Chapter One - The Boy With The Chestnut Hair

[Victoria Steele]

What a good idea Martin, each of us can pick a favorite Chapter and talk about whats in that chapter ...... that way it sort of limits the conversation but keeps up with Pauls efforts. (I'll bet he never considered that this sort of "self organization" would happen!)

I take "The Boy with the Chestnut Hair" .... because .... well ... no secret .... I think that this Morgan character is very interesting. Hes just the kind of guy that used to interest me ... a mystery, somebody smart and athletic and yes , even a BAD BOY. I have always had a soft heart for a bad boy. So I am opening Chapter One for discussion. This is great! Somebody pick another Chapter so we can jump from one to the other!
Victoria

[Mark Culpepper]

Victoria,

There is a scene in Chapter 1 where the two characters ,Morgan and Linda, meet in a school library. Apparently the school is new and so kids are having to carry thier books from class to class. What a royal pain! I can hear the complaints! Morgan first meets Linda Brown in the library and she is picking up an edition of James Joyce. Now this is what I find interesting. Paul quotes Morgan as saying that he was amazed to see that she was running her fingers down the edges of the books on the shelves "as if they were old friends" and I wanted to point something out about what was actually happening there.

I have been a teacher for many years and sometimes we would have military kids blowing through. I noted with interest that some were maladjusted, rebellious , lonely. Others took to the frequent military moves better ....becoming social butterflys who could make friends easily and leave them just as quickly. I made this observation rather easily because it fit my brother and me ... he being the social butterfly in highschool and me being the outsider .

Those of us who travelled ALOT developed our own ways of coping. At some point I discovered the library and it became the place where I figured I could go to be with "friends" ... the books that I had learned to love and respect. And that is what I suspect was happening with Linda Brown. We moved many times, but she moved easily four times more than we did. I still can't imagine it ... close to five moves a year! So it makes sense .... she checked out the new schools library right off ... because she could find her "friends" there. If anything speaks to the authenticity of Pauls words it is that scene. Just an outside observation. Mark

[Victoria Steele]

Mark,

What a wonderful and insightful observation. Thats exactly what happened. She was there to visit with her friends ... the books .... I think that you captured her personality perfectly. Now ... any idea why HE was there.

Elizabeth, you must know .... not trying to stage an end run around Pauls schedule in telling this story but can you say anything more about what happens to Morgan and Linda? I am very much reminded of the lyrics of a Jimmy Buffett song " Love in the Library". Do you know it?

"She gathered her books, walked while she read. Words never spoken but so much was said. You can read all you want into this rendezvous, but its safer than most things that lovers can do ... Well stories have endings, fantasies fade ... and the guard by the door starts drawing the shade ... so
write your own ending and hope it comes true .... for the lovers and strangers on Bay Avenue" .... see ... I told you I was a romantic.

But Mark ... you said that you knew family members in the CIA. Is this Morgan fellow fitting some kind of a profile? Would they have been looking for someone like him, or was this , you think, just an unreachable dream on his part?

Can't give credit entirely to Buffett for the lyric (Mac McAnally) but how bout that for a near perfect fit? Victoria

[Madison]

Victoria,
That quote from Buffett was perfect for the scene. Anybody know him? he needs to write the music for the movie I know this story will be. Madison

[Victoria Steele]

Madison,

What good thought., getting Buffett to do the music score for the movie! Something to work on!

Course ........ Paul has to write the book first! And you know ........ tomorrow is Thursday ......... It will be interesting to know what he has uncovered because, other than the latest post, he has been REALLY QUIET this week. Anybody notice that or was I the only one?

As much as I enjoy the Morgan/Linda storyline I am curious too about what was happening with Townsend and Josephine. Can you just imagine what it must have been like for Josephine to marry into that kind of lifestyle. The secrecy and the constant moving? How do you ever "settle down" with a man like that? Victoria

[twigsnapper]

Paul,

I am still amazed at Lindas adaptability but still impressed with how terribly hard it must have been for her to have moved so many times. now .... suddenly..... she is able to stay in one place for two whole years. Forty eight schools in her entire school experience ... but two full years in this particular place. Paul, have you figured out why the family stayed so long? Twigsnapper

[Martin Calloway]

Everybody,

I just posted on the "Follow the Money" section the comment that it must have been hard on Linda moving so many time (and expensive too) but here we have a situation where the Browns effectively threw out an anchor for nearly two years.

