Silent Craftsman

By Ira Cochin

This is a fiction story, many of whose scenes were based on actual incidents. To avoid battles with natives of a country, whose way of life might be regarded with scorn, the author created the name Wandia for the unpopular nation in this book. The reader may substitute the name of any real nation to achieve a sense of satisfaction with the fictitious outcome. The author also chose the fictitious name of the story villain. Here too, the reader may substitute any persons or companys name that will achieve a tinge of delight.

The story is told through the eyes of Everest Stone, a man born deaf in Canada during the late eighteen hundreds. His parents were also deaf, and meaning well, they advised the son to learn how to talk and how to read lips. Maybe to communicate with hearing people, or maybe to pose as a person who was hard of hearing, but not deaf. They certainly meant well, and cited bad personal experiences to justify their unseemly demands.

So motivated, at age fourteen, Ev began his life posing as a person who was hard of hearing. Evs father spent his lifes savings to educate his son and also paid to get him a job with Ruggins Maritime, a small manufacturing company that was located in Wandia, a war-like nation, ready to do battle with any country.

Ev had considerable difficulty adjusting to a fictitious life. But living in an enemy country that smelled of war made life impossible.

Ruggins Maritime was owned and managed by Chester Ruggins, who would stop at nothing to become wealthy. The story now moves into the period just before the World War in 1914.

Poison gas had just been invented, giving the world the erroneous notion that it was the "worst weapon of all time." Freida Mossier, a brilliant chemist, had perfected the poison gas. Having a crush on Chester, with warm heart, she gave the secret to his company. She asked for nothing in return; and she got nothing. In fact, it was worse than nothing; she died mysteriously.
Then Chester Ruggins died mysteriously and left his inept son, Rudy, in charge. To show his power, Rudy decided to fire one of the employees. He didnt know his workers well enough to find fault. But he needed to prove his strength to make an unfortunate worker the victim of the industrial guillotine. His mind was made up to dismiss an employee, any one, and he chose Ev Stone.

Ev was crushed. He had been a faithful worker and yet he was fired from the job hed held for thirty years. Rudy spoke in a confusing manner and Ev assumed that it meant he might be given another chance to keep his job. Desperate to remain with the company, Ev begged Rudy not to fire him. But Rudy was only teasing and toying with Evs peace of mind. He had no desire to retain Ev on the job.

In a moment of revenge, to pay for having been tortured, Ev stole a book from Rudys office as he left the company.

Soon after that, the trustees of the four companies that financed the operation of Ruggins Maritime died mysteriously.
Now Rudy Ruggins desperately needed the book that Ev had stolen. And he pursued Ev from place to place, as Ev moved looking for a job. The chase was interrupted when Ev sneaked out of Wandia and went to live in England, the worst enemy of the war-like nation.

Ev set up a shop, but couldnt earn a living. He was a master craftsman, who made beautiful furniture and was a constant aid to his disabled wife. Yet, there seemed to be no market for his skills.

During the war, zeppelins and airplanes dropped bombs on cities, killing Evs physically disabled wife, and also killing Evs son and daughter in law. This left him all alone and in care of his grandson, Joshua.

Ev took Joshua with him as he journeyed back to his native Canada. He was home, and yet he found that success still eluded him. He degenerated little by little until he was a beggar. His major possession was the book he stole.

And it was

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 28, 2002
• ISBN: 9781456806026

Ira Cochin

Ira Cochin worked as an engineer for 15 years in industry for such companies as Kearfott, and Bendix. Then he was a professor for 36 years at New Jersey Institute of Technology. During his professorship, Ira became blind and then deaf. He went for training at the Helen Keller Center for the Deaf-Blind. He returned to NJIT and became the worlds first deaf-blind professor to teach engineering. His accomplishments appeared in the New Jersey Supplement of the Sunday New York Times in December 18, 1977. Ira Cochin has written two technical books, six novels, dozens of articles in various magazines and trade journals, and four articles concerning the handicapped.

Book preview

Contents

Introduction

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Appendix A

Appendix B

Glossary

I dedicate this book to my family, studying sign language in

order to keep me from feeling left out of family conversation.

They ate, played, and mingled in sign language. I no longer

feel as if I used to live on this planet. I’m quite alive now.

Introduction

THIS IS A fiction story, many of whose scenes were based on actual incidents. To avoid battles with natives of a nation whose way of life might be regarded with scorn, the author created the name Wandia for the unpopular nation in this book. The reader may substitute the name of any real nation to achieve a sense of satisfaction with the fictitious outcome. The author also chose the fictitious name of the story villain. Here too, the reader may substitute any person’s or company’s name that will achieve a tinge of delight.

