Okay, So I Lied

“I’ve decided that I don’t necessarily want to go to medical school.” There. She said it. The weight she had been carrying floated up and hung in the air. Jill half expected it to come crashing down on her head, so she looked directly at Eric for moral support. He wasn’t there. He was focused on his father.

“And what is it you plan to study and then do with your life?” Arnie sat back in his chair, sporting a knowing smirk. His daughter thought she was dropping a bomb, but had alluded to this before, so he looked to her like he was ready.

“I want to study music. I want to sing. And act.” Why were there ants crawling under my skin? Jill had never felt more uncomfortable in her life.

“Well,” began Artie. He already had his response prepared. It seemed to Jill as though Arnie had done his own research. He did. He knew this was coming. Did Mom blow my cover? Did Eric?

While Jill was convinced he would explode into a tirade, he seemed to lay before her a well-thought out explanation as to why she shouldn’t make this decision. He was even prepared with statistics. There were numbers about how many kids play high school basketball and never make it to the NBA, how many kids major in music and never sell a recording or book a concert, about how many years it took the top 100 Oscar and Emmy winning actors to get their first roles other than television commercials.

Arnie presented numbers on the average hours of rehearsal time, how much it costs for road trips and going rates for paying the musicians. He seemed to know exactly everything there was to know. He was definitely ready for this argument. He talked about the lousy joints she would have to play and how impossible it would be to get an agent or a recording contract. He went on for ten minutes, and with each passing moment, Jill could almost feel the blood traveling from throughout her body, up the back of her neck to her brain. By the time he had put his papers down, Jill was in tears, her head pounding.

“Dad.” Jill was going for the heart now. “Have you no faith in me? In my talent or my ability to persevere?” She wiped a tear from her cheek, seeing a nod from Eric out of the corner of her eye.

Doris had been silent until now. “Honey, of course we know you’re talented,” she mumbled.

As usual, Arnie interrupted. “That’s not the point.” He went on. “You are going to have to support yourself until you succeed. What are you going to do? Wait on tables? Park cars? Work as a check-out girl in the grocery store?” His voice had been growing to a crescendo. It seemed as though he was coming in for the kill as if it was time to end this. Arnie had enough aggravation with Ivan, although his oldest son had gifts other than academic ones. At least he was trying. Jill knew her father respected her intelligence and abilities in math and science. Music was just for fun.

“This is my last word on this.” Arnie stood up, picked his paperwork and turned directly toward his daughter. “If you choose to major in music or drama, I will not be contributing to your college education. You will have to find a way to pay for it yourself.” He paused. “Tread lightly here, my dear. I’m saying this because I know of what I speak.”

Arnie turned on his heels, headed down the hallway, calling back over his shoulder, “I only want the best for you. A few years of medical school, a couple of internships and a residency, and you’ll have a life beyond your wildest dreams.” He stopped before he turned the corner into the den. “Help your mother with the dishes.”