Episode 18 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

January 1999

This series of posts on each Friday, moving forward during 2016 will continue the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began. Earlier, we have seen the community move from January 1997 through December 1998. We are now in January of 1999, in episodic serial format…

Episode 18 - Karen and Jennifer, Tuesday noon

Jennifer and Karen had lunch at Karen’s apartment at the Homeplace Country Inn as they planned. As they ate their chicken noodle soup and turkey sandwich they chatted about Beverly’s arrival and Jennifer’s Ashley prior to getting to discussion of William’s journals. By this time, Jennifer had scanned all four journals and realized that perhaps they were not quite as ‘exciting’ as she at first had thought they might be. While Karen had seemed very interested in seeing them, and looking at them, her underwhelming level of interest had continued to puzzle Jennifer.

Sitting in Karen’s living room, Jennifer laid the four plain journals out on the coffee table in front of Karen much as she had with Brian the night before, to let Karen approach them in her own way. Karen picked each one up, flipped through the pages to see the handwritten entries, and went on to the next one, looking at each one of the four, briefly, in order. As she looked, she said “William, my great-grandfather, was living alone, on his farm, at this time, wasn’t he?”

“Yes,” Jennifer replied, “both his mother and his wife had died in the flu epidemic a couple of years before this first journal was started in 1920. Your grandparents were living down the road, here, with their two daughters, according to the 1920 census. I looked that up, again, just to be sure.”

“And, that was the only mention we have found of a second daughter, Ethel, was it?”

“Yes, and I didn’t see her mentioned in what I’ve read of the journal, either. I was also surprised how few specific comments he made about the family, at all. I was disappointed, actually.” Jennifer picked up the first journal, again, as if to confirm what she just said.

Karen was pondering what Jennifer had said, it seemed, for an extra moment, it seemed to Jennifer.

Then, Karen spoke, almost to herself, “I really need to talk to Virginia. Surely she has some memories, even random ones, that might be helpful to know what those days were like.”

“Yes, we should have already done that. How has Virginia been? Time just slips by.” Virginia grew up just down the road from the McDonalds, and was best friends with Mildred, Karen’s mother, her entire life. Virginia was now living in the local nursing home, in her mid-eighties, having suffered a mild stoke a while back.

“She is still in recovery mode. I really need to go visit her.”

Jennifer had been thumbing thru the journal she picked up, and casually scanning a random entry or two. “I did notice that William occasionally mentions a “Snookie” from time to time. They are brief entries. I didn’t recognize the name. Couldn’t tell if it was a person, a pet, or a farm animal. Do you recognize that name?”

“No, I don’t. They didn’t really have pets, back then, I don’t think. But, they got very close to some of the farm animals, much as we do with pets, today, I think. I don’t really know.”

Jennifer could tell Karen’s mind was far off somewhere. But, before she could say anything else, the phone rang. An extension was right beside Karen, so she picked it up. She listened, intently. A few moments later, she said to the phone, “Jennifer is with me here. I will tell her.” She listened a few more moments, and hung up.

“That was Christopher. He has called a meeting of all the Bevins Trust family trustees for 3 o’clock this afternoon, at the law office conference room. It seems very important. I told him I’d tell you.” Karen had an ashen, very official demeanor.

“That is very unusual. He didn’t say what it was about?”

“No. He said he would explain when we were all together. I guess we’d better get ready to go. I’ve got some things to arrange. I’m sure you do, as well.”

“Yes, I sure do. I’ll see you there.” Jennifer took the journals with her when she left.

[To be continued - next Friday]

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."

Dr. Bill  ;-)

Episode 17 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace, January 1999

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

January 1999

This series of posts on each Friday, moving forward during 2016 will continue the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began. Earlier, we have seen the community move from January 1997 through December 1998. We are now in January of 1999, in episodic serial format…

Episode 17 - Christopher; Tuesday morning…

{From the close of Episode 16 - Bruce Randolph speaking:

“I have an interest in the Bevins Trust and the McDonald Conservancy of which you are probably not aware. My mother, Ethel, was a sister of Mildred McDonald Bevins, and I am here to claim my half of the inheritance of her estate.” Randolph said this with no change of expression.}

Christopher maintained his calm exterior, but inside, his mind and his guts were churning. “That is certainly an interesting revelation, to be sure. You understand, of course, that the family, the Bevins Trustees, will not accept that claim on your word, at face value?”

