Thread: New studio
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Old 09-15-2018, 02:51 AM
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joseph engraver joseph engraver is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Sarzana,Italy
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Default Re: New studio

As we were walking out of the auction house with the bank draft and appraisal letter, I asked,
Uncle Earl, did you know that your sword was worth thirteen thousand dollars? He did not answer me instead he lit his pipe, and then he said. You must be hungry, letīs find a Chinese restaurant...When we were seated , he finally said.
No James, I did not have any idea of its value, and I am sure that the auction house will sell it for at least fifty percent more. But what is more interesting to me is that I have three just like it put away in a trunk. And, there are more trunks in storage, full of rare things I have collected over the last fifty years. Now I think it is time to have some Chinese food for lunch.
I was very hungry and ate all the Shrimp Chow Mein and Spring roll, but my uncle only ate his rice and drank his tea, then read his fortune cookie. What does yours say uncle? He handed it to me to read. “You will go on a great adventure.”
Now James what does yours tell you? I broke mine in half pulled out the white slip of paper and could not believe my eyes when I read “Good Fortune is near “
I was worried that he was not eating and asked him why he was not hungry?
Don’t you fret, James I am saving my appetite for the right occasion?
He asked the waitress to call for a cab, paid the bill, and we sat in silence until it showed up.
As I helped him into the cab he said, Letīs go to your bank first, I owe you for the day at the park; I want to put this check in your savings account.
I thought he was joking, and did not believe my uncle.
Uncle Earl have you lost your mind, you must be going senile.
He laughed so loudly that the cabby turned to see if he was having a fit. With tears of laughter and a huge smile he said.
No James, I am completely sane. I have precious little time left , and if I don’t give this money away it will end up in my estate and your parents and lawyers will get it, but as long as I am alive I can give it to anyone I care to and I care that you should have it on one condition. That you promise me you will take care of Alice after I die.
I promise you Uncle. Then I began to cry.
Don’t cry James you have nothing to cry over, now let’s put this money in your account .What bank do you have you savings account with? I dried my tears and wiped my dripping nose on my sleeve and said. It is the Bank of The west on Bush Street.
Cabby, Take us there and wait for us. The cabby shrugged his shoulders looked at us in his mirror and said. "The meter on this cab don’t stop running until I shut it off .It īs your money and I aint got no place I want to be."
As I helped my uncle out of the cab and into the banks lobby. He said.
James it has become a long day for me, I am feeling a bit tired. I will just sit here enjoy the air conditioning. You take the check and have it deposited into your account.
At the tellers window I presented my saving book and gave him the check, then told him that the man sitting by the entrance was my great uncle and he had endorsed the check. He looked over to where he was sitting, then went over to him and asked for his identification. Five minutes later I had a new savings account balance of $ 13, 200 and 68 cents.
Uncle Earl looked very pale as I helped him into the cab.
When we were seated he said to me. Let’s go home nephew. I would like to take Alice back to the park, listen to the birds singing and the children playing.
Alice was watching from the window when we arrived home. I sat my uncle in his wheel chair, opened the door and she came outside and immediately jumped on to his lap. He petted her, let out a long tired sighed and said.
It is good to be home again. Now please take us to the park, I would like a chocolate milk shake. Do you think you can find that for me there? I was relieved to hear that he wanted to eat something and said.
Of course I can uncle; I also know where to find a great ham sandwich with tomatoes, pickles, and lettuce on pumpernickel bread. I was happy to see him smile again, but sad when he answered,
That is good James. If you want one buy one for yourself. I will just sit here and watch Alice chase the squirrels.
The sun was settling into the horizon, the air had turned cool and the fireflies began to glow in the park. He looked at the flowers and said,
I think that amongst those roses will be a nice place to spread my ashes.
When we finished eating, Alice jumped onto his lap, I knew it was time to go home and help him undress and put him to bed. As I pushed him along the walkway he began to ramble about his life.
I never married or had children, but I wish I could have had a son. When I came home from Hawaii I decided that no woman would want a half man, so I stayed a bachelor and lived with my sister, we lived on my pension and the income from the pawn shop.
The sword I sold today I bought for forty dollars in 1947, you can see that it has appreciated in value over the years. I have many things from the Pacific and Europe wars .I also have a large collection from the civil war and the Indian wars out west...I have absolutely no idea of their worth, but I know that they are valuable.
When I die and they become part of my estate and they will go to your parents. And if that happens they will want to get rid of them and call someone from The Salvation Army to take them away. That is why I am going to give them to you as payment for taking such good care of me.
James, I wanted to show you my collection today, but I became too tired. Tomorrow we will have to go back to the city, I want you to see my collection and I still need to go to my bank.
I expect your parents will return soon, and then your job of taking care of me will be done.
I am very tired now please take us home and feed Alice before you retire.
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"What a large volume of adventures may be grasped within this little span of life by him who interests his heart in everything"-Lawrence Sterne
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