The story is told through the eyes of Everest Stone, a man born deaf. His parents were also deaf, and meaning well, they advised the son to learn how to talk and how to read lips. Maybe to communicate with hearing people, or maybe to pose as a person who was hard of hearing, but not deaf. They certainly meant well, and cited bad experiences of their own to justify their unseemly demands.

So motivated, (and it’s not clear if the parents’ advice was sound) at age fourteen, Ev began his life as a person who was hard of hearing. It didn’t work in many cases, and Ev found himself a thoroughly unsuccessful man. So much so, he was fired from the job he’d held for thirty years. In a moment of dejection, he stole a book from the boss’ office as he left the company.

This was the time of World War One (in those days, no one suspected that there ever would be a second world war. Hence the war was known as The World War.) Poison gas had just been invented, giving the world the erroneous notion that it was the worst weapon of all time.

During the war, zeppelins and airplanes dropped bombs on cities, killing Ev’s physically disabled wife, Ev’s son and daughter in law. This left him in care of his grandson.

Ev found that success still eluded him. He degenerated little by little until he was a beggar. His major possession was the book he stole.

During the subsequent years, hoodlums tried to beat him with chains and to kill him with knives, trying to get that book from him. They tried to kidnap his grandson to be ransomed for that book. Relentlessly, they tried to wrest his very soul from him to seize that book.

What mystery could drive people to commit such desperate crimes?

Acknowledgments

I OFFER MY sincere love and affection for the Bergen County Deaf Senior Citizens of Midland Park, New Jersey, who introduced me to the Deaf Culture. I can never express my gratitude for the loving welcome I was honored to receive. I had become totally deaf as a senior citizen, and they saved my life.

I am truly grateful to Phil Drumm who served as the editor and the final proofreader of the manuscript that evolved into this book. He made a collection of ideas become a full-length novel.

Chapter 1

INBORN TALENT

EV FIXED THE pump! Mama Stone signed to her deaf husband. Now we can use our own water. We won’t have to pay ole man Fankow for each bucket from his well.

Papa Stone was delighted that he would save money, but he was puzzled and signed, How could our fourteen year-old son know how to do that?

It was the year 1873, and no one in Rigolet Harbour, an industrial city in Labrador, made a living by fixing things. People either bought a new one (by sacrificing on other necessities) or else they managed without.

This family had been doing without for a year.

Curiosity provoked the father to ask Ev about it, and the son signed, The men in the shop explained it to me.

The shop, the father snapped his hands while signing, his face full of disgust. What do they know?

They know all about machines, Ev signed emphatically, his face aglow with pride. And they tell me I’m smart. I understand all about machines, and steam engines, and hoists.

Bah, what kind of income could a deaf man earn fixing pumps and machines?

Ev creased his brow as he signed, A good income. And what’s even greater, I won’t have to communicate with hearing people.

Son, the father signed with a very sad face, the world is full of hearing people and they run the world. It’s time you mingle with them.

I do, Ev signed with a face full of despair, but the kids tease me. I learned to talk, but my voice is high pitched and harsh. I don’t like to talk.

You keep practicing to talk. Your voice will get better. You’ll learn how to make it sound nice.

Papa, in school they went overboard with this ‘talk’ thing. The first four years in school all I did was learn how to say words. When I was ten, they praised me and took me around to show the other teachers that I could pronounce George Washington, Queen Elizabeth, and Julius Caesar. But they never taught me who those people were or why they were famous. The teachers didn’t care that my voice sounded annoying. The only thing of importance was that I said the words correctly. But how much English did I learn? They taught me to speak, but what language? They only cared that I said the words right. Ev shook his head and twisted his face. Papa, until I was twelve, I was ignorant. I could speak as well as any illiterate in this city. But that’s all I could do; I knew nothing else.

Ev’s father took a deep breath. He cocked his head and raised his shoulders. Then he signed, "But speech is important. Hearing people are not going to learn to sign. My dear son, don’t throw away your life. Look at me. I never learned to talk. I was born deaf. I never heard sound. So how can I make sound

that I never heard?"

You don’t need to talk. You’re a printer.

"Hah! A deaf and dumb printer.’

Papa, please don’t use that word.

Okay, a deaf printer who can’t talk. But I work for a hearing man who doesn’t sign and he hates to write.

