Time Is of the Essence

By Aldo Paredes

The World is recovering from the First Great War and trying to avert the second one. The Great Depression is still setting economic terms around the world and it will be the catalyst to set the world ablaze again.

The year is 1931 New York City - the greatest city in the world. It will become the epicenter to a struggle that could plunge the world into darkness and anarchy forever, if evil was to prevail.

When humanity needed it the least, out of the pages of history appears its greatest enemy with evil intentions. This, evil incarnate controls the minds of all those he deems necessary to carry out his will. He has manipulated history to tip the scales of human development his way. He will either rule humanity or completely destroy it.

Humanities arch-nemesis is now in New York City, to ensure that the only person that can stop him is dead along with his small band of unknown heroes. This struggle will take you through histories most exciting and powerful moments, in order to stop the Devil, the Vatican and Hitler.

Aldric, an incredibly intelligent being and Victoria his centuries old protector must risk it all to save humanity from complete annihilation - from the Devil and from a universal tribunal. In so doing they will rely on some extraordinary humans, as well as some infamous ones Nikola Tesla and Big Pauly Castellano.

Several bombs are set to go off around the city. Time is running out for; the world, New York City and our heroes. Clock is ticking and Time Is Of the ESSENCE.

Aldo Paredes was born in Havana, Cuba and immigrated to the United States in 1967 along with his parents and sister but leaving behind his older brother - who the communistic government of Cuba declared ineligible due to his age - 14 1/2 years old.

Aldo Paredes has acquired more than 20 years of diversified design and construction management experience, with a successful record of achievements in a wide range of projects, including; land development, hospitals, airports, schools, restaurants and residential developments.

In the last 5 to 10 years, he has acquired an expertise in Green design with wide ranging applications. A future personal project, which he is currently researching and designing is; to create a proto-typical green house that incorporates a minimum of 90% green design features; from the exterior shell, countertops, fi nishes, power generation, greywater recycling, black water composting, rainwater harvesting and a fully landscaped yard with edible and drought resistant plants.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 16, 2010
• ISBN: 9781450271950

Aldo Paredes

Aldo Paredes was born in Havana, Cuba and immigrated to the United States in 1967 along with his parents and sister but leaving behind his older brother - who the communistic government of Cuba declared ineligible due to his age - 14 1/2 years old. Aldo Paredes has acquired more than 20 years of diversified design and construction management experience, with a successful record of achievements in a wide range of projects, including; land development, hospitals, airports, schools, restaurants and residential developments. In the last 5 to 10 years, he has acquired an expertise in "Green design" with wide ranging applications. A future personal project, which he is currently researching and designing is; to create a proto-typical green house that incorporates a minimum of 90% green design features; from the exterior shell, countertops, finishes, power generation, greywater recycling, black water composting, rainwater harvesting and a fully landscaped yard with edible and drought resistant plants. However, much more of his attention, in recent years, has been devoted to his writing. Although his vocation is architecture and construction, his real passion lies in historical research and writing. Among the fiction works that he is in the process of completing, he is also in the process of writing a family biography - as experienced and seen through his mothers life. Here too, he shows his passion for history and allows his audience to experience the true accounts through his telling of the events. Education: Bachelor of Art – Architectural and Building Technology Masters – Construction Management Completely Bi-lingual

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Contents

Prologue

Chapter One –

Reminiscing

Chapter Two –

One Step Behind

Chapter Three –

Stratagem

Chapter Four –

Michael

Chapter Five –

Time Revealed

Chapter Six –

It’s Your Move

Chapter Seven –

Implications

Chapter Eight –

Filling In the Blanks

Chapter Nine –

Two Centuries of Love

Chapter Ten –

Froissart’s Gambit

Chapter Eleven –

Set the Trap

Chapter Twelve –

Victory Has Its Price

Epilogue:

Prologue

HIS name had not entered my mind for several weeks; that same re-occurring name that haunts me and always drenches me in a cold, chilling sweat; like a perpetual nightmare. Not that I'm afraid of him or what he can do to me but afraid of what he could have done to humanity – the centuries of damage and devastation he has left behind; how grotesque his lust for power and how ready he is to spill blood, she thought to herself. Only her iron-will was able to push it aside; for now.

