“Look at me, Dad.” Harry’s fingers strummed the air. “I’m a blond American teenager. No one could mistake me for a suicide bomber.”
“Need I remind you about that appalling airline woman who wanted to call security because you were ticcing? What if something happens that’s out of your control? Suppose the flight gets delayed or diverted?”
“Then I’d have to deal with it.” Harry rocked back and forth in his chair. Felix put out a hand to stop him before he snapped the chair legs in half.
“You guys want me to be more independent, tackle my future, right? Then you have to give me the space to try.” Harry fired a manic smile. “And let’s face it, at some point I have to take my show on the road. If it makes you feel better, I’ll type up little cards I can hand out to people on the plane that say, ‘No, I’m not an escaped lunatic, I have Tourette syndrome.’”
“Let me get this right. You want to go on your first college visit alone. Even though you have no clue what to ask or what to look for?”
“How hard can it be, Dad? I listen, I ask questions. I like a place, I don’t. After talking with Sammie, I’ve decided to investigate small liberal arts colleges. She’s the one who suggested Brandeis.”
“I will not fund any college decision based on where your girlfriend is going.” Felix began tugging pills off his black cashmere sweater.
Harry clicked his tongue again. “I’m not asking you to. She wants to go to NC State, but she suggested I look at small liberal arts colleges. I think she’s right.”
Felix’s lower leg swung back and forth, back and forth. He stopped when he accidentally kicked the table. “And what about Ivy Leagues?”
A part of him doubted he should even push for Ivy Leagues anymore. Could Harry cope with the pressure? Could Ella? But if you didn’t aim for the top, didn’t push yourself to be the best, what did you have except unfulfilled potential? And what kind of a father didn’t want the best for his son?
“The way I see it”—Harry snarfed down another doughnut and continued to multitask through chewing and talking in a most unpleasant manner—“if I can’t get on a plane without Mom, then considering any out-of-state college is pointless. And I’m not talking Russia. Boston’s a plane ride away, and there are direct flights. I checked. And doesn’t Mom’s old roommate live in Boston? We could stay with her.”
“I see you’ve done your research.”
“If I can do this one college visit with Max, an easy trip with a direct flight, it could give me the confidence to think bigger.” Harry’s voice was high and slightly squeaky, a sign he was overstimulated. “Harvard bigger.”
Felix paused before answering. “Do you honestly think you can do this, Harry?”
“Do you think I can do this?” Harry stared at Felix, his chest heaving and his eyelids blinking in rapid fire.
“Yes. I think you can. But here’s the deal—if you take the trip with Max, you agree to a weeklong college tour with me over spring break. It’s going to be in the Northeast, and it’s going to include Harvard.”
“Really?” Harry beamed as if he were standing on a winner’s podium with a gold medal. “Rad! Thanks, Dad, thanks.” Harry shot up and spun in different directions. “I’ve got to go call Max, I’ve got to—”
“Harry, please sit down so we can finish this conversation.”
“Yeah, sorry, Dad. I’m just, you know.” Harry grimaced and blinked, grimaced and blinked. “Excited.”
Not a sentiment Felix shared. This was going to be expensive and probably a complete waste of time. On the other hand, Harry had used convincing logic. He did need to learn independence. Also, this would be a good test, a dry run before the real college tour over spring break. Although he had yet to raise the issue of a week’s absence with Robert. Would it be easier or harder to negotiate vacation time as a worker bee, not a partner?