I like him. When he does those bits from overseas , especially about our military forces, he makes me feel proud to be American too. Not all your people do that, Crawford .”
"Unfortunately there's a joker in there, Dad ,” Sloane said .” Harry Partridge isn't American. He's a Canadian. Also you'll have to do without him for a while. Today he starts a long vacation .”
Then he asked curiously , "Who, of our people, doesn't make you feel proud ? ”
"Just about all the others. It's the way almost all you TV news folk have of denigrating everything, especially our own government, quarreling with authority, always trying to make the President look small. No one seems to be proud of anything anymore. Doesn't that ever bother you ? ”
When Sloane didn't answer, Jessica told him, sotto voce, "Your father answered your question. Now you should answer his .”
"Dad ,” Sloane said, "you and I have been over this ground before, and I don't think we'll ever have a meeting of the minds. What you call 'denigrating everything' we in the news business think of as legitimate questioning, the public's right to know. It's become a function of news reporting to challenge the politicians and bureaucrats, to question whatever we're toldand a good thing too. The fact is, governments lie and cheatDemocrat, Republican, liberal, socialist, conservative. Once in office they all do it .” Sure we who seek out the news get tough at times and occasionally-I admit it-go too far. But because of what we do, a lot of crookedness and hypocrisy gets exposed, which in older days those in power got away with . So because of sharper news coverage, which TV pioneered, our society is a little better, slightly cleaner, and the principles of this country nudged nearer what they should be .” As to presidents, Dad, if some of them look small, and most of them have , they've accomplished that themselves. Oh sure, we news guys help the process now and then, and that's because we're skeptics, sometimes cynics , and often don't believe the soothing syrup that presidents hand out. But skulduggery in high places, all high places, gives us plenty of reason to be the way we are .”
"I wish the President sort of
"About my heart and eggs ,” Angus said-he sometimes took a few minutes to absorb a remark that had been made, and then returned to it-"I figure if my ticker's lasted this long, I shouldn't worry about that cholesterol stuff. Also, my heart and I have been in some tight spots and come through them. I could tell you about a few .”
Crawford Sloane lowered his newspaper enough to catch Jessica's eye and warn her with a glance: Change the subject quick, before he gets launched on reminiscences. Jessica gave the slightest of shrugs, conveying in body language: If that's what you want, do it yourself . Folding the Times, Sloane said, "They have the casualty figures here from that crash at Dallas yesterday. It's pretty grim. I imagine we'll be doing follow-up stories through next week .”
"I saw that on your news last night ,” Angus said .” It was done by that fellow Partridge. I like him. When he does those bits from overseas , especially about our military forces, he makes me feel proud to be American too. Not all your people do that, Crawford .”
"Unfortunately there's a joker in there, Dad ,” Sloane said .” Harry Partridge isn't American. He's a Canadian. Also you'll have to do without him for a while. Today he starts a long vacation .”
Then he asked curiously , "Who, of our people, doesn't make you feel proud ? ”
"Just about all the others. It's the way almost all you TV news folk have of denigrating everything, especially our own government, quarreling with authority, always trying to make the President look small. No one seems to be proud of anything anymore. Doesn't that ever bother you ? ”
When Sloane didn't answer, Jessica told him, sotto voce, "Your father answered your question. Now you should answer his .”
"Dad ,” Sloane said, "you and I have been over this ground before, and I don't think we'll ever have a meeting of the minds. What you call 'denigrating everything' we in the news business think of as legitimate questioning, the public's right to know. It's become a function of news reporting to challenge the politicians and bureaucrats, to question whatever we're toldand a good thing too. The fact is, governments lie and cheatDemocrat, Republican, liberal, socialist, conservative. Once in office they all do it .” Sure we who seek out the news get tough at times and occasionally-I admit it-go too far. But because of what we do, a lot of crookedness and hypocrisy gets exposed, which in older days those in power got away with . So because of sharper news coverage, which TV pioneered, our society is a little better, slightly cleaner, and the principles of this country nudged nearer what they should be .” As to presidents, Dad, if some of them look small, and most of them have , they've accomplished that themselves. Oh sure, we news guys help the process now and then, and that's because we're skeptics, sometimes cynics , and often don't believe the soothing syrup that presidents hand out. But skulduggery in high places, all high places, gives us plenty of reason to be the way we are .”
"I wish the President sort of
Similar Books
