Chapter 6, the house on east 14th street

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burdick
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Chapter 6, the house on east 14th street

Post by burdick » Mon Dec 10, 2012 3:33 am

Chapter 6, the house on east 14th street, research notes

It was summer in California, and the valley baked under a sun in a cloudless sky. Eulalie, Laurita, and Emerico Casas climbed into their small U-Haul truck, and with mixed emotions started their long journey to New York City .Emerico had accepted the new position, starting in the summer so Eulalie would be able to start 4th grade. The family decided to rent a small apartment in Manhattan, rather than trying to buy or rent a house. Eulalie would have her own room, however. It was mostly furnished, so the family moved only those things that were too dear to them to sell. Since the company was paying for the move, they planned out a sight-seeing trip. The first stop was los Vegas, then on through the mountains to Denver, across the prairie to Kansas City, and on to St Louis, Indianapolis, Harrisburg, and finally New York.
“ Eulalie” , said papa, “ the united states is a really big country and our trip across it will take about eight days, because we want you to see things along the way. It is about2500 miles to New York City. Think of it as an adventure….perhaps the reverse of what the settlers from the east took coming here in the early days of California. It will be something to remember for the rest of your life “
To Eulalie (and perhaps also her parents) it was an adventure, but just little bit scary.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


The supper tonight was an Ethiopian meal that Aimone ordered in from a nearby restaurant (the Awash Ethiopian Restaurant) He had it set up buffet style and told the restaurant to prepare it mild enough for the western tongue, so they had:
AZIFA; Fresh Lentils, red onions, hot African mustard, hot green peppers and lemon – served cold
GIFILFIL; beef strips sautéed in spicy berbere sauce mixed with injera
YATAKILT ALICHA; cabbage, carrot, potatoes, delicately sautéed with peppers onions and garlic
And
DORO WAT; tender chicken gently simmered in berbere sauce with boiled eggs
The only person who found none of the dishes too hot, was Sun-ja Park . Most used the injera to cool things off. Cicero, when he was offered some, walked out of the room with his tail held high.
Nigar told the group that the fifth floor apartment had been rented to a Mr. and Mrs. Casas and eight year old daughter, Eulalie who would move in shortly, then asked Aimone:
“When they get here, they will be driving a small U-Haul. Would you be available to help them get their stuff up to the apartment?”
“of course!”

>>>>>>>>>>

The next saturday Aimone, Jacobs, and Chalabi met in Aimone’s apartment. They all had copies of the document that Chalabi had drafted.
(Aimone)” since I am the least knowledgeable person and the focus of this corporation let me try to outline what my understanding of this very complex document is. The corporation (as opposed to a foundation) is An S Corporation (named in such a manner because of it’s organization meeting the IRS requirements to be taxed under Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code) .
I would be the chairman (person) of the board, Jacobs would be the treasurer, and Chalabi would be the CEO. Ten thousand shares would be created. I would be given one thousand shares, and Jacobs and Chalabi would each be issued 500 shares each. Each of us would be given a salary.
Although it is not included in the document, the plan would be for me to sell gemstones through whatever means (but mostly through you two) and invest those sales into the corporation for additional shares. For the time being, no shares would be put up for sale. For startup expenses, I will transfer $300,000.”
(Chalabi) “Good enough, I have contacts in the middle-east that are actively seeking fine gemstones. When the stones are ready (which I understand will be soon) I will have a representative of the buyer meet with me in Amsterdam. “
(Jacobs) “My lawyer advises me that the articles of corporation are sound and will perform the way we wish. The stones are cut and ready. The largest one is 80.74 carats and is very similar to the Sancy diamond which is pale yellow and 55.23 carats. Our stone is more a citron yellow, but clear and good. The Sancy sold for$1 million to the Louvre in 1978. The price of diamonds has gone up. I estimate the value of ours to be about $2.5 million. If you get an offer of that much, accept it. The smaller, 27.08 carat stone should bring about $900,000. I have a buyer for the two 5 carat stones, and will bring them back with me on my next trip. If we can sell them without bringing them into the U.S., it would be best to do so. Auction houses here and in England want a history for the diamonds they put up at auction.”