When Victoria finally snapped back to reality, she realized how late in the evening it was. Autumn seems to be settling in. This year the winds are a little stronger but at least the dark dusty clouds from the west are being replaced with ordinary rain clouds. Aldric, as always, was engrossed in one of the journals and didn't hear Victoria, she didn't mind; she knew how important it was. Vicky and Aldric both were sitting in their usual chairs, blankets on their laps and wisps of steam coming from their tea service, warming themselves by the fireplace.

It was a quiet night. Vicky, their vivacious sixteen year-old, decided to go back to the campus library and finish her research. She complained before she left: But nothing can compare to your journals. You have written most of the major historical events in human history, personally. Let me use them? Let me show everyone that time is of the essence, that we must make advancements if we are to survive. I know, together, we can help change the world.

He sighed deeply. "I admire your zeal, but my journals – actually our journals – are private. There are things that cannot be divulged. Humanity will make the right choice; I have always believed that. But it must be their collective choice. The time will come when you will fully understand that."

Although disappointed she didn’t get angry. She bent down and kissed him on his cheek and walked out. Victoria said, Her memory is making remarkable progress; still has some gaps to fill in, after all 500 years is a lot to catch up on, but soon it will all come back to her. She will be great by your side. She is actually ahead of me when I was her age. Her fighting skills too are far beyond mine.

He turned to her and simply said, Good stock always runs deep!

The journal now flipped open and Aldric began to write. He spoke somberly. It seems that time has been in very short supply these last few years; so much to write about and so little time. Our remaining time is essential. I must finish updating the journals.

She scoffed. Why do you fret so much? You have many years before they’re due and your memory has always been very keen. As always, he relied on her insight. Although she made a good point, he worried that essential details may be left out – details that can make a difference at the trial.

I know you’re right, my dear, but the longer I delay in my entries the more time – or history I should say – will transpire.

You’re very fond of interchanging those two words, she said.

History is time past and time is always passing in one direction only. It’s the one thing that never stops. The longer one lives the shorter it seems. It’s not just the actual passing of time as much as the complexity of the events and the imprint it leaves, molding the very next second of time. For example, these last 50 years seemed to go by in just one heartbeat, as opposed to the previous 150 years.

She now responded in protest. How can you say that? The previous 150 years were interesting and very dramatic and so were the previous 150 years to that. World history changed!

Yes my dear, you’re absolutely right, but it changed at a much slower pace, and although it had world-altering impact, it did not occur at the speed we see today. Now the effects are felt worldwide within days or weeks instead of years or decades.

He turned a number of pages. "For example; the beginning of the Great Depression in the United States is associated with the stock market crash on October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday. It was a national crisis to say the least – which finally ended with another national crisis – a Second World War. Both of these events swept around the world in mere weeks.

Victoria interrupted. Mainly caused by under consumption and overinvestment.

Yes, my dear, you’re right. The problem is the whole world is tied together. Causes and effects are no longer local, they have become global.

He continued. In addition to this crisis, the U.S. government began to encourage many to migrate to the mid-west and take up farming. Soon, technology worked against them, along with changes in weather patterns. So, what started out as one of many possible solutions to the Great Depression turned into an ecological disaster, with far reaching consequences. We saw the dark dust clouds here, as a regular occurrence. Remember?

Yes. I remember.

He calmly placed both hands on the journal and said, So you see, the point I’m trying to make is, my dear, time or history was altered but within a very short period of time its consequences were felt around the world.

Well, I think that is largely due to the technological advancements, She replied without hesitation. Electricity, communication, transportation and many other things are becoming everyday affairs. The world is becoming a much smaller place, you know!

"I agree. We now have Mickey in the newspapers every Sunday; we have wonders like the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, the George Washington Bridge, and Radio City Music Hall. We have planes, trains and automobiles but we also have had two great wars which took the lives of millions, famine and a worldwide plague. This, time, is historical but they have to be defining, for humanity. Time is short. History or time is not simply linear, it has cause and effect. Sometimes History even has characters that we never noticed before or paid attention to, but they were there. They left their mark in the fabric of time, indelibly written sometimes with much strife, sacrifice and blood. They left an imprint that stretches hundreds, even thousands of years. You and I have met some of these characters; inclined only to destruction and death. Especially…" He couldn’t bring himself to utter the name.

