Mygrandmotherwasanironwilledwoman,thefearedmatriarchofourNewYorkfamilybackinthe1950s。 WhenIwasfiveyearsold,sheinvitedsomefriendsandrelativestoherBronxapartmentforaparty。Amongtheguestswasaneighborhoodbigshotwhowasdoingwellinbusiness。Hiswifewasproudoftheirsocialstatusandleteveryoneatthepartyknowit。Theyhadalittlegirlaboutmyagewhowasspoiledandverymuchusedtogettingherownway。 Grandmotherspentalotoftimewiththebigshotandhisfamily。Sheconsideredthemthemostimportantmembersofhersocialcircleandworkedhardatcurryingtheirfavor。 Atonepointduringtheparty,Imademywaytothebathroomandclosedthedoorbehindme。Aminuteortwolater,thelittlegirlopenedthebathroomdoorandgrandlywalkedin。Iwasstillsittingdown。 Don39;tyouknowthatlittlegirlsaren39;tsupposedtocomeintothebathroomwhenalittleboyisusingit!?Ihollered。 Thesurpriseofmybeingthere,alongwiththeindignationIhadheapeduponher,stunnedthelittlegirl。Thenshestartedtocry。Shequicklyclosedthedoor,rantothekitchen,andtearfullycomplainedtoherparentsandmygrandmother。 Mostofthepartygoershadoverheardmyloudremarkandweregreatlyamusedbyit。ButnotGrandmother。 ShewaswaitingformewhenIleftthebathroom。Ireceivedthelongest,sharpesttonguelashingofmyyounglife。GrandmotheryelledthatIwasimpoliteandrudeandthatIhadinsultedthatnicelittlegirl。Theguestswatchedandwincedinabsolutesilence。Soforcefulwasmygrandmother39;spersonalitythatnoonedaredstandupforme。 AfterherharanguewasoverandIhadbeendismissed,thepartycontinued,buttheatmospherewasmuchmoresubdued。 Twentyminuteslater,allthatchanged。Grandmotherwalkedbythebathroomandnoticedatorrentofwaterstreamingoutfromunderthedoor。 Sheshriekedtwicefirstinastonishment,theninrage。Sheflungopenthebathroomdoorandsawthatthesinkandtubwerepluggedupandthatthefaucetsweregoingatfullblast。 Everyoneknewwhotheculpritwas。Theguestsquicklyformedaprotectivebarricadearoundme,butGrandmotherwassofuriousthatshealmostgottomeanyway,flailingherarmsasiftryingtoswimoverthecrowd。 Severalstrongmeneventuallymovedherawayandcalmedherdown,althoughshesputteredandfumedforquiteawhile。 Mygrandfathertookmebythehandandsatmeonhislapinachairnearthewindow。Hewasakindandgentleman,fullofwisdomandpatience。Rarelydidheraisehisvoicetoanyone,andneverdidhearguewithhiswifeordefyherwishes。 Helookedatmewithmuchcuriosity,notatallangryorupset。Tellme,heasked,whydidyoudoit? Well,sheyelledatmefornothing,Isaidearnestly。Nowshe39;sgotsomethingtoyellabout。 Grandfatherdidn39;tspeakrightaway。Hejustsatthere,lookingatmeandsmiling。 Eric,hesaidatlast,youaremyrevenge。