Chapter 39 - Remember, Dear

[Paul S.]

...is now available here:

https://www.ttbrown.com/defying_gravity ... rdear.html

This chapter includes a verbatim reprint of a newspaper article from 1936. This is the material that surfaced last week -- just in time to be included in this chapter.

--PS

[Victoria Steele]

So, here I am. Just waiting!

You ever watch kittens at a dairy farm? Like that! Victoria

[Victoria Steele]

Paul,

Again, I am absolutely SPEECHLESS!

Going to take me some time to absorb all of that but it is GREAT< GREAT< GREAT! And you have proven again just what I was saying on another post. YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF! Holy Cow. Victoria

[LongboardLOVELY]

So how many years were they divorced? Or was it a paper trail thing?

Paul, I liked the way you wrote between the lines. I could see that he (TTB) was not "dissing" his wife, but most likely protecting her. But from what?

I liked the way you drew the picture of the undercurrents of imminent war and painted it into the background of the tumultuous relationship between Josephine and Townsend Brown. Sometimes it takes a third party (a soon to be UBERfamous writer) to see the big picture.

Well done chapterette. Oh, and if you're busy I'll let you know that I posted a note at the end of the Bletchley Park forum thread for you to look at.

Linda

[Elizabeth Helen Drake]

Was it just me? I was SHOCKED at the fact that some of those questions in that test were actually even printed! I mean, this is 1936. Pretty racey reading! Of course I know from my research that the CIA, for example would make those guestions look like a kindergarten party but still, this was 1936 and I can imagine that some of those inquiries took the young men back just a bit.

But I thought that the first question, as odd as it seems, was really excellent. It was something like ..." Have you ever been homesick?" and "if so, how long ago".

To me thats an indication that they were looking for self reliant individuals , pretty much "weaned" and ready for adventures in a larger world. Its really a revealing question.

I asked myself what Morgans response might have been to that question, then I remembered what he had been quoted as saying in Chapter 32 (Reflections on Biscayne Bay) "Anyway, when I met Linda I had just come back into that strange fold(he was speaking of his home in Pennsylvania), after running away and being gone for two about two years. I had discovered that I could survive out there and that I was smart enough to survive on the streets without getting the shit kicked out of me." So, I guess, getting homesick wasn't much of a consideration for him.

And I wondered what would have happened if someone had asked Linda that. She probably would have responded that they were never anywhere long enough! You have to have roots somewhere to miss them.

Paul. It all came together really well and I think that even Victoria will declare that the wait was worth it.

Elizabeth

[twigsnapper]

When I was a very young man some officer walked down our ranks and said that there was a "special duty station" that was looking for adventurous young chaps who could swim. They were looking for volunteers and they couldn't say any more than that they said. I thought that sounded interesting. So I lied. "Yes, of course I can swim!" I heard myself spout. Of course I didn't specify for how long that might be ... so technically maybe .............

Paul knows that I never did learn to swim as well as some but I got where I wanted to be. And I imagine there were more than one of those young men who "lied his way" into that interview. Its human nature.

Paul knows that I know a little bit about Morgans various responses to that sort of testing so I won't say more here. I recognize that its important for him to follow his timeline, so I will respect his need for control over the storyline.

I will say one thing though. Morgan was exceptionally intelligent. and he never actually lied to any of my questions. (He might have twisted the truth until is lay gasping on the floor but he never actually point blank lied.)

There is a saying that most of us adopt with people who count. Usually the line is something akin to "I will never lie to you, but I may not tell you the truth." Yes, well, you see. Once you figure that one out, you will understand the mentality of some of these guys.

I did ask Morgan that " homesick" question and he said something very interesting. He separated it. He asked me "Are you asking about missing a "location?" If thats the question then the answer is absolutely NO. NEVER.
If you are asking me about a personal element? The answer to "Have you EVER been homesick? My answer is "Not yet"

Twigsnapper

[ladygrady]

My Goodness. This Morgan is a complicated chap.