They sat in silence for a while and finally she asked, "So, speaking of…." Her words trailed off. Did you finally finish your entry about him? No one ever terrified her as much as he did. No one ever posed as great a threat to humanity as he did and no one had ever influenced humanity as adversely as he did. She finally mustered the courage to utter just one of his most infamous names: Baphomet and his protector, the Vatican?

Chapter One –

Reminiscing

Aldric stood patiently waiting by the steps. As he waited, he glanced up and saw the dark dust clouds rolling in from the west and began to blanket the sky. I'm glad I wore a dark suit. The dust is going to get on everything today, he thought to himself.

The car slowly pulled up to the front steps of the stately 19th century Victorian home and the car door swung open and holding on to his hat, he stepped in. Aldric brushed off some of the dust as the driver’s side door slammed shut and the car rumbled out the front gate. Good morning Mr. Cronique, how are you today?

I am well today Anthony and you and that lovely wife of yours?

She’s just fine. Just got over a slight fever, but that didn’t slow her tongue down any.

Well you make sure you give her my love and I hope she is well enough to keep you young forever.

She’s going to put me in an early grave, is what she is going to do, if she doesn’t slow down a bit.

Good stock Anthony, good stock.

Yes sir, if you say so, sir.

Anthony was Mr. Cronique’s valet and had been for the last ten years, ever since he bumped into him while Anthony stood at a soup line. Anthony had brilliant blue trusting eyes and gave Aldric that feeling he gets when he comes in contact with certain people that have true, deep-down inner worth. Aldric smiled as he saw, in the rearview mirror, Anthony’s lip curl in a mischievous smile as he spoke about his wife, Priscilla.

Where to today, sir?

405 Lexington Avenue, please.

The Manhattan Bank?

Yes, Anthony, I’ll be there for a little while. I have an appointment with Mr. Thomas Worthington. The valet tried to strike up a conversation.

The Chrysler building is some building. There was such a spectacle the other day. There must have been at least 10,000 people all around watching them build or put something together way at the top. Prissy heard about it on the radio. The police had to keep people back some distance just in case something fell. The traffic was crazy. He spoke in a slightly elevated voice.

Yes, Anthony. The builders surprised everybody, including the Bank of Manhattan, when in an hour and a half they pulled the bright metal top pieces from inside the building and riveted in place. It actually was quite ingenious and impressive; great for publicity. Now, I will tell one thing Anthony, if Walter Chrysler employed that kind of ingenuity in his automobile business, he would not be losing so much market share to Henry. Henry displays all of the imagination a true business mogul needs, from his factories to the product he’s producing. Historically, Anthony, if you have good imagination, good leadership skills, and a flair for dramatics you can make people do just about anything and believe just about anything too. I know that firsthand. I have met a great many people who were not any smarter than the average guy on the corner, but they had those qualities and made people trust them. They also were intransigent – never took no for an answer. He smirked, as he fondly recalled old acquaintances who had an impact on his life’s work; some, long gone, had become close companions and contributors to his cause.

***

The tall man sat back in the seat staring out the rear car window and spoke as the driver got back in the car. Ben, is all arranged?

Yes sir. The boy is being cared for by Steven, unfortunately the boy’s father was not cooperative.

Too bad. Tell them to dispose of the body in the usual way. He said flatly.

He's not dead yet sir.

In an instant he felt those glowing ruby red eyes boring into his skull. Ben swallowed hard than answered. Yes sir, I’ll tell the boys what to do when they meet up with us at the bank. They’re following Mr. Cronique as you instructed.

Fine. The Pretty Miss Smith should be arriving soon. Make sure you station the car just up the street.

Yes sir!

***

Aldric was deep in thought, reminiscing about his good friend Abraham Lincoln, so tall and physically imposing and yet at times soft-spoken and gullible; he was a contradiction. He was very forthright, honest and naïve, but often hardheaded and unshakable in his beliefs. Such heated debates they had, at times late into the night.

Abe, you know I must remain neutral in your political affairs. But he badgered me to the point where I had to give him my opinion. You have to do something to get the American public back on your side – to abolish slavery. The known universe is acrimoniously opposed to the idea of slavery. Every being has the right to exercise individual choices, based on a moral code handed down by the Supreme One, and that is without question. Everyone is a free moral agent, as decreed by the Ancient of Days. My parting words to him still are ringing in my ears.

