Part 5: FAMILY DEBATE
When he went to Harvard Sean's thoughts were only of Elana. His diligent phone calls to her home were not accepted and his letters were always returned. Obviously someone was intercepting her mail and screening the phone calls. Eventually, Sean realized that the only hope he had was that he would see Elana next year when she came to Harvard and to possibly steel some time with her when he went home on his Spring Break.
When Spring Break finally arrived that year Sean came home anxious to get an opportunity to see Elana, not knowing how he was going to accomplish this, remembering her father's last words to him 'I am going to do everything I can to keep you away from her'. Sean had also promised his father that he would begin his apprenticeship at the company whenever he had time off from school and knowing Phillip Logan, Sean would be required to spend every waking moment in New York.
His thoughts flooded with images of Elana, so immediately after returning to his house that afternoon, he put away his things and ran downstairs heading for the door. He was hoping to catch her at the library where he knew she spent all of her time. Sean had just reached for the doorknob when his father caught up with him...
"Sean, I need to speak with you, son."
'Dog!' Sean thought. He responded hoping his father would let him go and talk some other time "Dad, I was about to go out can it wait 'till later?"
"I'm afraid not. Come on into the living room."
Sean reluctantly followed his father into the large living room decorated with family photographs and paintings and furnished with large white plush seating arrangements. He was annoyed because his father had become the catalyst for him possibly missing Elana if she was at the library. Phillip sat down in his favorite Queen Anne chair, rested his arms on the chair, sat all the way back and put his foot up on the opposite knee...
"Have a seat, Sean."
"Dad, I really..."
"We need to talk about your grades." Phillip interrupted
Sean was so engrossed with seeing Elana that he forgotten he would have to deal with his father on the issue of his less than average grades since attending Harvard. Now it was staring him in the face. He knew that he was disappointing his family because once he came of age he would be expected to take over the company. His father's health was declining because of the stress of everyday business and taking care of granpa William who suffered from everything from congestive heart failure to prostate cancer, so Philiip had slowly started to delegate more responsibilities to his subordinates. Sean knew that this was only temporary until he was able to take over because if there was one thing Phillip Logan did not like, it was not being in control. So, accepting his pending demise, Sean took a seat and waited for his father to continue.
"We all know you haven't been doing so well lately in your classes, but what I don't know is why. Sean you know more about business than most of the people at that school because as a little boy I would take you to work with me. You learned your abc's from the ships we used to export goods. So why is it that you're getting C's and D's in classes like Business Policy and International Management? What's going on with you Sean?
"Nothing dad, I just haven't gotten acclimated yet. Being so far from home and all of the new faces. You have to remember that I was in school with the same people since kindergarten. But I promise you that when I go back, I'll get into the groove of things and come out on top at the end of the year." Sean stood up confident that this excuse would appease his dad, and he could go on about his business, but unfortunately it didn't.
Phillip put his leg on the floor then moved forward with both elbows on his thighs and his hands cupped in front of him. He looked at his son, intently saying, "Sit down son. Look Sean, you never have been a good liar, especially with me. I can tell that there's something heavy on your mind, and you need to talk to me about it so that we can do what it takes to get it behind you and you can concentrate on what's important." There was a brief pause, as Sean contemplated another excuse, but he couldn't think of one.
"What is it son, tell me." Phillip pleaded.
Knowing he was fighting a loosing battle, Sean opted for the truth hoping it would get him out of the house sooner than his weak lies. He took a deep breath "The truth is...I'm in love with someone." He said bluntly.
"Oh really now?" Phillip began to chuckle with pride. "What's so bad about that? Shucks that's good news. Love gives you something to look forward to, but why is it affecting you so negatively. Did the girl break up with you or something?"
"No, her father won't allow us to see each other anymore because he basically said that I was no good for her."
"What are you talking about, no good? Does he know who you are, who your family is?" Phillip asked in disbelief that any man would not want his son to be interested in his daughter. Phillip knew that his son was an upstanding young man and had never shown himself to be anything but a gentleman when it came to young women. This is how he and his grandfather had taught him to be.
"Yea, he knows exactly who we are and he feels that this family would make her feel that she's beneath us and she'd never be accepted regardless of how I feel and that this would ultimately affect her individual progress." Sean closed his eyes not wanting his father to ask him any more questions, hoping that he would give him a few words of wisdom and let it go at that, but Phillip persisted.