“Of course.” Randolph allowed a hint of a smile to show on his face. “Were you aware there was a sister?”

Christopher took just a moment to gather his thoughts. “Not personally, no. But, I was not involved back in 1986-87 when Mildred Bevins died and the Trust was created. I was still in high school. My father was the family attorney at that time. I am confident that those kinds of issues would have been carefully considered then.”

“Well, I can assure you that it is true. She died, in New York, shortly after I was born, and never had the opportunity to return to Missouri to claim her birthright. I am now here to do that.” The smile was gone. A look of fierce determination took its place.

“What factual documentation are you prepared to offer us, Mr. Randolph, to substantiate your claim? That would, of course, be our first request. Your name is not even Bevins. But I assume you also have an explanation for that. Perhaps a birth certificate with your mother’s name on it? That would be a good place to start.”

“I don’t have that with me, today. I first wanted to establish whether you would take my claim seriously, or if you would try to throw me out of your office.”

He seemed sincere in saying that, Christopher observed. “This office, I, adhere to the rule of law… and documentation. My current ignorance of facts you claim I actually see as useful, at this point. I have no prejudice one way or another. I’ll look at your documentation; listen to the rest of your story. I’ll check with the family, examine documentation we have in the files here, and we’ll see where it leads us. That is my approach. Is there anything more you’d like to share with me at this point?”

“No. I’ll give you some time to take this in, and talk to the family. I’ll return on Thursday morning. Will that work for you?”

“That will work well, Mr. Randolph. I’ll look forward to seeing you then.”

Bruce Randolph rose from his chair, and left the office.

Christopher sat at his desk, following Randolph’s departure with his eyes. He wondered to himself, “What proof does he have? What documentation do we have? What will happen next?”

Joan’s appearance at his doorway brought him back to the present. “Good. Joan, we have work to do.”

[To be continued - next Friday]

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."

Dr. Bill  ;-)

Episode 16, January 1999 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

January 1999

This series of posts on each Friday, moving forward during 2016 will continue the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began. Earlier, we have seen the community move from January 1997 through December 1998. We are now in January of 1999, in episodic serial format…

Episode 16 - Christopher, Tuesday morning…

The new day did not spare Christopher the foreboding feelings of the previous day. Coming into the office, earlier, the temperature had been near freezing and it felt damp, but there was no precipitation, thankfully. Each day in this Ozarks mountain valley could bring changes in the weather, but this wasn’t a day of change. It was more of the same.

Sometime mid-morning, a buzz from Joan brought Christopher back to the present moment from where ever his mind had been, certainly not here. “There is a Bruce Randolph out here. He is not on your schedule. He says he wants to talk to you about the McDonald Conservancy.”

Those words put Christopher on full alert. He took a deep breath. “Please bring him to my office.” His thoughts included, “No more waiting for another phone call.”

Joan was followed into Christopher’s office by a man in a dark business suit, late fifties, early sixties, grim expression, salt and pepper hair, dark eyes. Joan said, “This is Christopher Ogden.”

“Bruce Randolph,” he shook Christopher’s extended hand, without changing expressions, and took the chair he was offered in front of Christopher’s desk.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Randolph?” Christopher had seated himself behind the desk, and maintained a calm demeanor to match that of Randolph. He was not able to read anything from his visitor’s personal appearance to give a hint as to his intentions. He waited for Randolph to speak.

“Am I correct that you are the attorney for the McDonald Conservancy?”

“Yes, our firm represents the McDonald Conservancy.”

“You also represent the Bevins Trust, which is primarily responsible for the McDonald Conservancy?

“Yes, we represent the Bevins Trust. The Bevins Trust has a relationship with the McDonald Conservancy.” Christopher was impatient to understand where this was going, but remained calm, and answered each question Randolph asked.

“I have an interest in the Bevins Trust and the McDonald Conservancy of which you are probably not aware. My mother, Ethel, was a sister of Mildred McDonald Bevins, and I am here to claim my half of the inheritance of her estate.” Randolph said this with no change of expression.

[To be continued - next Friday]

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."

Dr. Bill  ;-)