Abraham, be a leader that your country can get behind. Make them understand that at times, sacrifices need to be made if you are to live free and prosper. Without question, you know that I am opposed to war; there is no war elsewhere but here. However, you need to change the common mentality and set in motion the complete eradication of such unbridled desire to possess and own other beings. Everyone can contribute, given the right circumstances to work in; everyone has a worth, everyone! And by and by you have to be stupid if you can’t see that they have ulterior motives, just based on the way they invited you to this solemn event. Mr. Edward Everett is the nation’s greatest orator. They changed the date for him but had no inclination to give you the same courtesy. So, upstage Mr. Everett, take control of the moment and convince your public that you are right – not because you want to be right but because it’s the right thing to do for your nation and humanity, those born and unborn.

With a very heavy sigh he spoke. Aldric, how am I to convince a nation to do what is right when they really don’t even want me back in Washington for the next term?

Abraham, I have known you since Ann Rutledge’s funeral. You have many good qualities, but none better than your immense heart. You love unconditionally. Show them that love, show them how much you care about your nation and its people – all of its people.

A brief quiet fell over the room, like a cold breeze in early January, and I saw the consternation on his face. So I decided to lighten the mood. Oh, and Abraham, I’m glad you finally settled down with Mary, rather than Miss Owens; she had no love for country or you. Besides, Mary is absolutely stunning – she makes you look down right homely. Be glad you are a man and in politics.

He chuckled loudly with that baritone voice and just shook his head in disbelief. How can you talk to the President of the United States like that?

Because before you were president, you were my friend, and that takes precedence over anything else.

Thank you, my friend.

Weeks later, I read in the papers the speech they were calling the Gettysburg Address. As I read the editorial, I felt a warm sense of affection for a man who accomplished what many thought was impossible. I also remembered his re-election and his letter to me, dated November 8, 1864; I received it seven days afterwards. How jubilant he was and yet very humble knowing how much work he still had to accomplish. These are difficult times, he said, for a people who have not yet learned to accept equality in all its aspects. They may speak of equality but they don’t feel it and for some in the south they absolutely don’t want it. I wrote back, You are on a universal stage and everyone is looking down on you. Perform well, I beg you; then I emphasized, Be careful and always have a trusted guard or two with you; for you may have won the War, but the fight continues and it’s directed solely at you.

Remember the Knights of the Golden Circle? I said often, As personified by William Walker? He was a southern gentleman of Scottish descent, well bred and well schooled, born in Nashville in 1824. His mother was Mary Norvell, the daughter of Lt. Lipscomb Norvell, a Revolutionary War officer who could trace his lineage back to the founding of Williamsburg. Lipscomb was also the father of Sen. John Norvell, one of the first senators from Michigan and founder of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

On October 15, 1853, with 45 men, Walker set out on his first expedition: the conquest of the Mexican territories of Baja California and Sonora. He succeeded in capturing La Paz, the capital of the sparsely populated Baja California, which he declared the capital of a new Republic of Lower California with himself as president. Although he never gained control of Sonora, less than three months later, he pronounced Baja California part of the larger Republic of Sonora. Lack of supplies and an unexpectedly strong resistance by the Mexican government quickly forced Walker to retreat. Back in California, he was put on trial for conducting an illegal war. In the era of Manifest Destiny, his project was popular in the southern and western states and the jury took eight minutes to acquit him; no surprise.

A civil war was then raging in the Central American republic of Nicaragua, and the rebel faction hired Walker as a mercenary. Walker sailed from San Francisco on May 4, 1855, with 57 men to be reinforced by 170 locals and about 100 Americans upon landing. The American contingent included the famous explorer and journalist Charles Wilkins Webber and the English adventurer Charles Frederick Henningsen, a veteran of the First Carlist War, the Hungarian Revolution and the war in Circassia,

On September 1, during the first Battle of Rivas, Walker defeated the Nicaraguan national army at La Virgen. One month later, he conquered the capital of Granada and took control of the country. Initially, as commander of the army, Walker controlled Nicaragua through puppet president Patricio Rivas. President Franklin Pierce of the United States recognized Walker’s regime as the legitimate government of Nicaragua on May 20, 1856. Walker’s agents recruited American and European men to sail to the region and fight for the conquest of the other four Central American nations – Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica. He was able to recruit more than a thousand American and European mercenaries, many of whom were transported free by the Accessory transit Company under the control of businessmen Cornelius K. Garrison and Charles Morgan. Walker had addressed his plan earlier to Cornelius Vanderbilt, who had extensive business interests in Central America and had formerly controlled the American Transit Company.

