His mother’s younger brother came out to California on business and took them to dinner. They got a baby-sitter. “If the sitter costs a lot,” his uncle said, “since I know how expensive services can be in California and how financially short you two are, I’d like to take care of it,” and Gould said no. She laughed a lot at the table, especially at some of the remarks his uncle made and jokes he told. Held his uncle’s hand as he walked them to their car, gave him a big kiss and hug good-bye, waved to him as they drove off. She seemed sincere in all this. During the drive home: “I had the most wonderful time tonight, best in ages, and I know why. It was that man. He’s so unlike your mother — anyone in your family. Extremely funny, smart, successful, gentle, self-effacing, mannerly. Dashing, even — clothes he wore, things he said, way he spoke, how he handled himself with the overbearing headwaiter and waiters, as if educated at the best prep schools and then at Princeton or Yale and later a year at Oxford or someplace. A very generous and big-hearted person. It was a great evening, thank you,” and he said “The food was good too,” and she said “Food, food; yes, it was good, excellent, but those things don’t make an evening. If the food had been lousy and the service terrible it still would have been a great evening because of him,” and he said “I didn’t know you went for older men,” and she said “Don’t be stupid.” “I’ve never met anyone quite like her,” his uncle said on the phone a few days later when Gould called him in New York to thank him for the dinner. “She bowled me over. She’s a knockout from the word go, a dear young woman too, and intelligent? Oh my gosh. I should have a few like her working on my staff. What does she see in you, I wonder? — only kidding, my boy. You’re one lucky stiff. Don’t lose her for anything or ever ruin it by becoming a scoundrel or pretending to be a fool,” and he said “Say, when I’m through with her, or vice versa, or by some magic it’s mutual, I’ll give you her number, though I don’t know what Aunt Dee would say,” and his uncle said “Excuse me, Gould, and I don’t want you to take this as harsh criticism, but as far as foolish behavior’s concerned, what you said is exactly what I meant.”
