Tattletale Tape (Details)
citation: Collier's, March 4, 1955, 135(5):40, 42-43, 46-47
alias: None
teaser: Well, look who's back! It's the madcap Ryans: Timberlake and Eve. And who but Tim could have got into — and out of — such a hilarious mishmash?
summary: As Eve Ryan carries groceries into the Webber's apartment, she hears her husband, Timberlake, teasing the Webber's eight-year-old son, Alec. The teasing continues as Tim walks into the kitchen, making a disparaging remark about Alec's father.
As Alec goes upstairs to his room, Eve chides Tim for bickering with the child. Tim complains he's been gone for two weeks traveling with his boss — Alec's father — and would rather spend his weekend alone with his wife than baby-sitting his boss's son.
The trip with Mr. Webber was to educate Tim about an important new account. At the end of the trip, Tim offered to stay at the Webber's apartment baby-sitting Alex, while his parents took an emergency trip to Mrs. Webber's father; a decision Tim's growing to regret.
Eve reasons if Tim gets to know little Alec, elementary child psychology will work. Tim doubts it, recounting how Alec used shaving cream to make the toilet overflow. Eve suggests the weekend can be an opportunity to practice child rearing skills in the event she and Tim have children.
Just then, Alec appears, monotonouosly yelling Yap.
Eve
asks the boy to go to bed, but before he leaves, Alec shows the Ryans where
phonograph records, player, radio, and television are located. Tim is surprised
and pleased with Alec's thoughtfulness.
With Alec upstairs, the Ryans congratulate themselves on their handling of the child. Their conversation drifts to Alec's parents. In addition to ridiculing Mr. Webber's appearance, Tim doubts Alec's father's intelligence. Both he and Eve conclude the Webber's interest in music is hypocritical.
Suddenly, they hear a voice, and high-pitched giggling. When they hear their own conversation a few moments before, they realize Alec has been recording them.
Alec threatens to tell his father exactly what the Ryans said, even if the recording can be found and destroyed. Tim is certain he will lose his job as a result.
Eve goes upstairs to get Alec to bed, but calls for Tim's help because Alec is behaving impossibly. Sending Eve downstairs to mix herself a drink, Tim teases Alec into taking "Grow-up-quick" pills. Later, Tim joins Eve downstairs, announcing Alec is alseep.
Tim admits he gave little Alec a sedative. He also tells Eve he found the recording, and it can be erased by recording over it. Eve's still worried about what Alec will tell his parents.
With the recorder running again, Tim and Eve repeat their previous conversation, but with just the right changes to both corroborate anything Alec might tell his parents, but prove to the Webber's, their son misinterpreted the conversation.
Snuggling on the davenport, the Ryans congratulate themselves on their grasp of child psychology.
words: 4,461
genre: Timberlake Ryan, Slice-of-Life
similar: Manhattan Idyl, I'm Mad at You, Breakfast in Bed, Long-Distance Call, The Little Courtesies, Week-End Genius, My Cigarette Loves Your Cigarette, One-Man Show, Sounds in the Night, Man of the Cocktail Hour; You Haven't Changed a Bit, Sneak Preview, I Like It This Way, Husband at Home, Legal and Tender, Rainy Sunday, Expression of Love, Vive la Différence, Bedtime Story, Take One Rainy Night, Old Enough for Love, The Sunny Side of the Street, No Time for the Billiard Ballet
people: Timberlake Ryan, Eve Ryan, Alec Webber, Al Webber
places: Unspecified
comments: Forthcoming