>>>>>>>>>

The next morning Aimone got a package from Ethiopia. It contained a letter and a small painting from Jayden Birru . The letter read:
“Dear Aimone,
First of all, an American couple has taken teaching positions in the university. Of course, the government did not let us know, so it was quite a surprise! They need a place to live, and quite frankly I have been uneasy about leaving your home empty for long periods of time. I rented them the house for a year, which solves a number of problems.
Sophia sends you her love. She says the chickens have worked out well, except the cocks are rather stupid and do not run from the baboons. She has lost one to them already. While cleaning the house she found this painting your mother did of the compound many years ago. She thought you would like it in your apartment in New York.
Let me know if this gets to you. The couple (Dr. and Mr. Dean) has a computer and are trying to get online. They said that when they do, they will email you. Assume, I think, it will be monitored.
Cheers, Jayden. “
Aimone hung the painting over his desk in the study, pulled out the document yet unreadable that he had taken from the box, and typed it into a work document on his computer:
VUKUG VUBTY FDDCC DUERQ CKNKI KNGOW ZYSBD GVSVK DLNVW NBVEN FESHN ADGVK SUVNE DFSDG VZSVE NFDVU EVBDE DBTDG VJXQW UGVKU CKNKS UWWDW WWSFT AKUDQ SVDAN OTDGV BSGZS WYUNV DCDGV SVKUS MVSY YUBUU SGWDE DBYYN CKNCD KEKER QWNBV VDESZ DQDWR XGWBD HTGYN DBNAS EZKDL NVVSS YSENW DKOVW DWDGV MEDQW MUKSL LSSVV UKDGB VGONA EGDBK SUWUP UCTEV KNZKU VW1DG USVCD KMUWW NEDOU ZZSKN WNBUU
(that “1” sure looks strange among all those letters, he thought)

>>>>>>>>>>>

Hacivat and Cheri Jones had reached an “understanding”.
Cheri was doing well at Julliard, and her voice had improved remarkably, but she knew now that the career of a professional singer was not something she wanted! Too much work in a cutthroat business. The talented wife of a professor looked much better to her.
And maybe, a little later, maybe much later, a baby (or two?)
Hacivat was beyond thinking, all he wanted was what Cheri wanted. There was a teaching position at Long Island University that he could fill. He was finding out in his internship that he had BIG problems with countertransference with young females. (duh) he was thankful for the internship to safely work that out.
Cheri had moved in with Hacivat, and Hacivat had finally told his father. They planned to get married after she had completed her first year, and he had applied for the position with the university. Everyone seemed happy with the understanding.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The U-Haul was loaded. Mama had a few tears running down her face has she belted Eulalie into her seat, and climbed up next to papa. Sandra and a few of the kids were there to see Eulalie off, so she sat very proud and straight as they drove off to los Vegas.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
That evening Karagoz was in the front room watching the nightly news, when he heard a knock at the inside door. It was Nigar.
“Come on in, I was just relaxing. Would you like a cup of coffee? Something to drink?”
Nigar smiled and came in and sat in his “guest chair” (the only other one in the room, other than his own).
“No, nothing thanks. I need to line up some escort jobs for you. You made a very good impression on Elizabeth Pierpont Lodge (nee Koch, by the way), which makes me happy, because she is a close friend of mine.”
Karagoz smiled and nodded.
“Her husband, Cornelius (st john) Pierpont Lodge, has been supporting the Archaeology Department of Boston University in its’ interest to research in Turkey. He has arranged for the dean of that department, and the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, Ertuğrul Günay, to be his guests in his Long Island home to work out an agreement. Mr. Günay went to Dallas to work out the details of the return of the Orpheus Mosaic to Turkey from the Dallas Museum of Art. Cornelius feels he will need additional security for the visit. His head of security is an ex special services man, and feels you (with your army record) would work out well. ASA, I am told, agrees. He will call you and set up things with you personally. If you accept, let me know and I will work out the money details with Elizabeth.
Elizabeth is pregnant, which delights both the Koch and the Pierpont Lodge families. Both Elizabeth and Cornelius are only children and Elizabeth’s biological clock is ticking.”
Nigar stood, smiled, and for some reason, shook his hand, and left leaving a somewhat puzzled Karagoz.
The security chief, Kurt Anderson, called and Karagoz and he agreed to cover security for the upcoming visit the next weekend. The cook wanted to shop for fresh fish at the new Fulton fish market (now in the Bronx) on Thursday, so Karagoz would meet them there at 10AM, and could ride back with them .
On Thursday, Karagoz took the subway to the West Farms subway station in the Bronx, and then hailed a taxi to take him to the Fulton Street Fish Market. It was new to him, so he walked around in it until 10AM. Kurt and the cook were waiting for him at the entrance, holding a number of heavy looking bags. They went to the parking lot, loaded the bags into a cold storage box in the trunk, climbed into the car (Kurt driving and Karagoz in front with him.) and went south to Long Island, and then east on 495. The cook was a pleasant, middle aged, slightly overweight woman. Kurt was a fit, well built, 40ish man with those very light blue eyes that were more than a little scary. On the way, he outlined the visit and how they (just the two of them) would provide security.
Karagoz had never been out on long Island and had always thought of it as open countryside. When he remarked about this Kurt told him that it had a population of 7,568,304 and If it were a state, Long Island would rank 13th in population (after Virginia) and first in population density. They turned onto smaller and smaller roads until they reached the north coast about half way out the island. The house was big and impressive, split into three sections. They parked in front of the east wing, unloaded the car, and carried it all into the kitchen. Kurt took him to his room (in the east wing) and told him that lunch for the staff would be served in the kitchen at 1 PM. Kurt would take him to meet Mr. Pierpont Lodge shortly thereafter.
The staff ( a butler, cook, housekeeper, maid, groundskeeper, and security man) all ate the same meal that was prepared for the “house’ table. It was served “family style” and a relaxed pleasant time. To Karagoz it seemed to follow the “upstairs-downstairs” mode of living that he thought was long gone. Other than a few quick glances at his very red hair, they took him into their group wholeheartedly.
After the meal Kurt took him into the center section of the house , knocked on the door of the study, and introduced him to Mr. Pierpont Lodge.
Now he knew why his red hair was a point of interest!
Mr. Pierpont Lodge had the same curly tangle of bright red hair that he had!
The pity was, however, he was also a very ugly man. His nose was quite long, there was little chin, and he had buck teeth. Happily this was offset by a smile on his mouth, and a twinkle in his eye.
He took over at once, leaving Kurt to go back to some work he wanted to do, Mr.PL (as the staff called him out of his presence)took him room to room, commenting that he was pleased that he had given his wife a good time when he escorted her to the French quarter. He was a very likable person and his social skills were developed to put anyone he met at ease.
They then went into the west wing, which was reserved for guests.
“I don’t expect any problems. The Turks want to lure population back into the eastern part of Turkey, and Boston University wants to establish a base of operations in that area. They need money to do that, and I will provide that if all goes well. There are many serious problems to be solved, but I think it can be done. I would like Mr. Anderson to be in the room with us and you to provide security outside while we meet. I understand that you served in that area during your time in the US army, so after the meeting there will be a few things I would like to discuss with you
My wife is in London, by the way, hiring a nanny and won’t be back for about a week.”
(Thank God, thought Karagoz, it was all getting to be too much for me!)

