2
“WELL, PETER,” said Mr. Beaker, “what did you think of that?”
“It was funny,” I said. I was studying the picture of the fox in the rowboat. I wondered how Mr. Beaker had gotten so long a story out of that one picture, and especially how he had been able to imagine so clearly the hilarious figure of the fox grabbing for the falling leg of lamb and losing his balance. When my father cleared his throat, I was aware that all three of them were looking at me, waiting for me to say something more. When I looked at them, I saw that they wore long faces. There were tears in the corners of my mother’s eyes, and Mr. Beaker and my father looked gravely concerned. I was smiling.
“The fox fell down,” I said, and pointed to the picture to show them what I meant, because it seemed to me that the whole story was somehow contained in the picture, and that my mother and father must be able to see the fox falling just as Mr. Beaker had. “He was a silly fox,” I said. I looked at them again. I could see that they didn’t agree.
“What about the clam, Peter?” asked Mr. Beaker.
“He was a smart clam,” I said. I began to feel embarrassed. I could tell, from the quiet, patient tone Mr. Beaker used, that I was not answering correctly, that Mr. Beaker thought I didn’t have all my marbles.
“Don’t you think he’s a little young for a story like this?” asked my father.
“Oh, yes,” said my mother. She hugged me from behind and ran her hands over my chest. “He’s much too young, Dudley. Don’t you remember telling me that childhood is like a moment on a mountaintop in the sunshine before we descend into the vale of tears?”
“I don’t remember that,” said my father. “When did he say that?”
“Oh, one time,” said my mother. “I forget when.”
“I suppose you’re right,” said Mr. Beaker. He chucked me under the chin and looked straight at me and frowned. “Smile while you can, Peter. Enjoy that moment on the mountaintop in the sunshine.”
“Why don’t I remember that?” asked my father.
I looked at the picture of the fox again. I still didn’t get it. The fox still seemed like a laughable jerk to me.
“Let’s read it again,” I said.
Have you missed an episode or two or several?
You can begin reading at the beginning or you can catch up by visiting the archive or consulting the index to the Topical Guide.
You can listen to the episodes on the Personal History podcast. Begin at the beginning or scroll through the episodes to find what you’ve missed.
At Apple Books you can download free eBooks of “My Mother Takes a Tumble,” “Do Clams Bite?,” “Life on the Bolotomy,” “The Static of the Spheres,” “The Fox and the Clam,” and “The Girl with the White Fur Muff,” the first six novellas in Little Follies.
You’ll find an overview of the entire work in An Introduction to The Personal History, Adventures, Experiences & Observations of Peter Leroy. It’s a pdf document.
🎧 101: “Well, Peter,” said Mr. Beaker ...