Ev tried to smile as he signed, What wrong with that? You earn a salary.

Hah! The same salary as an uneducated man.

Ev tried to be encouraging, But you can read. Half the hearing people in this town cannot.

Yes and they are jealous as hell. I can read lips a little bit. Not everything, but I can see they call me ‘dummy.’

But you can read the paper you are printing. They can’t.

The father’s face showed a combination of anger and frustration, But they can hear and talk.

Ev was insistent, But they talk like they are ignorant. How much can they learn if they can’t read?

They don’t have to read. They can listen.

Ev raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips as he signed, And good listening is an art — which they don’t have. With their big lousy ears, they’re still ignorant.

The father raised his eyebrows, But they rule the world. Don’t ever forget that. He paused and looked very sad. Ev, I love you and wish I could give you more. I wish you could absorb all of my experience without all the pain that went with it.

Ev looked into his father’s sad eyes. He didn’t want to hurt his father’s feelings. The man was a good parent, he taught his son many things about life. He was a kind and generous man, with a heart full of compassion. Ev signed with a happy face, Papa, I know what you want and I do try. But machines come natural to me. At a very young age, I knew a lot and I could also make and fix things. And best of all, I love doing that.

As a father I really know what’s best. I have money saved and I will send you to a good high school to learn science. Maybe you could be a teacher or a scientist. And they make things, too.

Ev scrunched up his mouth and face, I have teachers and none of them even know about machines, and they only make things out of paper.

Isn’t making with paper still making? Anyway, think about being a scientist ! They make great discoveries. As a scientist, you could dream up wonderful things. Maybe you would discover a special light that comes from a star. And you would figure out how to use that light to make things grow. You would be a famous scientist ! You could never become a famous printer or a famous weaver.

Ev raised his shoulders and turned down the corners of his mouth, a typical expression in the world of the Deaf. I don’t want to be a famous anything. And me, a scientist? Bah ! Even scientists must talk. People don’t care to listen to me for more than a minute, if even that long.

Why do you say that about your voice? I know many deaf people whose voice is pleasant.

Ev gazed at his father and was tempted to sign, How can a deaf man know what a voice sounds like? But he resisted. Instead he signed, Talking is a talent. Reading lips is a talent. Math is a talent. Reading books is a talent. Knowing machines is a talent. And fixing things is a talent. I have two of these. That’s enough for me.

The father had a very serious face. Even an illiterate person who can talk is better off than you. What good jobs are there for deaf people? We work with printing presses or Jacquard looms. Those machines make so much noise that no hearing person wants the job. So they hire the Deaf. And they pay us half the salary that an illiterate makes. How can I tell you? My dear son, a deaf person is considered a second rate citizen.

The son stood frozen, unable to accept what his father said. Then he signed fast, Deaf, second rate, can’t talk, dummy. Maybe I am all that. But when I work with machines, I’m happy.

The father nearly cried, My son, I want to spare you the torture of wanting what you can’t have. Training to be a scientist is the greatest thing I know.

Can they teach that to me? I don’t know any science.

The father smiled, aware that his son was beginning to accept what fate had in store for him. Yes, they are very good. The school I have in mind has two teachers who can sign.

Where is the school?

It’s in the country of Wandia.

Wandia? But that country believes in war. For the past 200 years they’ve had a war every 20 years. Like once for each generation.

But they know science and have good teachers. And because you’re deaf, there’s no chance they’ll send you off to war.

Ev snickered, How about that? Being deaf has an advantage. Good thing. If the Deaf didn’t have an advantage I’d demand, ‘Give me my ears, I’m going home.’

The father’s face was relaxed and he said, Talking about going home; that school is residential. You can come home on the holidays.

Total immersion in the academic hearing world, huh? Ev nodded his acceptance to what he couldn’t change. So when do I leave?

The father smiled, Soon as the term is over. When is that? One month from now? But it’s not just you leaving. The whole family is moving to Wandia. That is where I was born.

Ev cocked his head. We’re all leaving in one month? You watch me. I will grow up fast.

Everest Stone did grow up fast. And he grew in the image of his father. He had huge hands and heart to match.

He applied himself to the subject matter and graduated from high school. His grades were good enough to get him a scholarship to Vanta University in Wandia. There he met a girl named Martha, who came from England. She had normal hearing and helped him with his studies. She had no trouble understanding him, and she had no objection to his voice. In turn, he had no trouble reading her lips. On occasion, they socialized, mostly with her hearing friends. While he never failed any course, he didn’t graduate with honors. He was a little above average, but nothing spectacular.

