Jerry winced. He knew his father meant paying cash for groceries, not a grocery bill. His father did not have bills—never charged things. Looking at his father's firm mouth and chin, Jerry wondered how he could have expected to win his father over to having a charge account. Parents were the way they were and stayed that way. Especially his father. It would take much more than half a pound of candy to make him change his mind about charge accounts, Jerry now fully realized.
Mr. Martin said he and Jerry would have their talk down in the recreation room. Jerry noticed his mother and Cathy looked worried. Maybe they expected his father to give him a beating. Jerry was a little worried about that prospect himself.
Jerry saw Pedro watching them as he and his father sat down on the sofa.
"Has Pedro talked any more?" Jerry asked.
"Stop gawking at that parrot and pay attention to me," said Jerry's father.
"Yes, sir."
"You had your mother worried sick."
Jerry said he was sorry.
"Did you stay out so long on purpose to worry her?"
Jerry said that had not been the reason at all. He confessed that he had intended to run away to Florida but had changed his mind and come home.