"Who is this guy? Maybe I should talk to him and let him know that we don't care that her family may not have as much money as we do. Way back when, we didn't have any ourselves when my great, great, great grandfather came from Ireland as an indentured servant. That's just not important. Now who is he Sean, just let me know and I'll make a phone call, invite him to dinner and we can talk this thing out." Phillip awaited Sean's answer, but none came immediately.
Sean sat opposite his father looking, but not responding...
"Well, who is it Sean?" Phillip was now getting slightly worried about the nature of his son's actual involvement with whoever this girl was.
Knowing he could neither keep it to himself any longer nor could he lie to his father, Sean muttered "George Powers."
"What's his nu...Now wha --- what George Powers are you talking about, son?" Phillip had a worried look on his face.
"I'm talking about George Powers of Power Realty. His daughter is Elana Powers and I'm in love with her. I have been for a while now." Sean looked directly in his father's brown eyes ready to tackle what was to come.
Phillip stood and put his chin between his forefinger and thumb and began to pace in front of Sean. He recognized the names that his son had retorted to him, but he sought further clarification, hoping it wasn't who he thought it was "Is that the girl who you did all the studying with during high school?"
"Yes,. " He said, now noticing his father's face turning red with anxiety.
"Oh, I see." He said looking down, then looking up again. "You mean George Power's daughter who lives over in the Laurel Woods section, right?"
Knowing what his father was avoiding Sean chimed in, "Yeah that's her. She's the black girl who helped me through Advanced Placement Calculus and Trigonometry. When I told her father that I loved her he said he would do everything in his power to keep us from seeing each other. "
"And, obviously, judging from your hurry to get out of here today, you did not listen to him" Phillip began to dread how much involved with this girl Sean had become. When Sean first began to speak of Elana in third grade he never knew that it would come to this. He admired her father and knew him as a shrewd businessman and he had praised her silently for helping his son make it through those tough math classes, and thus get accepted at Harvard because of his good grades. The Logans had bought and sold property through Power Realty for years and now he had another connection with Mr. Powers, one, which he was not ready to accept.
"I haven't seen her since last summer. She's supposed to go to Harvard this year, so we will be able to be together sometimes then. Dad, I have to tell you that she feels the same way about me." Sean added hoping that this would soften whatever his father was feeling.
"I'm sure she does son. I just hope you haven't gotten her in any trouble or anything Sean?" He asked looking disappointedly at his son.
Sean was somewhat surprised at his father's accusation, but he realized that this new development had come out of nowhere. "No, dad, of course not? I really care about her, and I wouldn't do anything to compromise her. She wouldn't let me if I tried."
"So what do you plan on doing about this now?"
Sean sighed and slouched down on the couch and put his face in his hands then moved them up and strung his fingers through his dark brown curly hair while looking up at his father... "I don't know. Nothing now I guess. "
"Son, I don't have to tell you that dating a minority would not look good for the family name. I suggest you listen to Mr. Powers he didn't get where he is by not knowing what he was talking about."
"Well, that's true as far as his business goes, but as to me and his daughter he's dead wrong and besides I can't just stop loving her or wanting to be with her. I can't turn my feelings on and off like that. I would think that you, of all people, would want me to be with someone that I could be happy with, regardless of what she looks like, and especially since I've known her most of my life. I'm not ashamed of loving her, but I was reluctant to tell you because of you and grandfather's notions about this damned Logan legacy that you have drummed in my head throughout my life. I knew you wouldn't approve because of 'appearances sake' . But, it shouldn't really matter because you have dealt with her father for years, so you should know that they're good people..."
"Sean," Phillip interrupted getting louder as he tried to hold back his anger, "We are not talking about business, son. This is about our family and the perception we give out. Maybe you need to be around other girls more often. Obviously, you haven't thought about the impact it could have on you. You're only 19 years old and this is just a passing thing, you'll be attracted to many other women before you're ready to settle down. I think you're just grateful for all of the help she gave you through the years. I dare say that if it hadn't been for her, you probably would not have done as well in math, but let's not get this thing mixed up. Besides, you're a Logan and you need to stay in your place, son. There are too many fine young wh... ..." Phillip's words were not completed, before Sean retorted in an angry outburst.
"STAY IN MY PLACE!!! AND JUST WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT I SHOULD STAY IN MY PLACE AND ELANA SHOULD STAY IN HERS? I WAS NOT AWARE THAT PART OF THE LOGAN LEGACY INCLUDED PREJUDICE, DAD!!!"
