When Mommy gets Home

Where is Amanda? The kids are here in the house alone at night. Anything could happen to them Danny thinks. These thoughts are ridiculous for this man who leaves his family nightly to go to the nearest night spot to meet his pals both dames and guys. But of course he can do this, 'cause Mandy is always at home.
Danny "So where is the bitch?"

"How can she step out on me and the girls? I work every day and expect my wife to take care of my and my kids. That's the least she can do. Don't I pay the bills put clothes on her back and food in her mouth? How dare she?"

At this point Danny goes to the living room entryway door and locks it. "Now lets see her sneek in, he says to himself. He goes to the book case in the dining room where the bottle of scotch whiskey rests. Danny picks the bottle up goes to the china cabinet, gets a glass and pours two fingers into it. He returns to the sofa in the living room after putting a side of 'Trane on. The scotch and the jazz keep him mellow. He'd turned off the lights after starting the album so he sits down on the couch and hunts for his lighter. There is a bright flash as he lights his Pall Mall. Then he takes a gulp of the scotch leans back on the throw pillows with his leg bent over one knee and toys with his shoe laces.

Danny looks up at the sound of the small voice. Daddy? That you Sandy he calls. Yes daddy. What are you doing up? I couldn't sleep. I wonder why is that! Danny says in his most hateful and emphatic voice. Where is your mother? She went out with Mr. Gus. Oh she did, did she? Uh huh. Can I come over there with you Daddy? What? Oh yes, come here. Sandy slips down the stairs and into the living room. She hurries to the sofa and gingerly sits next to her father. He drums on the coffee table with his two forefingers idly. Are the other girls asleep? Sure they are but you're not.

Bright eyes you know you need your rest don't you? Uh huh. Daddy why don't you come to bed? No, I'm waiting for Mandy. Can I wait with you? Sandy you'll be hard to wake in the morning. It's long past your bedtime. Yes Daddy but I want to come sleep in your bed. Then I can go to sleep.

Danny puts his arm around his middle girl and pulls her onto his knees. This girl is too old for her age he thinks. She's always in the middle of everything. If she's not giving Healy her older sister fits, she's off by herself exploring.

Sandy is glad that daddy let her come to him. This is not the first time that she is unable to sleep late at night. She often creeps out of the room that she shares with her two sisters into the hall and to the banister so that she can look through it down into the living room and listen to the sweet jazz tunes playing low on the RCA stereo console.

Suddenly they hear the storm door open, then the vestibule door creaks on it's hinges as Mandy lets herself in. The storm door slams and then there is rattling of the door knob. The door to the Living room is locked.

Mandy steps out onto the porch and rings the door bell. Danny sits glowering at the door for several minutes until Mandy comes back into the vestibule and knocks on the door. She says "Danny open this door please".

Danny tamps out the cigarette he's smoking and pushes Sandy off his lap. Then he gets up and saunters over to the door. He swings it open but stands in the open door way blocking Mandy's entrance. Where've you been he growls. Mandy tries to get by but as she steps in toward him Danny back hands her across the face. Mandy steps back with the force of the blow and drops her after five hand bag. UH! She says and her hand goes to her right cheek and eye. She hesitates only seconds before throwing herself at Danny snarling and punching and she rakes him across the face with her brilliant red fingernails. He grabs her hands and whirls her around so that he is holding her with her back against his chest and both of her arms penned.

Sandy is at first speechless then as her parents continue struggling and panting. Sandy "stop, stop. Oh please stop.
Mandy yells "Sandy call the police".
Sandy runs up the stairs to her parent's bedroom and dials 0.The operator comes on the line.
Operator "may I help you?"
Sandy "Get me the police."

Soon a police dispatchrt picks up the receiver.
Dispatcher "Philadelphia police department may I help you?"

Sandy "My parents are fighting please come".
Dispatcher "What is your fathers name?"
Sandy "Danny Tyler"
Dispatcher "what is the telephone number please".
Sandy "BA60511
Dispatcher "Your address please"

At this point Sandy hears a crash and she hangs up the phone and runs to the stairs. She sees her Dad and Mother on the floor, still struggling and grunting.

Mandy yells "Did you call the police Sandy."

Sandy "Yes"

When Danny hears this he says "OK Mandy stop I quit". He lets her go pushing her gingerly away.