Episode 26 - February 1st, 1999 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

February 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 January 1999. We now pick up our story on February 1st of 1999, continuing in episodic serial format…

Virginia's Farm house

Episode 26 - Monday, Feb. 1st, late afternoon - Karen visited Virginia again

Karen visited Virginia at the nursing home. Virginia seemed to be in good spirits.

Karen: I wanted to share some news with you about a person we met recently who turned out to be a relative.

Virginia: That is usually a pleasant thing to learn.

Karen: Yes, that was especially true, in this case. His name is Bruce Randolph. He lives in New York City and is about my age, a couple of years younger, actually.

Virginia: New York. Did you know you had any family in New York?

Karen: Not until I talked to you last time. He is Ethel’s son.

Virginia: Well, isn’t that something. I suppose it makes sense, but it has been a very long time. [Karen could see Virginia’s mind wander off into the distance for a few moments. Karen waited a bit to reply.]

Karen: We learned a little more about the story. [She paused] But we also learned there is much of the story of Ethel we will never know. She died shortly after giving birth to Bruce, in 1939. It was within a few days of when Grandpa William died.

Virginia: Did William know?

Karen: We cannot know for sure. It appears he may have had a letter from Ethel that she was having a baby… but then, they each passed away without further contact.

Virginia [Taking that all in, and reflecting]: Then, he and Ethel did keep in contact?

Karen: That does appear to be the case. We did find evidence that he did support her move, financially. However, we did not find any letters between them, just a few brief notes in the journal he kept, that mentioned her, almost in coded words. He was keeping it a secret from the rest of the family, it appears.

Virginia: He did become quite a self-centered man, lived alone, after his wife died. I’m not surprised to hear that.

Karen (turning the conversation back to the positive): Bruce is a very nice man. We are happy to have a new cousin. He met everyone, and I’m sure he will visit, again.

Virginia: That’s nice. That is as it should be.

Karen (changing the subject completely): Is anyone living on your farm now?

Virginia: No, the house is empty right now. The cropland is rented out, of course, but no one is living there. I thought for a long time that I would move back out, but I know now that I won’t. I’m very happy here. I should probably sell it to some nice young family, but just haven’t, yet.

Karen: Well, there is plenty of time to do that, when you are ready.

[To be continued, next Friday]

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

Dr. Bill  ;-)