St Agnes High School - Palm Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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Grandfather in the Night asleep in the darkness of the night you can hear Grandfather across the hall a wiss and weeze under woolen wraps do not sorrow he too has doubts that his heart will make another beat, another beat, beat do not sorrow he has left his door open to see the light from the bathroom like a child you will do the same when you are seventy. Barbara Dell Hall '74 5522?- 121

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Setting: Louisa - Mark - Joan - George - Gail - Thomas - Joan - Joan - Gail - Mark - Joan - Gretchen Joan - George - Joan - Louisa - The Decision Cast Louisa, young married girl. Mark, her husband. Joan, her mother. George, Louisa's father. Gail, Mark's mother. Thomas, Louisa's brother. Gretchen, Louisa's sister. A young couple's small apartment. Seven people are seated, rather awkward- ly, around a small dining room table. A very distressed young woman sud- denly throws her napkin on the table and exits, speaking. All right! fTears beginj fRunning after herj I'm sure they didn't mean it like that. Please, stop crying. fA door is slammed in his face. Reluctantly, he returns to the table, where he is greeted with five different looks: astonishment, disgust, concern, embarrass- ment, and . . . one brother-in-law feeding his face.j Oh, my baby . . . Whatever did we say that would upset her so? Mark, do something, will you? fMark does nothing, but he raises his eyes to look across the tablej Just what do you expect him to do, Joan? Oh, why is it that you never think before you say something? You're the one who made her cry, yet, you think Mark ought to run right in there and calm her down. Sometimes . . . George, don't be so hard on your wife. You know we were all thinking that very same thing. fPause.j fBetween gulpsj I wasn't. Donlt include me . . Thomas . . . ! fBoy resumes eating.j But, Gail, don't you . . . ? I really don't see how it should concern us. It's the children's decision. We have no right to interfere with their affairs. They are the ones to pay the consequences. Thank you, mother. fEvery one resumes eating, except Joanj How do you expect me to eat when my poor baby is locked, crying, in her room? Oh! Mark, please do be reasonable and go talk to her. fMark ignores the request and keeps eatingJ What kind of a cold, heartless person did my darling marry? fMark this time stops long enough to look at his mother-in-law in disgust.j Ugh! fShe tries half-heartedly to eat but stops and just sits poutingj Aw, Mom, knock it off, will you, please? You're spoiling my dinner. Oh! so now you can tell your mother what to do? I suppose you think I should have kept it to myself. Just let them make a flimsy decision like that? fSarcastically.j But then, I shouldn't be concerned for their own welfare or the child's, now should I! Excuse me! I keep forgetting! fHer daughter casts her eyes to heaven but doesn't say a word.j I'm sure Mark and Louisa both excuse you. Well . . . fAstonished by her husband's remark. Silence of eating resumes. Minutes pass before a tiny creaking of the bedroom door is heard. Louisa sil- ently takes her seat beside Mark. Her mother sits staring at her with a sad, pitying look on her face. Louisa starts to eat but stops after only the first few bites.j I came to a decision. fEveryone looks up at her. She turns and looks into Mark's eyesJ I . . . I've decided that we'll take the black baby the agency has. fPause.j . . . to her mother who has her mouth hanging open with dismay.j He is our kind, Mother. We both need love. He needs my love and we need his. fShe resumes eating! Mary Beth Bailey '74

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J. ,V Mfifigfjg WWW if W In the Attic Up the creaky splintered s and into the dark, dingy I find many years hidden behind the cob tairs room, Webs or asleep under a gray blanket of dust undisturbed by human hands. A collection of dolls turbed ,fy lf from china to rubber l Qin W A M and older to oldest 5 bent this Way and that yrs! - ' ' as if having a party. 4 A W M eff, X Near them their house , mg a little too small t WJ t U JL M with tiny tin rooms ., r ji J!!! 5 and some furniture -laiff Lf Q of f carved by a grandfather W some time ago. If gi 5- l Bf Q! ,W I 5 ly f My A chest full of letters I giiguiihflxlbf' I read one or two if its g then put them away 'fi i MGX d 1' h Q I Kofi Y and an rea ize W y ,P kgffjb cw X 1 g they've never been dis it I ,,-f'iif' Merrie West '74 Xl' xl . tis iiistffi3,..2?fw.tt on .K X ai' 4' fir 'Z so by -lg W if x i i . f. L X , 5 X I K w as ...fit A X 'K - .-.. t.,,-+--- ,