Let's Go Play at the Adams'

When Bobby released her wrist from the headboard of the bed, it was already tied by a

longer rope to the lower part of the frame; all they had to do was to move her one defense-

less arm down more or less by her side while Paul took up the slack. She was helpless at

each instant of the operation.

"There, see? It did work." "Yeah ... "

They all straightened up.

Barbara now lay, legs still apart, one arm tied down by her side and the other up to the

headboard. It didn't really hurt, at least no more than before, but it was frustrating and

disappointing. At no time could she have done so much as free that one hand even for a

minute.

"She looks like she's doing semaphore," Paul gave her one of his squirmy little smiles and

looked around for approval.

"Or dancing," Cindy said critically. "Like Mrs.

Gulliver." She giggled.

"Miss Gulliver," Dianne said.

"OK, never mind that. Let's do the rest of it."

With the same engineering care, they brought her other hand down by her other side and

tied it, too. Her shoulders, stiff and sore from the hours of unnatural position, throbbed.

Here, at least, was circulation and movement.

"Now, she has to sit up."

30

"What if she won't?" Cindy said. "How're you going to make her do it?"

"She's the one who wants to go to the bathroom.

If she doesn't, we can always put her back the other way." It sounded reassuring when

John said it, but, in fact, Barbara had more freedom now than at any time since she had

awakened. She could do nothing with it, but she was more free.

"Yeah," Bobby said. "Sit up. You can if you want to." It was the first thing like a

command that they had given her, and he did so with hesitation in his voice.

For the same reason, Barbara just slightly held back. The lessons in this relationship

were painfully few, and yet she seemed to have so much trouble learning them. Were

the youngsters, on the one hand, demanding that she sit up and, on the other hand,

threatening to retie her if she did not? Indeed they were, indeed they would. Barbara

must realize that no matter bow far beneath her station she felt the kids to stand, they

were absolutely in command. There was no alternative with dignity. She would obey, or

she would be returned to a less pleasant position, and this would be repeated until she

submitted. Barbara sighed and then, being a swimmer in good condition, managed to

do the sit-up demanded.

They all looked at Bobby expectantly.

"OK, here-" He passed the rope around her body. "Now we tie her arms to her sides."

This was done. After that, her left wrist was released and tied up behind her back with a

rope that went up over her right shoulder, crossed her body between her breasts,

hooked under her elbow and returned to her wrist. For the left side alone, it was the

same position she would have been in had someone been "twisting her arm" except

that it was twisted and held there.

They were so cautious, everything took so much time and was so elaborately done that

Barbara began to grow irritated. All right, she was doing what they wanted; she couldn't

get away-she knew it, they knew

31

it-why so much fuss? When they got ready to move her legs together, she impatiently

did it for them, or

nearly did it before she fell over backward.

.

Cindy laughed, but Bobby, remembering his struggle this morning, quickly hobbled her

ankles before she took the notion to kick out at someone. He seemed almost fearful

when he released the last of the rope that held her to the bed.

. "What about her other hand?"

"She needs one free, stupid. Besides, she can't do much with the elbow tied like that."

"Can she get up now?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Actually they had to swing her feet over the side of the bed and help

her sit up

again.

.

"How're you going to make her go just where you want her to?"

"Well-" Bobby hadn't thought of that.

. "I know. Put a rope around her neck," Paul said.

As he did when speaking most of the time, he sort of ducked his head and came up

sideways like a myna bird struggling to say a difficult word.

"Yeah! That way, if she doesn't follow, we can choke her or at least pull her down."

"No, I've got a better idea," Bobby said. "Sit up," he told Barbara. He didn't hesitate this

time, nor did she. She actually leaned towards him.

"Here-" Bobby looped his last long length of rope around her neck with ends trailing in

front and in back. "One of us goes in front and one of us behind, and if she doesn't

behave, each one pulls:"

This was a little frightening. Barbara looked from one child to the other. She felt as if

her upper body were embalmed in clothesline. The shoulder of her shortie was no

longer on her shoulder, and she was a trifle bare-feeling.

"Choke her?" Cindy said.

"Don't worry. Not unless we have to." "I'll lead," Paul said quickly.

"No, you won't," Dianne said. "Let Bobby and

32

John do it, and you follow and just don't get in the way unless we tell you to."