[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Galaxy Magazine February 1962.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
They were a charming family and everybody
loved them to death--especially Amanda!
There he stood, Bass McDowall, life-size on the Wall. She made herself
look at the hateful broad-shouldered image with the deliberately
penetrating black eyes. She made herself watch his boy-image bend over
Kippie's slender girl-image, made herself listen to his mellow voice
gasp, "Kippie, sweetie-bug."
Savagely she thrust upward on the ebony lever. Bass McDowall, Wall
idol, and Kippie lurched and disappeared. Lights glowed from fixtures
recessed into the ceiling, illuminating the long, windowless Wall room.
Kathryn, whose hair was a snug, dark Kippie-cap, leaped from the Wall
seat. "Don't turn it off now! Couldn't you even tell, Mother? He's
going to kiss her! Turn it back on this minute!"
Amanda stationed herself before the lever, shaking her head. "Not until
I've spoken to you," she said. "Kathryn, I don't think you realize
yet what it means, but you're the youngest person, the very youngest,
living in this city."
"Quit calling me that! Everyone has to call me Kippie." She cocked her
dark head, Kippie-like. The red mark caused by the constant prodding
of her index finger against her cheek glared. "Bass loves Kippie. He
called her sweetie-bug."
"I refuse to call you Kippie." She folded her arms. "I don't want to
discuss your name again, Kathryn."
"It will be Kippie." She squirmed into a Kippie-like position. "Soon as
I'm twenty-one, I'll change it. You wait!"
"Perhaps you will, Kathryn. But I'll never call you Kippie."
"Oh, quit being silly and turn it on. He might kiss her again." She
focused her blue eyes upon the Wall. "Turn it on."
"Kathryn, I want to talk to you, and I intend to do so without Bass
McDowall staring over my shoulder." She sat down beside her daughter.
"Now, Kathryn, you're nineteen years old, and you're certainly
attractive by any--"
"I don't have dimples like Kippie does." Remembering, she poked her
finger back into her cheek.
"I'm not talking about Kippie." She stared at the finger sunk into her
daughter's cheek, wondering how many times she had explained that it
wouldn't cause a dimple. "I want you to get married, Kathryn."
* * * * *
"I've told you a million times, I won't. You're always after me!" she
wailed. "Bass won't ever marry anyone, not even Kippie, and she's got
dimples. Bass says--"
"Bass McDowall is not a real person. He's only an actor."
"He's the realest thing in the world. But he won't marry me, so you'd
better forget it." She stepped to turn the Wall on again.
Instantly the ash tray was in Amanda's hand, the massive glass tray
Dell had given her. She hurled it at the Wall, which shattered with a
brittle explosive splintering.
Kathryn jumped back, wailing. "I hate you!" Frantically she manipulated
the lever and twisted the ebony dials. "Bass, come back. Bass!"