It sounds like a pretty fair deal to Tony, who reads about his father in the Times and sits across from him at the dinner table, but only knows that he doesn't really like broccoli.
Even so, he tries to start small, with things that don't matter, things that don't cost him anything -- he doesn't know what the fuck he wants to do with his life, and he doesn't have to figure it out now, so that one's not much of a problem.
The thing is, though, that Obadiah's easy to talk to, and Tony finds himself spending time in the counselor's office even when he doesn't have to be there. He cuts English, and Obadiah writes him a pass. He gets detention when he's caught smoking in the bathroom, and Obadiah pulls him out and takes him for burgers. Winter turns into spring, and they sit at a picnic table, sharing one of Obadiah's cigars.
His father frowns, just a little, when Tony lets slip one night that he knows about the weekend Howard (he's started thinking of his father as "Howard") spent in county lockup somewhere in upstate New York. Obadiah hasn't told him why, though, and he uses his lack of knowledge to deflect when his parents ask him about his sources. Tony thinks they've forgotten, but Howard ambushes him a few days later and Tony slips up again, says "Obie," and the frown freezes on his father's suddenly pale face.
no subject
Even so, he tries to start small, with things that don't matter, things that don't cost him anything -- he doesn't know what the fuck he wants to do with his life, and he doesn't have to figure it out now, so that one's not much of a problem.
The thing is, though, that Obadiah's easy to talk to, and Tony finds himself spending time in the counselor's office even when he doesn't have to be there. He cuts English, and Obadiah writes him a pass. He gets detention when he's caught smoking in the bathroom, and Obadiah pulls him out and takes him for burgers. Winter turns into spring, and they sit at a picnic table, sharing one of Obadiah's cigars.
His father frowns, just a little, when Tony lets slip one night that he knows about the weekend Howard (he's started thinking of his father as "Howard") spent in county lockup somewhere in upstate New York. Obadiah hasn't told him why, though, and he uses his lack of knowledge to deflect when his parents ask him about his sources. Tony thinks they've forgotten, but Howard ambushes him a few days later and Tony slips up again, says "Obie," and the frown freezes on his father's suddenly pale face.