I'm a used book dealer by trade, something that most people think of as the ultimate in boring. And, I have to admit, most of the time it is although I like it that way.
Anyway, I was attending one of my boring auctions of boring used books, a storage center cleanout on the outskirts of NYC when I stumbled upon something that was anything but boring.
There was one box of books that I checked out that was even less appealing than the others-1940's book club novels, old crossword puzzle books, the usual dregs that auctioneers combine to make up a box lot out of the throwaways. However, at the very bottom there were 3 bound journals that looked like they might be interesting. I leafed through the pages, stopping at random to read what was written. Within minutes I knew that I had to have that box and the journals it contained, no matter what the price. I carefully hid the journals back in the bottom and put the worst of the dregs on top to discourage any other possible interested parties. My strategy worked and I got the box and the treasure therein for less than $5.
I rushed home and spent hours reading those journals. Now, I'm going to share them with you.
I was raised by my grandfather. Both of my parents died while I was still an infant so my mother's father, a widower himself, took on the burden of raising me. My grandfather wasn't a bad man. He was just exceedingly cold and exceeding strict while at the same time highly religious. He also had been a participant in the War Between the States while a very young man which marked him for the rest of his life. He ran his world, and me, with military precision. From my youngest years I was subject to military discipline, everything about my life at its most Spartan and precise. I was an expert with firearms before I was 10 years old and could subsist alone in the woods indefinitely merely by relying on my own skills.
We lived in the rural wilds of Pennsylvania and my grandfather made sure that I had more than sufficient physical exertion. A 20 mile hike before breakfast was commonplace as were whole weeks of marching and climbing through the woodlands. In addition, he insisted that I maintain a daily regimen of running, exercising with weights and what we would now call calisthenics in addition to the daily physical labor required to maintain out household, all on a diet of the plainest and most frugal fare. I had grown into a young man of hard and compact muscle without any excess fat on my frame. Worse than any physical exertion, though, was his unbending rule regarding other people in our lives. I can count on one hand the number of times I had even spoken to a person other than my grandfather and I had never in my life been allowed to have what I could claim as a friend.
I was 19 when my grandfather died. It was ironic that someone who had never given me any indication that he possessed a heart would be felled by a massive attack to that organ. I tried but I really couldn't summon up much grief over a man who had been so uncaring toward me for my entire life. We had been having disagreements for the past few months anyway because I had informed him that as soon as I reached the age of 21 and was able to claim my inheritance from my parents that was being held in trust, I intended to leave and live in a city somewhere, anywhere, where I could interact with other people and find some enjoyment in living. What I felt more than anything else at his death was trepidation...I really didn't know what was to become of me.
I made the long trek into our little town and informed grandfather's lawyer of his death and burial. He pulled out a thick file which contained all of grandfather's business affairs and also his will. It turned out that I was named as his sole heir but also my inheritance was to be held in trust, again, until I reached 21 years of age. In the event that he died before I had reached that age, he named my uncle as his executor.
My uncle! For as long as I could remember, my grandfather had painted my uncle in every shade of black, calling him a degenerate, a fop, an unnatural creature. My uncle was my father's younger brother, my last living relative. My grandfather had made it clear over my life time how little regard he had for my father so maybe it was only natural that he would despise his brother, I told myself. Now, he had left my financial affairs and my very life in the hands of a man I'd never met and had only heard the most negative things about. My trepidation naturally ratcheted up another notch.
Our lawyer settled me in his office while he went to the nearby telegraph office to contact my uncle and apprise him of current events. When he returned, he supplied me with cash and instructed me to visit the town restaurant, have a meal and wait for him to retrieve me there. I had never dined in a restaurant before, let alone ordered my own meal but the kind proprietor guided me and I soon finished the first meal I had ever eaten that was not cooked by me or my grandfather. I was feeling like a real cosmopolitan when the lawyer arrived and told me that he had heard back from my uncle and that he would be at my grandfather's house at the earliest hour the next morning to see what must be done regarding my future.
I trekked back to grandfather's house and spent an almost sleepless night, only managing to fall into a troubled slumber shortly before dawn. It seemed like only minutes later that I was awakened by the sound of a carriage pulling up outside. I jumped up, wrapped a blanket around myself to cover the suit of underwear I had slept in and hurried downstairs to greet my infamous uncle.
Any expectation I had of a penny dreadful Mephistopheles was dashed when I opened the door. My uncle was an attractive man of between 30 and 40, dressed in elegant clothes and fastidiously groomed. He was my height while somewhat thinner, not nearly so muscularly developed. He had a handsome face and eyes that seemed to twinkle with slyness.
"So!" he said. "You must be my long lost nephew!" He stepped forward and wrapped me in a tight hug. "And quite a solid young man you are, too."
I returned his embrace somewhat shyly and asked if he would care for coffee.
"Excellent, excellent!" he proclaimed. "We've been traveling all night."
He then turned and called out, "Will, Will, Coffee!" It seemed every utterance out of my uncle's mouth was an exclamation.
A young man about my age appeared at my uncle's side, who looped an arm over his shoulder and said, "This is Will. My driver, my manservant and my best friend." The young man looked me up and down while I did the same to him. As I've said, he seemed about my age and we seemed to share a similar body type, thin but muscular. The major difference between us was that he had almost shockingly red hair and shining blue eyes.
"It's a good thing the old man is dead," I said. "He would have marked you as the devil's disciple with that flaming hair."
We all laughed and Will said, "I am the devil's disciple. He's standing right here." and looked at my uncle. "Now, let me help you get that coffee going, it looks like you just woke up."
My uncle and Will followed me into the kitchen and I saw them look at each other with looks of distaste.
I folded the blanket I was wearing, added fuel to the stove and went about preparing the coffee to cook. I was aware of both my uncle and Will watching me and it finally dawned on me that I was waltzing about the kitchen dressed only in my union suit.
"I'm sorry if I appear immodest." I said. "I'm not used to being with other people and I hadn't thought."
"On the contrary, my dear boy." my uncle said. "You're a welcome sight to my tired eyes. Many men would pay good money to be able to appear as appealing in a suit of underwear as you do. I just find it remarkable that someone as glorious as you could spring from such a grim environment."
"It is grim." I said. "I'd already told grandfather that as soon as I reached my majority I was leaving and never coming back. I want to see the world and what it has to offer."
"Believe me, the world will want to see you and all that you have to offer." my uncle said and looked significantly at Will.
"And it looks like there's quite a bit there to offer." he replied, looking back at my uncle with raised eyebrows. I wasn't at all sure what they were talking about but I liked it.
I served the coffee, aware the whole time of their appraising stares. Several times I caught one or both staring at my crotch or at my bottom and I began to feel self conscious that perhaps my underwear was spotted or unclean.
"I'll just go and dress while you have your coffee." I said.
"That will give Will and myself time to discuss a plan I have." my uncle replied.
I hurried back upstairs and put on my clothing, aware the whole time of the unfamiliar sound of voices murmuring in the kitchen.