When he went to Harvard Sean's thoughts were only of Elana. His diligent phone calls to her home were not accepted and his letters were always returned. Obviously someone was intercepting her mail and screening the phone calls. Eventually, Sean realized that the only hope he had was that he would see Elana next year when she came to Harvard and to possibly steel some time with her when he went home on his Spring Break.
When Spring Break finally arrived that year Sean came home anxious to get an opportunity to see Elana, not knowing how he was going to accomplish this, remembering her father's last words to him 'I am going to do everything I can to keep you away from her'. Sean had also promised his father that he would begin his apprenticeship at the company whenever he had time off from school and knowing Phillip Logan, Sean would be required to spend every waking moment in New York.
His thoughts flooded with images of Elana, so immediately after returning to his house that afternoon, he put away his things and ran downstairs heading for the door. He was hoping to catch her at the library where he knew she spent all of her time. Sean had just reached for the doorknob when his father caught up with him...
"Sean, I need to speak with you, son."
'Dog!' Sean thought. He responded hoping his father would let him go and talk some other time "Dad, I was about to go out can it wait 'till later?"
"I'm afraid not. Come on into the living room."
Sean reluctantly followed his father into the large living room decorated with family photographs and paintings and furnished with large white plush seating arrangements. He was annoyed because his father had become the catalyst for him possibly missing Elana if she was at the library. Phillip sat down in his favorite Queen Anne chair, rested his arms on the chair, sat all the way back and put his foot up on the opposite knee...
"Have a seat, Sean."
"Dad, I really..."
"We need to talk about your grades." Phillip interrupted
Sean was so engrossed with seeing Elana that he forgotten he would have to deal with his father on the issue of his less than average grades since attending Harvard. Now it was staring him in the face. He knew that he was disappointing his family because once he came of age he would be expected to take over the company. His father's health was declining because of the stress of everyday business and taking care of granpa William who suffered from everything from congestive heart failure to prostate cancer, so Philiip had slowly started to delegate more responsibilities to his subordinates. Sean knew that this was only temporary until he was able to take over because if there was one thing Phillip Logan did not like, it was not being in control. So, accepting his pending demise, Sean took a seat and waited for his father to continue.
"We all know you haven't been doing so well lately in your classes, but what I don't know is why. Sean you know more about business than most of the people at that school because as a little boy I would take you to work with me. You learned your abc's from the ships we used to export goods. So why is it that you're getting C's and D's in classes like Business Policy and International Management? What's going on with you Sean?
"Nothing dad, I just haven't gotten acclimated yet. Being so far from home and all of the new faces. You have to remember that I was in school with the same people since kindergarten. But I promise you that when I go back, I'll get into the groove of things and come out on top at the end of the year." Sean stood up confident that this excuse would appease his dad, and he could go on about his business, but unfortunately it didn't.
Phillip put his leg on the floor then moved forward with both elbows on his thighs and his hands cupped in front of him. He looked at his son, intently saying, "Sit down son. Look Sean, you never have been a good liar, especially with me. I can tell that there's something heavy on your mind, and you need to talk to me about it so that we can do what it takes to get it behind you and you can concentrate on what's important." There was a brief pause, as Sean contemplated another excuse, but he couldn't think of one.
"What is it son, tell me." Phillip pleaded.
Knowing he was fighting a loosing battle, Sean opted for the truth hoping it would get him out of the house sooner than his weak lies. He took a deep breath "The truth is...I'm in love with someone." He said bluntly.
"Oh really now?" Phillip began to chuckle with pride. "What's so bad about that? Shucks that's good news. Love gives you something to look forward to, but why is it affecting you so negatively. Did the girl break up with you or something?"
"No, her father won't allow us to see each other anymore because he basically said that I was no good for her."
"What are you talking about, no good? Does he know who you are, who your family is?" Phillip asked in disbelief that any man would not want his son to be interested in his daughter. Phillip knew that his son was an upstanding young man and had never shown himself to be anything but a gentleman when it came to young women. This is how he and his grandfather had taught him to be.
"Yea, he knows exactly who we are and he feels that this family would make her feel that she's beneath us and she'd never be accepted regardless of how I feel and that this would ultimately affect her individual progress." Sean closed his eyes not wanting his father to ask him any more questions, hoping that he would give him a few words of wisdom and let it go at that, but Phillip persisted.