At the time, a major trade route between New York City and San Francisco ran through southern Nicaragua. Ships from New York would enter the San Juan River from the Atlantic and sail across Lake Nicaragua. People and goods would then be transported by stagecoach over a narrow strip of land near the city of Rivas, before reaching the Pacific and being shipped to San Francisco. The commercial exploitation of this route had been secured by a previous Nicaraguan administration to Vanderbilt’s Accessory transit Company. Garrison and Morgan had wrested control of the company from Vanderbilt and then supported Walker’s expedition. Vanderbilt then spread rumors that the company was issuing stock illegally in order to depress its value, allowing him to regain controlling interest. As ruler of Nicaragua, Walker then revoked the transit Company’s charter, claiming that it had violated the agreement, and granted use of the route back to Garrison and Morgan.

Outraged, Vanderbilt successfully pressured the U.S. government to withdraw its recognition of Walker's regime. Walker had also scared his neighbors and investors with talk of further conquests in Central America. Vanderbilt financed and trained a military coalition of these states, led by Costa Rica, and worked to prevent men and supplies from reaching Walker. He also provided defectors from Walker's army with payments and free passage back to the United States. In April 1856, Costa Rican troops and American mercenaries supported by Vanderbilt penetrated into Nicaraguan territory and defeated Walker’s men at the Battle of Rivas, with the help of Juan Santamaria, later recognized as the country’s national hero.

In July 1856, Walker set himself up as president of Nicaragua after conducting a farcical election. Realizing that his position was precarious, he sought support from Southerners in the United States, mostly members of the secret society known as the Knights of the Golden Circle. He recast his campaign as a fight to open new markets for slavery, which many American Southern businessmen saw as the basis of their agrarian economy. Walker revoked Nicaragua’s emancipation edict of 1824, boosting his popularity in the South and attracting the attention of Pierre Soule, an influential New Orleans politician, who campaigned for Walker. But Walker’s army, thinned by an epidemic of cholera and massive defections, was no match for the Central American coalition and Vanderbilt’s agents.

"On May 1, 1857, Walker surrendered to Commander Charles Henry Davis of the United States Navy and was repatriated. He was greeted in New York City as a hero, but he alienated public opinion when he blamed his defeat on the U.S. Navy. Within six months, he set off on another expedition, but he was arrested by the U.S. Navy Home Squadron under the command of Commodore Hiram Paulding and once again returned to the United States amid controversy about the legality of the Navy’s actions.

After writing an account of his Central American campaign, published in 1860 as War in Nicaragua, Walker returned to the region. He disembarked in the port city of Trujillo, in the Republic of Honduras, but soon fell into the custody of Captain Salmon of the Royal Navy. The British government controlled the neighboring regions of British Honduras and the Mosquito Coast and had strategic and economic interest in the construction of a canal through Central America. The British therefore regarded Walker as a menace to the Crown’s affairs in the region.

Rather than return him to the United States, Capt. Salmon delivered Walker to the Honduran authorities, who executed him by firing squad on September 12, 1860.

Why does this story matter? I asked Abraham, rhetorically, and told him," Well, although Walker may be dead, his sympathizers still live in the South. He had an enormous base of support around Americans and Europeans. The Knights of the Golden Circle have recruited many established businessmen and plantation owners in the South, individuals who have money and great influence. There are a few sympathizers in the North, but with long ties to politics. You just can’t tell who they are; they could be doctors, actors, politicians, even members of your own Cabinet. It is even been rumored that many Southern rebels go to Montreal to conspire and plan their strategies. Many members of the Southern Secret Service have been observed en route to and fro, from the Carolinas to Canada. So please take heed of my concerns for your safety.

I cried unabashedly when I heard that on April 4, 1865 my dear friend was shot. I sometimes blame myself, for he had invited me to join him at Ford’s Theater and dinner with him and Mary that evening in Washington. I had to decline; Victoria and I were preparing for a trip to China, where the Taiping Rebellion had just come to a horrifying close; nearly twenty million people died. Now, the Qing Dynasty had lost credibility and I was being dispatched to this region so I could chronicle a new developing anti-Christian sentiment in China.

