| The cold moon inched its way across the sky, etching a lonely arc against a field of icy stars. Gauzy silver-blue light gently reflected off the back picture window at the Harbor View Retirement Community. Jack and Gloria gazed out upon the snowy silence, watching as two deer gingerly darted across the frozen terrain and disappeared into the pine woods to their right, leaving behind a trail of gently curving tracks in the lunar glow. “They appeared almost ghostly,” Gloria said, enchanted by the fleeting image. “We ought to leave out some apples. I’ll bet the other residents would love to do that and watch the deer graze.” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik Jack grunted. “Then we’d always have a herd around here, nosing up to the windows and eating the shrubbery. No thank you. As much as I enjoy watching them, this isn’t a small game farm, Gloria. Let nature take its course.” “But it’s so cold out, Jack.” Gloria wrapped her arms around herself, feigning a bout of the shivers. “Where’s your Christmas spirit?” “Right inside this toasty room, my dear.” “You men. I suppose you’d rather hunt the poor things.” “Not now,” Jack said, carefully pushing the needle through a particularly tough piece of popcorn. He threw a mischievous glance at Gloria. “Out of season.” Gloria grimaced. “Well, enough deer talk. Where were we in our talk?” Jack leaned back and stretched, crossing his legs while he enjoyed a brief break from stringing popcorn. The tiny Christmas tree to his left warmly glowed against the desolate wintry backdrop visible through the side window. “You were telling me about your son Jay.” “That’s right. Jay was also fond of the Townsend building,” Gloria said. “Just like you.” “Didn’t you once say that he’s an architect?” “Yes. He and his wife Judy run their own firm in Pittsburgh.” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “A family business. That’s nice,” Jack said. “I suppose the Townsend inspired him when he was younger. Just like it did me.” Gloria smiled proudly. “Jay fell in love with many of the buildings in Sage Harbor while growing up. And we traveled across country which inspired him even more. He always knew he wanted to design and build things. Then when he met his wife Judy in college, why, it was a match made in paradise as they say. They both had the same dreams, and I’m delighted to say they’re achieving them with hard work and humility.” “A wonderful combination. So what’s their latest project?” asked Jack, his curiosity sparked. He recalled his own long list of projects that had once inspired him, though subsequently set aside when the capricious winds of life spun him in another direction. “They’re designing an office complex in Pittsburgh,” Gloria said. “And a hotel of theirs is a year away from completion in St. Louis. I visited Jay’s office a few times. I was very impressed.” “That’s terrific.” “Best of all, my son’s firm took on a special project which is nearly complete,” Gloria said, an inscrutable smile spreading across her face. “I don’t want to say anything about it just yet, though I can’t wait to see it.” Jack squinted as he cast a fleeting look at her. “Top secret?” Gloria laughed. “Not quite. But I’ll let you know when the time’s right.” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik “Well, okay,” he said, getting back to work. He held up the popcorn string to examine it. “Hey look. I’m making progress. Not exactly laying down steel and brick, but at least I’m constructing something.” Jack cast one end of the garland across the carpet to inspect its length before stringing on additional popcorn. “I once wanted to be an architect, or at least build things. Even went to college with that in mind.” “Really? But you were in real estate, right?” Jack nodded. “Yep. Sold buildings instead of designing them.” “Well somebody had to.” “I suppose.” “Why’d you change your mind?” “Life evolved. I always wanted to design and build some of the great projects of the day. Youthful dreams,” Jack said with a wistful smile. “I already had two years in college toward a business degree with a few drafting courses on the side. I figured I better learn how to be a good businessman first or else none of the rest would matter.” “Makes sense,” Gloria said. “My son wears many hats in his profession.” “Anyway, during that summer after my second year in college, I landed a job with Freddy Ellsworth. He owned a real estate agency in East Oaks. Employed a few people. Nothing huge.” Jack laughed to himself, recalling Freddy’s penchant for wearing wide bold ties. “Stars, checkers or ink blot patterns. And the wilder the color, the more he liked it. Can’t ever recall seeing Freddy in a normal tie. Guess that was part of his charm.” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik Gloria agreed. “My Ned was fond of his slippers. He’d break in a pair and wouldn’t give them up until they were literally falling apart at the seams. Whenever I saw bits of leather scattered across the floor, I knew it was time to convince him to buy a new pair.” She took a slow deep breath, past images flickering through her mind like home movies on a projector screen. “But really, after all is said and done, those are the important things, Jack. Slippers and overcooked chicken and–” “Spilled coffee on brand new white carpeting?” Jack and Gloria both burst out laughing. “Boy, did I catch hell for that. But Charlene and I always laughed about it years after, especially any time we bought something new for the house.” Gloria smiled, her spirit buoyed by the shared joy of their reminiscences. “So Freddy took you on as a real estate agent?” “Not at first. Freddy had some unoccupied properties and the grounds needed maintaining so they’d always be ready to show. His previous guy had quit, so it was a perfect way for me to earn a few bucks during my college breaks,” Jack said. “Eventually I was doing minor home repairs and even accompanied him on some of the showings. Well, one thing led to another, and after I got my degree, Freddy hired me fulltime. He trained me and paid for my licensing courses. I figured I’d earn some money first and pursue my architectural ambitions later, but…” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik Gloria cast a curious glance Jack’s way. “What happened?” “Well, I found out that I really enjoyed selling properties. I was pretty good at it too. And as the years went by, my desire to build the next skyscraper in Manhattan or ski lodge in the Rockies slowly faded away.” “You liked what you were doing that much?” Gloria asked. “I did. But something happened shortly after I started training as an agent for Freddy.” Jack recalled a warm spring breeze playing through a tiny grove of apple blossoms beside a mossy creek. “Something that changed my blueprint in life forever.” © Copyright 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik |
| ~ CHAPTER 7 ~ |
| A CHRISTMAS CASTLE |
| by Thomas J. Prestopnik © Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved. |