And Dr. Brown is the master of twists.

I am still trying to figure in my mind if it was a divorce which was just for show? Or was Josephine really hell- bent on starting a new life? (Having some experience with a dominating Mother-in-Law I can vouch for the situation being untenable.)

And then the scandal of it in that small town! After such a swell and romantic send off wedding.! Oh, how the tongues must have wagged on that juicy piece! And I understand it was a fairly small town which would just make things worse for a lady who valued her privacy. I noted that they kept their dating a secret so I am sure that having her divorce petition in the local paper did nothing for her happiness. And how could she have known what was happening with him if he was keeping horrendous secrets from her?

And at that time being a divorced woman was, well, for lack of a better word, shameful. Not her fault maybe, but still .....shameful. terrible situation. ladygrady

[Chris Knight]

Townsend doesn't seem to be the kind of person to fall into unexpected situations. Ladygrady brought up the possibility that the divorce was just for show, which is a definite possibility since we all know they got back together after a time and spent the rest of their lives together.

If it was just for appearances, I wonder whether there was some element that could have caused her (his family harm) in the circles or research he was involved in at that time, or perhaps he was working on some project that might lead to his untimely demise.

Questions, questions...

Andrew

[Victoria Steele]

Who was the blonde mentioned in that "Secret Expedition" article.

And you know. It couldn't have been a NAVY secret expedition because they would have not allowed that article to be printed . I don't think. Some "Secret Voyage" when its splashed all over the paper. Lets see this was early springtime 1936 and Josephine filed for divorce the next year. They had "lost" the place where they were married, had a very young boy. Josephine living with her Mother-in-Law, oh lord, that can't be good.

So tell me, I wonder. Was Josephine the blonde? No wait, Paul , what color did you say her hair was ..... dark blonde? So maybe SHE was the pretty blonde woman. If she was, then I think it was Even less a military cruise. but if not then who was that blonde lady? Maybe just a temp secretary for that particular job.

Not that all that matered. They were divorced. I just can't wait to find out how they got together again!

And maybe he divorced her to keep her safe and if so THATS going to make a great storyline too. Waiting here. for the next chapter!!!! Like being first in line for the parade! Victoria

[Victoria Steele]

Hey Paul. AFTER VEGAS, lets go back to an explaination maybe of these questions.

Why did Josephine and Townsend divorce? Really?

You have given us hints that they were meeting "on the banks of the Potomac" while they were DIVORCED. Now thats pretty darned interesting.If they separated to keep her safe, well then, I think that she didn't follow instructions all that well because it looks like for some reason she signs right up for "active duty" in Stephensons intelligence agency.

Mr. Twigsnapper and the other "source" that you questioned for credibility have told you that she became one of Mr. Stephensons best American agents. Mr. Twigsnapper has in fact said that the "American agents" carried the number 48 in their ID numbers for his organization. That strikes me as pretty specific information. Have you been able to verify that?

It was said that Josephine was "one of the best" ..... doing WHAT? was she spying on businessmen in this country who were dealing with the Nazis? I have been reading up on Stephenson a little so I know that alot of that was going on and it was dangerous work., I am not sure how accurate this information actually is but apparently Stephenson was hell on wheels with Nazi agents here in this country. So on one hand you have a war going on between the Nazi agents before the war broke out for this country, and Hoovers FBI on the other side worrying over every step that the BSC was making. But how does Josephine BEALE Brown fit into all of this? And WHY?

Thats one of the questions I really want to see answered.

She moved to Washington BEFORE they remarried.

And they remarried in 1940? He left the Navy in 1942 under a cloud of "homosexuality" yet Josephine goes to California with him. Another reason I would guess that gay charge is just a front because she certainly would have ditched him after that enormous embarassment. If she was prone to do that. But apparently she stayed with him for the rest of his life. Pretty darned good.

Still trying to put my finger on SOMETHING that is just right there on the surface. Damn. Victoria