It doesn’t change the fact I could have delayed the trip a few days, I should have gone to congratulate my friend in person and to persuade him to take extreme precautions. Rumor had already spread that a kidnapping attempt had failed. So the signs were clear.

***

As Miss Smith approached the bank, a tall well groomed man with European features yelled out. Excuse me Miss Smith; may I have a word with you? Miss Smith stopped and smiled but cast the man a dubious look.

May I help you?

Yes Miss Smith, I would like to offer you a job.

That’s very kind sir but I already have a job.

Yes, I know and that’s what makes you so uniquely qualified for this position.

I don’t understand?

You work for Mr. Worthington. I want you to inform me on a regular basis, what he and Mr. Aldric Cronique are planning.

How dare you sir, you have the wrong person!

No, I have the right person, I assure you and I have your son as insurance of your cooperation.

***

As the two-tone 1930 Ford Model A pulled up to the curb of the Chrysler Building, Anthony glanced back and noticed a somber look on Aldric’s face. Anthony interrupted Excuse me Mr. Cronique, we’re here.

Oh, thank you, Anthony. I will be a few hours, so make good use of your time. Go buy Priscilla an anniversary gift. Here, buy her a gift from you, one from me and please go buy yourself some new clothes and shoes. I told you to do that last week. You keep giving me the same excuses. How do you expect to be treated like a king when you look like a ragamuffin? One more thing, do you remember the jewelry store you and I were in last week?

Yes sir, I do. Tiffany’s, right?

Right. Go by and pick up a package that’s ready for Victoria. She is not to know about it, so mums the word. I’ll have lunch in the Cloud Club. See you in about two hours.

I’ll be here waiting sir.

Good.

Aldric began to walk toward the front doors, than suddenly he bumped into a man coming out of the bank. Excuse me, sir. The man looked at him straight in the eyes for just a fleeting moment.

No problem sir. The tall man answered as he kept walking briskly. Aldric stopped and looked at the tall man as he walked away. He got an instant sense of dread; he shook his head and brushed it off as a strange sense of déjà vu.

Anthony looking at Aldric yelled out. Is everything alright Mr. Cronique?

Aldric just waved. I’m alright Anthony, I’ll see you later.

The porter opened the door wide and with a great big smile said, Good morning Mr. Cronique.

I replied with my own smile Good morning Ralph, how are you?

Just fine, just fine.

Ralph, I thought I told you to lose a little weight. Listen, I know you like all that greasy Italian food, but trust me when I tell you you’re going to regret it later in life. Where I come from, we learned the hard way. After thousands of years – I mean, after many years – we all decided to become-health conscious. It took a while, but we changed.

Yes sir. Alice tells me the same thing, but I love to eat. Did you know I had applied for a new job but got turned down because of my weight? They told me, though, if I just lost 10 pounds I could get that driver’s job.

I replied, Well work on it, and if you need me to put in a good word to those folks, just let me know.

Thank you very much, Mr. Cronique, I may just take you up on that.

As I walked through the lobby toward the Bank entrance, I couldn’t help but notice the new style of architecture that William Van Allen had chosen to employ in this building. The Chrysler building, in my opinion, had transcended the parochial vision to inspire delirium and fantasy. Besides the hubcaps, eagles and hood ornament decorations round about the exterior, you have Moroccan marble, interesting ceiling murals, yellow sienna marble floors, amber onyx and blue marble trim and Spartan lighting. It is a little dark for my tastes, but after all, I’m a Chronicler, not an art critic. The building did many doors. The most commonly used was on Lexington Avenue. I thought this building had ushered in the golden age of skyscrapers. I even had a moment of anxiety when I thought about the Skywalkers – such daring and fortitude to be so high up and not be afraid. It always took me a few minutes to calm down when I went up to the Cloud Club.

After a few minutes of gawking at the beautiful things this race could accomplish, I entered through the mahogany doors. I was greeted by Betty Smith, a young woman who served as a personal secretary for bank president Thomas Worthington. She showed me the way to his office, where I was cordially welcomed with his usual warm handshake. As soon as Betty got back to her desk, she picked up the phone and reported as she was instructed.