"Who is this guy? Maybe I should talk to him and let him know that we don't care that her family may not have as much money as we do. Way back when, we didn't have any ourselves when my great, great, great grandfather came from Ireland as an indentured servant. That's just not important. Now who is he Sean, just let me know and I'll make a phone call, invite him to dinner and we can talk this thing out." Phillip awaited Sean's answer, but none came immediately.
Sean sat opposite his father looking, but not responding...
"Well, who is it Sean?" Phillip was now getting slightly worried about the nature of his son's actual involvement with whoever this girl was.
Knowing he could neither keep it to himself any longer nor could he lie to his father, Sean muttered "George Powers."
"What's his nu...Now wha --- what George Powers are you talking about, son?" Phillip had a worried look on his face.
"I'm talking about George Powers of Power Realty. His daughter is Elana Powers and I'm in love with her. I have been for a while now." Sean looked directly in his father's brown eyes ready to tackle what was to come.
Phillip stood and put his chin between his forefinger and thumb and began to pace in front of Sean. He recognized the names that his son had retorted to him, but he sought further clarification, hoping it wasn't who he thought it was "Is that the girl who you did all the studying with during high school?"
"Yes,. " He said, now noticing his father's face turning red with anxiety.
"Oh, I see." He said looking down, then looking up again. "You mean George Power's daughter who lives over in the Laurel Woods section, right?"
Knowing what his father was avoiding Sean chimed in, "Yeah that's her. She's the black girl who helped me through Advanced Placement Calculus and Trigonometry. When I told her father that I loved her he said he would do everything in his power to keep us from seeing each other. "
"And, obviously, judging from your hurry to get out of here today, you did not listen to him" Phillip began to dread how much involved with this girl Sean had become. When Sean first began to speak of Elana in third grade he never knew that it would come to this. He admired her father and knew him as a shrewd businessman and he had praised her silently for helping his son make it through those tough math classes, and thus get accepted at Harvard because of his good grades. The Logans had bought and sold property through Power Realty for years and now he had another connection with Mr. Powers, one, which he was not ready to accept.
"I haven't seen her since last summer. She's supposed to go to Harvard this year, so we will be able to be together sometimes then. Dad, I have to tell you that she feels the same way about me." Sean added hoping that this would soften whatever his father was feeling.
"I'm sure she does son. I just hope you haven't gotten her in any trouble or anything Sean?" He asked looking disappointedly at his son.
Sean was somewhat surprised at his father's accusation, but he realized that this new development had come out of nowhere. "No, dad, of course not? I really care about her, and I wouldn't do anything to compromise her. She wouldn't let me if I tried."
"So what do you plan on doing about this now?"
Sean sighed and slouched down on the couch and put his face in his hands then moved them up and strung his fingers through his dark brown curly hair while looking up at his father... "I don't know. Nothing now I guess. "
"Son, I don't have to tell you that dating a minority would not look good for the family name. I suggest you listen to Mr. Powers he didn't get where he is by not knowing what he was talking about."
"Well, that's true as far as his business goes, but as to me and his daughter he's dead wrong and besides I can't just stop loving her or wanting to be with her. I can't turn my feelings on and off like that. I would think that you, of all people, would want me to be with someone that I could be happy with, regardless of what she looks like, and especially since I've known her most of my life. I'm not ashamed of loving her, but I was reluctant to tell you because of you and grandfather's notions about this damned Logan legacy that you have drummed in my head throughout my life. I knew you wouldn't approve because of 'appearances sake' . But, it shouldn't really matter because you have dealt with her father for years, so you should know that they're good people..."
"Sean," Phillip interrupted getting louder as he tried to hold back his anger, "We are not talking about business, son. This is about our family and the perception we give out. Maybe you need to be around other girls more often. Obviously, you haven't thought about the impact it could have on you. You're only 19 years old and this is just a passing thing, you'll be attracted to many other women before you're ready to settle down. I think you're just grateful for all of the help she gave you through the years. I dare say that if it hadn't been for her, you probably would not have done as well in math, but let's not get this thing mixed up. Besides, you're a Logan and you need to stay in your place, son. There are too many fine young wh... ..." Phillip's words were not completed, before Sean retorted in an angry outburst.
"STAY IN MY PLACE!!! AND JUST WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT I SHOULD STAY IN MY PLACE AND ELANA SHOULD STAY IN HERS? I WAS NOT AWARE THAT PART OF THE LOGAN LEGACY INCLUDED PREJUDICE, DAD!!!"