I might be wrong, but from the looks of it I think that Dr. Brown did it especially for his daughter. His wife wanted a proper home, even pointed out exactly the home that she wanted AND STRANGELY that particular home became available. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? For those of you who don't know that much about that time in their lives try reading Pauls Chapter 22 "Closing Ashlawn" Its exceptionally interesting.

While the family was there at Ashlawn they seemed to have lived without regard to expense. A limo, houseman, maid, and Charles ... whoever Charles actually was, for some of the time he apparently served as "driver". And the moment Linda left it was like some kind of Mission Impossible set that just broke down and moved off. Wierd.

Isn't that sort of weird? But the strangeness here really is that Dr. Brown stayed in one place for nearly two years. I mean, given his history. Paul, Is that why he had Charles nearby? Was it more dangerous for Townsend Brown to stay in one spot that long? A thought. Martin

[grinder]

This is an interesting chapter to go over again, now that I know a little more about Morgan and what is in store for him. I think maybe sitting down with Tolstoy (chapter 38) was a defining moment in his life, the beginning of many decisions to be made. (If you are just reading this and haven't read #38 yet ... its an interesting chapter, for sure, and my comments will make more sense to you if you have read it.)

But I guess the idea was that he didn't have to decide RIGHT THEN if he was going to join this Caroline Group. Though I think from what Morgan has said that it was made very plain that ONCE IN ... there was no way out. This happening was just about a little over a year from the chapter where he meets Linda and Dr. Brown for the first time. Talk about a quantum leap.

I wondered if there were other Caroline members who had a two way ticket? Or was it just the nature of Morgans work that would have made him more of a liability on the loose out there? Why was Stephenson only interested in knowing if he would "draw and fire" on a threat? What sorts of "threats" I wonder was the group ramping up for? And how far up the ladder did this kid get, I wonder? I guess I should repeat these questions in the "questions for Paul section. He probably will never find them here.

grinder

[Victoria Steele]

hey guys,

I was thinking about my main man Morgan, as a twenty year old.

What would he have done, do you think if he hadn't gotten into this deal with Townsend Brown. Course I don't know what that actually was ...... but putting that aside, what might he have done, I wonder.

Lets just say that he never bothered to walk across that field to visit Ashlawn, never met Dr. Brown, never fell in love with Linda. What would he have done I wonder.

Bright, language oriented? Diplomatic Corps probably. Maybe would have hitchhiked through Europe adventuring. Yes, I can see him doing that. A philospher but too much a man of action I think to get stuck in a teaching job. And for most of whatever he would pick, especially if he had stayed on the main line, I think he would have been bored. BORED in big letters.

Politics? You think? Well, maybe! if he had gone to law school first, which he probably could have done. Lawyers are generally well rounded individuals before they settle into a certain area. Politics is where lawyers go for excitement! I don't know . That doesn't feel right for Morgan. I don't think that he had a big tolerence for bullshit but I don't know that for sure. Just going by Lindas reaction to him and I don't think that she would have fallen for a bullshit artist. Far too perceptive for that.

Actually, around in a big circle. I think that Morgan ALWAYS knew under it all what he was meant to do, but he thought it was a dream, and then when it came to life in front of his face he could hardly believe his good fortune. I do think however at one point he had to "Pick up on one and leave the other behind" as the song goes. Pretty obvious that this guy with the chestnut hair was going to have to pick the thing that meant the most to him. Must be hard, if she still cares for him for Linda to be reading all this. Its like we are picking apart her personal life for our own enjoyment. I don't mean to do that and I am sorry if you happen to take it that way, but you must have known at the start that this book thing was going to be difficult. So the question has been asked ........ why is Paul writing this book ....... and now I ask Linda ........ why have you been helping? and exactly how? I know that you were keeping a journal .... did you just hand those over to Paul? That had to have been tough! How do you learn to trust somebody that much? I don't know. I don't think I could have done it.

But I think that the book is going to be absolutely great. Monday! he says! Victoria

[Mark Culpepper]

Good points Victoria,

Yes, I can't quite see "your man Morgan" as quite the teacher type, and you are right. He probably would have been bored to death.