Well, good morning, Mr. Cronique, how are you, so glad you could come in, please sit down.

I had to give him a ribbing. Thomas, how many times have I asked you to call me Aldric? My grandfather was Mr. Cronique, and if I remember correctly, even he told you the same thing.

I know. I’m a creature of habit.

I softened my face and broke into a sly smile No problem Thomas, I promise I’ll stop lecturing you one of these days.

Very well.

We had a moment of silence pass between us, as he ruffled through some papers strewn about his desk. He looked a little flummoxed. I broke the silence and asked, Well now, Thomas, what was so important that you needed me to come by today? Why couldn’t this wait till Monday?

He said, I have specific written instructions from your grandfather, may he rest in peace, to get these papers signed and all accounts, safety deposit boxes and property titles transferred to you before the end of this month. I couldn’t expedite it any quicker, because the bureaucrats in Albany couldn’t get it to my office fast enough. The more advanced their methods the slower they move.

Thank you for following my grandfather’s wishes to the letter. I am getting ready to embark on another trip, one been planned by grandfather, and I want to honor his memory by completing it. So I am glad you insisted on me coming.

Am I to understand that you are going to follow in your grandfather’s footsteps? What is it exactly that he did and that you will be taking up? Historians, right? The creases on either side of his eyes deepened as he squinted, in that universally recognized look of perplexity.

So I had to clarify. Not exactly, Thomas. Historians study that which has already occurred. A Chronicler writes about history while it is being made. That affords us the opportunity to interview and talk with people during the event. This lets me understand the human emotions involved and I can describe it as the event unfolds.

Still with that same look, he replied, I see. Well, I know you will make your grandfather and the rest of your family proud; no one better to follow in his footsteps than you. You act like him, talk like him and look almost exactly like him. If it wasn’t for the fact that I saw him not too long ago, with all that gray hair and you have none yet, I would say that you and he were identical twins. The beard, the mannerisms, even the blemish over your right eye is the same.

Well, first of all, you pay me too much of a compliment in comparing me to Grandfather. He was taller, broader and better looking than I. Especially when he wore those London cut suits. He was impressive.

Thomas plunged again and said, It’s a matter of fact he had a gray pinstriped suit just like that one.

No, no, Thomas, his was charcoal and he had eight buttons instead of just four. Now, where are those papers you wanted me to sign?

Still with that suspicious look, he relented. Here we are, Aldric. Do you have a pen or should I get one?

Oh, yes, I have my trusted pen that is never apart from me.

Thomas glanced over to my stylish pen and asked Where in Heaven did you get that beautiful pen?

I had to be careful with my responses from now on. From Mr. Waterman. He guaranteed this pen for five years and I have not been disappointed yet.

He considered my response and asked, You bought this pen from Lewis Waterman? He was still fishing.

No Thomas, I believe Lewis Waterman died around 1901. I would have been too young to have met him. I had the good pleasure of meeting his nephew Frank while visiting New York. We had dinner together on several occasions during his visit. On the eve of his departure to Montreal, he gave me this pen, which I wanted to pay for. He refused, of course, so I sent him a box of Cuban cigars.

Oh, I see. Here we are, just sign where I made a mark, please. Take your time – we have quite a bit to do.

Thomas, I am at your disposal.

Betty had come in to see if we wanted some refreshments. I asked her for a bit of Earl Grey with cream and one lump of sugar. It was a custom I had acquired from the Second Earl Grey, British prime minister, years earlier. I usually just drank coffee in the morning, but later in the day, it was always tea. I must admit that I have acquired a repertoire of eccentricities here and I’m not sure how I will deal with when I go back home. We don’t use pens, we don’t have tortes in the afternoon and we certainly do not have Earl Grey tea.

Almost an hour had gone by and we had finished. As he gathered documents, Thomas turned to me and asked if I cared to have lunch with him. I was a little apprehensive about spending more time with my inquisitor, but I thought it more prudent to accept than to decline. I was going to go up to the Cloud Club. Shall we go together?

Fine, let me give Betty some instructions on what to do with this mountain of legal documents and what she ought to have ready upon our return. I will meet you by the elevators. Shall we say five minutes?

I said Excellent Thomas, I’ll meet you there.

With that he turned and