Every Boy's Got One (27 page)

To: Cal Langdon

Fr: Jane Harris

Re: Time to talk

You didn’t answer my question.

J

To: Jane Harris

Fr: Cal Langdon

Re: Time to talk

You didn’t answer mine.

Cal

To: Cal Langdon

Fr: Jane Harris

Re: Time to talk

Fine. Yes, I had Barbie weddings. Yes, I’ve sketched bridal gowns.

And, yes, I’ve sized up potential boyfriends, wondering whether or not they were going to be faithful to me.

But I’ve never cared about their EARNING potential. Truly. You can ask Holly.

And as for being good father material, how can I worry about who’s going to be the father of my children when I’m not even sure I WANT children? My career is just starting out. I want to see how that goes before I attempt to bring another life form into this world.

Besides which, I already have a cat. That is quite enough responsibility right now.

J

To: Jane Harris

Fr: Cal Langdon

Re: Time to talk

Are you seriously comparing owning a cat to raising a child?

Cal

To: Cal Langdon

Fr: Jane Harris

Re: Time to talk

Um, you haven’t met The Dude.

J

To: Jane Harris

Fr: Cal Langdon

Re: Time to talk

Who is The Dude?

Cal

To: Cal Langdon

Fr: Jane Harris

Re: Time to talk

My cat. And you still haven’t answered MY question.

J

To: Jane Harris

Fr: Cal Langdon

Re: Time to talk

I can’t remember what it was.

Cal

To: Cal Langdon

Fr: Jane Harris

Re: Time to talk

Isn’t it true that the only reason you’re so anti-love-and-marriage is because your own didn’t work out?

J

To: Jane Harris

Fr: Cal Langdon

Re: Time to talk

Absolutely not. The failure of my own marriage plays absolutely no part in my conviction that human beings are genetically incapable of monogamy. I believe we were meant to have seven or eight partners in a lifetime, not one. The idea that as a community we applaud those couples who manage to stay together forty or fifty years or longer is simply ridiculous. There’s something inherently wrong with celebrating couples like that. It simply isn’t natural to want to spend that much time with another human being.

Cal

To: Cal Langdon

Fr: Jane Harris

Re: Time to talk

My parents will be celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary next year. Are you saying there’s something inherently wrong with them?

J