That point taken, the question of "what did he do with his association now developing with the Caroline Group?" A "security agent" they told him? Out of Boston and New York, Nassau and San Francisco? Are we being told here where their main "offices" would be?

Paul has told us that he believes that the Group had an office in San Francisco, so that might answer the question many of us had about the Chapter "Closing Ashlawn" where it was noted that Charles was taking some furniture to San Francisco, obviously doing that at the request of Dr. Brown. So, did Morgan end up in San Francisco? Did he eventually work with Charles?

Now thats an interesting thought. I believe one of the things that Morgan mentioned to Paul was that this character Charles "scared the heck out of him" or something like that. So Paul, can you tell us yet? Did Morgan ever work with Charles?

And talking about "agents being recruited" Do you know what exactly it was that Charles did? Was he actually a bodyguard? Or just a "personal assistant", maybe with the advantage of being armed.

And then. If he was armed, was that just to make sure that Dr. Brown never fell into the "wrong hands". Now thats a pretty disturbing thought.

Paul can you tell us anything more about Charles? Or has he just "exited" the story? Has he been one of your "sources?" Mark C.

[Victoria Steele]

Now that Mr. O'Riley has been introduced into the story I wonder if our Mr. Twigsnapper could tell us what ever happened to Charles?

Does he come back into the story at all? or is that last scene at Ashlawn the last time that we see him? Was he a "security agent" too ? Was that the same sort of position that Morgan was being offered? So did Morgan take up the position then of being Dr. Browns "armed guard?" Wouldn't that have been difficult with his attachment to Linda? I know we have already discussed that Mr. Twigsnapper was there to protect Dr. Brown, or failing that, make sure that he never fell into the wrong hands.

But that wouldn't explain the need for someone who spoke fluent Russian.

Paul, I know you are on vacation (somewhere near a lake? You lucky dog you) but when you get back can you adress any of this? I am asking because I am really curious what being an "international security agent" really meant precisely. What would a person brought into that kind of world be expected to do? Do ALL of them have to turn their backs on their families or can you have your exciting job AND a family? I mean, are their levels of this kind of work? How would one go about applying for that kind of job and what sort of qualifications would the Caroline Group require?
Just wondering. Victoria

[Martin Calloway]

Seems we always raise alot of guestions when Paul is out of town.

Splashing around in a lake. Smart man.

Hey Victoria, so are you asking out of pure curiosity? Or are you applying for a position? <g>

You seemed fascinated by the kinds of questions that Morgan had to answer, or were you just interested in his answers?

There must be different sorts of entry levels for this kind of operation. I mean, they all can't be expected to be at the genius level that Morgan was when he was brought in, could they?

Mr. Twigsnapper? Can you tell us more about that? I mean, its pretty obvious that this "group" would need back up workers. They can't all be genius level operatives? Or do they all have to be? Just how are people asked to join up? If thats how it happens and ,do they even know who their employers actually are? I guess the best question would be, Would they have any reason to know? Martin

[grinder]

This has been bothering me since I first read it and I have ignored the urge to ask "The Boy with THE Chestnut Hair"? Thats such an odd looking phrase. I can not get the image of ONE chestnut hair out of my mind! Wouldn't it read better " The Boy with Chestnut Hair" ?

Its just a point to ponder when you run out of important stuff but I think I have a valid one here! grinder

[Paul S.]

I can not get the image of ONE chestnut hair out of my mind!

How about "The Boy With The Chestnut Hairs" ?

--PS

[Elizabeth Helen Drake]

I had a room mate once in college that would insist on saying that she was going to wash her " hairs" ....... which drove all of us nuts (some even giggled about dirty rabbits in the dorm) but she was a Dutch farm girl and she thought what she was saying made perfect sense. Finally our English professor stopped the arguement between all of us ....." When you say "Hair" you are referring to "Head of Hair" she explained with a wide grin .... so we all went away being very smug and ,momentarily anyway, vindicated. And our room mate gave up on that point. However thats about the only phrase she gave up. Eventually we even learned to use her "Outten the Lights" when it was time for the dorm to go dark.

So I vote with grinder. <g> Elizabeth