Paradise Garden: The Satirical Narrative of a Great ExperimentGibbs, George
General
Paradise Garden: The Satirical Narrative of a Great Experiment
Gibbs, George
Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; Satire
Flynn and Sagorski were already down the stairs. I eyed them
malevolently, but rose and went to the kitchen to give the necessary
orders. There I found the force of servants in executive session and
my appearance was the signal for immediate notice from the entire lot.
I hadn't foreseen this difficulty which immediately assumed the
proportions of a calamity. They stated their objections, which may
well be imagined, most respectfully but in no uncertain terms. They
could have endured Mr. Flynn, Mr. Carty and Mr. Sagorski, but they
balked at Mr. Danny Monroe. I had balked at him, too, but I didn't
tell them so. The upstairs maids (we had chambermaids now) absolutely
refused to consider any of my arguments in rebuttal and were already
pinning on their hats, when Jerry, who had gotten wind of the mutiny
from Christopher (poor Christopher!), came running and planting
himself in their very midst, demolished their objections with a laugh
and an offer of double wages. They smiled at a joke he made, weakened,
finally unpinned their hats and took up their aprons. I have never in
my experience seen such an example of the blandishment of wealth.
Peace restored and the orders given, which included a pledge of
secrecy as to Jerry's real identity and mine, I made my way to the
gymnasium with Jerry in a valiant effort to "be a good sport" and to
appear as "pleased as punch" at the invasion of my sanctuary by
Jerry's Huns. Carty and Flynn were having a fast "go" of it on the
floor, with Monroe, the Swedish negro, keeping time, while from beyond
came sounds of howling where "Kid" Spatola and Tim O'Halloran were
sporting like healthy grampuses in Jerry's--my--marble pool. Jerry
made the introductions gayly and O'Halloran splashed a greeting, while
Spatola eyed my rusty black serge critically (Spatola was the Beau
Brummel of the party as I discovered later) nodded, and then did a
back flip-flap from the diving board.
But unwelcome as they were to me, they were not nearly so unpleasant
in a state of nature as they had been in their clothing, for when
considered as sentient beings they left much to be desired; as healthy
human animals, I had to admit that they were a success, and having
conceded the fact that they were animals and Horsham Manor was for the
present a zoo, the rest was merely a matter of mental adjustment. I
played my part of host, I fear, with a bad grace, but as manners held
no high place in their code of being, my deficiencies passed
unnoticed.
Was this triumph of matter over mind nature's cynical reply to my
years of care and study in bringing Jerry to perfect manhood? Had I
erred in giving importance to the growth and development of Jerry's
body? Or was it, as Jack Ballard had said, merely that the nice
adjustment of mind and matter had been suddenly disarranged? How far
was this muscular orgy to carry him? And where would it end? After
Madison Square Garden--what?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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