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Show > house/ 465 I was always my f a t h e r ' s p a r t n e r because Brian was new at the game and i n t i m i d a t e d by h i s exacting s t a n d a r d s , and because Danny refused to play w-iih him. "It spoils the game to get so serious about i t , " Danny remarked. "Besides, i t ' s more fun to beat him at h i s own game than i t i s to be h i s p a r t n e r ." I f e l t that the p a r t n e r s h i p s were divided a p p r o p r i a t e l y, although I c o u l d n ' t r e a l l y say why. It was as though the two men of monogamous o r i e n t a t i o n (Danny's wife bore undisguised disdain for p l u r a l marriage and my f a t h e r , both) were somehow locked in combat with the p a t r i a r c h and,his obsequious, watchful women. And I was a p p r o p r i a t e l y obsequious and watchful throughout the game.-' •-- ' J- "'- ,?:•'' '-< -.-" --" J - I had played the game since e a r l y childhood, having learned by gazing over the shoulders of the grown-ups when I should have been asleep with the other children. "Night-owl," my mother had murmured. But she had l et me stay up as long as I d i d n ' t i n t e r r u p t the game. Now the hours of watching paid off, for I r a r e l y botched my f a t h e r ' s careful game. But when I did make a mistake, his mouth twitched, his forehead furrowed and he l e t loose s a r c a s t ic remarks that made me cower. In my pregnant s t a t e , I was more vulnerable to h i s words and opinion than ever before, "---^ Danny was equally determined about h i s aspect of the game. "He wants to win so bad!" he mocked. "He even cheats when he thinks h e ' s l o s i n g , " he said one day as we drove to my mother's, "Danny! That's not t r u e . Daddy wouldn't cheat!" Danny chuckled. "You watch. Watch him today and see if he doesn't cheat." |