Memory jog [View all]

People are made of muscle and bone. And some are made of muscle, bone, and opinion; such was my father. Anyone residing under his roof was expected to share his opinion, often expressed with the closing phrase "end of discussion".

It wasn't often that any of us risked keeping the discussion open. So it came as a surprise when, back in the day, I chose to challenge him. He'd been holding forth on the inherent evil of Jane Fonda, using up most of the table conversation at dinner. As I was clearing the table, he was approaching his usual closing remark and I surprised everyone (myself included) by asking a question. "But Dad," I said, "in many other countries she would be jailed or even killed for what she said. Doesn't that prove that we really do believe in the first amendment?" Silence. He stood up, looked at me for a long moment, then left the room. Mom just smiled and helped me with the dishes. Dad never again brought up that particular subject, and I lived to tell the tale all these decades later.


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