Early Saturday morning Günay, Günay, the dean, and Kurt disappeared into the library in the main part of the house from 9AM to 9M,with a few short breaks. Kurt met briefly with Karagoz and told him that things were going well, and to get Karagozs’ opinion of the cultural climate (security problems) in eastern turkey.
They were done by 1PM the next day! Gunay and the dean were taken to the airfield and the Pierpont –Lodges’ airplane (Lear jet) flew the dean to New York, and then, Günay on to his next meeting in Rome. It would pick up Mrs. Pierpont –Lodge in London on the way back. Mr. Pierpont –Lodge decided to have Kurt drive Karagoz back to the house on east 14th street, saving Karagoz the confusion of train travel (and giving Kurt a chance to get to know Karagoz better, and to see the house)
Last edited by burdick on Thu Dec 13, 2012 4:37 am, edited 2 times in total.

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burdick
Seafoam Poet
Posts: 276
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2003 12:01 am
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Re: Chapter 6, the house on east 14th street

Post by burdick » Mon Dec 10, 2012 3:45 am

here i am in chapter six and i just now realized that i haven't introduced my plot yet! I got so involed with making my characters real (hey!, at least to me!) that i forgot to add subtance......guess i like to research too much.
is it necessary to have a plot/ and what is a plot anyway?.....all new territory to me. ( o henry is one of my favorites)
anyway, in the army (many years ago) i was a "crypto" ("clerk typist"} so i put in a little puzzle for you to solve.
i am waiting for the jpgs (and tell this old man exactly how to insert them please) which will make things more fun i think.

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heinzs
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Re: Chapter 6, the house on east 14th street

Post by heinzs » Mon Dec 10, 2012 10:00 am

We used to do role-play cooperative writes here. The mainstay of their existence was character development. Plot always seemed to be on the back burner. In the end you may be re-shuffling these 6 parts into the work at different locations than now listed. Many writers write non-sequentially and then organize their separate "chapters" into a cohesive whole. You'll know what and where you want something when you get further along.

Cheers!

:thumbsup:
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