Chapter Four
"Monty, I know you already refused my request for time off, but I have to plead my case again. Things have been tense between me and Waylon Junior, and –"
"I'm running a nuclear power plant, not a family counseling center."
"He's been distant with me since summer began. I try to get him to talk to me, but then he accuses me of not really caring about him, so why should he confide in me?"
"Well, that's a hum-dinger of a family crisis you have there."
"He knows I'm not really into musicals and plays, so I want to show him that I care about him, and not just when he's doing things I care about."
"It's a conference on nuclear energy. I need your understanding of the technical details of atomic fissioning."
"But sir, there are a number of people at this plant with backgrounds in nuclear physics and engineering. Why can't one of them take my place at the panel?"
"Yes, but you are the one who designed the plant. You are indispensable and irreplaceable." Burns leaned back in his chair.
"Well, so is my son." He sighed and sat on the edge of the desk, turning to face Burns. "I don't know what to do. Every time I sit him down and tell him I love him no matter what, he starts crying and says he wishes he could believe me. And while I don't really know much about theatre, I can tell he has talent. I really do want to see him perform in H.M.S. Pinafore."
"I can't permit you to skip the conference." Burns leaned forward and said, "How did this quarrel begin, in any event? He's always looked up to you."
"We've always been close, but I don't know about 'looked up to.'"
"Oh, come now. Every boy looks up to his old man. Remember when he built that model of the nuclear plant with his Legos and cardboard cylinders to take with him to Show and Tell? And he brought that little Lego man to represent you and talk about how proud he was of you."
"That was five years ago. You remember that?"
"You were very flattered and kept bringing it up." Smithers Senior smiled at the memory. "So how did this all start?"
"Now that I think of it, he didn't start acting so standoffish until I picked him up from his friend Nora's house after her end-of-school-year party."
"What happened there?"
"Nothing bad, as far as I know. But on the way home, I was asking him if he had a crush on her, because he always talked about her. He got quiet, which I took as a probable 'yes,' and when we got home, I talked to him about sex. I know kids get embarrassed by that stuff, but I don't think that could be why he's acting this way. Could it?"
"Children sulk about piddling matters as commonly as hares breed. I doubt the fault is yours."
"If you were a parent, you'd know why I can't be so confident about that."
"I cannot allow you to take leave until after the panel discussion."
"Very well, sir."
Smithers left the office, and the moment the doors slipped shut, Burn picked up his telephone and dialed a number. "Is this Mr. Tidbury? The man in charge of this summer's Theatre Camp? … Excellent. C. Montgomery Burns speaking. Speaking of your closing performance, you will need to reschedule that for the 19th. … Why? Because I'll ruin you if you fail to comply. … Yes, I thought that would be persuasive."