Behind the scenes, he managed to make things, and fix things. And in these activities, he was spectacular. However, for reasons he could never explain, he never earned much money. At least, he had some kind of income. This was a blessing to a man who had been unemployed for the four years since he graduated. His income was insufficient on which to marry, but he occasionally met with Martha and they enjoyed an inexpensive day together.

Ev eked out a living, wondering if he really belonged in the hearing world. His father had spent every penny he earned towards Ev’s high school education. However, his college degree didn’t help him find a job. He wondered what was wrong with him.

He was a dichotomy. While his attitude was like that of a youngster, he had an elderly posture and walk. While he was gentle in nature, his countenance suggested the opposite. His face appeared to be hewn from stone using an iron hammer and a tungsten chisel. The brow rose majestically and slanted authoritatively like the sheer slopes of Mount Everest. His hooked nose, inherited from generations of Canadian Eskimos, cast bronze shadows that plunged into the depths of his cheeks. And his cheeks were swept back as though he stood facing into a blizzard.

When people met Ev for the first time, they could never be sure whether they liked him or were terrified. His father was correct. With a lot of practice, Ev’s voice did change. It was a bit more pleasant. Nevertheless, when he spoke in his hoarse tones, they withdrew in silence.

Then, one day, fortune smiled his way. His efforts at school weren’t wasted. One of his teachers, Miss Freida Mossier, had left the school and found employment as a chemist for a local company. She performed experiments and needed a mechanical device that constantly stirred the mixture. It had to run smoothly and at different speeds. And Ev built the entire system.

Freida Mossier vouched for Ev, and he was hired the next week.

Everest Stone looked back and recalled that he had been totally immersed in the academic hearing world for his high school and college years. Now he started his new life totally immersed in the commercial hearing world. The world was Rugginsville, a one-industry town in the nation of Wandia in the year 1884. The industry was Ruggins Maritime, a large company that supplied everything that boat builders and boat owners needed; from portholes and anchors to deck machinery and lifeboats.

With a solid job behind him Ev married Martha. She had learned to sign and didn’t object to the sound of his voice. And to her surprise, he built a wonderful house by himself. A few years later, they had a son named Otto.

It seemed as if Ev had found his niche. But this wasn’t true. For the next thirty years, Ev struggled with life and worked at Ruggins Maritime. He learned that the industry and therefore the town, was owned by Chester Ruggins, who regulated every citizen’s act according to a set of rules — his. The company was successful, but it was founded on the blood of its downtrodden employees.

Several men who worked for Ruggins Maritime had complained about the unsavory working conditions in the company. Chester Ruggins pretended to find a way to help these unfortunates as he called them. This required him to visit their homes, which were located in a very bad neighborhood. He happened to pass several women, the wives of workers who had complained. One malcontent person (it’s not clear whether it was a man or woman) burst out of a hiding place and scared Ruggins. Suddenly he died and fell into the muck at the side of the road. The immediate cause of death was unofficially declared, scared to death, pending an autopsy. The women insisted that he died from exposure to dirt

— the ills that he’d fostered on all his workers.

The women shouted in unison, He met a fair end. He lived in filth — the way he treated us, and he died in filth.

The police questioned all the residents, including the women who witnessed the crime. No one seemed to be interested in helping to identify the criminal. Before he died, the victim mumbled, It was a monster with two heads.

No one checked the law books to discern if scaring was a crime in the first place. The coroner, who performed the autopsy said, The man died of a hardened heart.

You mean a hardened artery? No, a hardened heart. His heart had turned to wood. And the crime, if any, remains unsolved.

On the day after the funeral, several townsfolk visited the grave. Aggie, I thought I heard a moan.

No, Aggie responded, it was more like a muffled scream. He pointed to the ground.

You think old man Ruggins is complaining? Are they sure he died? How could two masks scare anyone to death?

Aggie ventured a guess, Oh, you saw that, too. Didn’t scare me. But then, we had nothing on our conscience.

He was murdered by psychological means?

Aggie squinted like the wise man of old. "Not

murdered. Just put to sleep."

He was asleep? You mean he was buried alive?

Aggie shrugged, How else can you account for the muffled cries coming from the tyrant’s grave?

Git outa here. Didn’t the coroner check the guy’s heart?

Aggie continued to shrug. I heard the guy’s heart was made of wood.

The death of the company’s owner didn’t affect Ev. Life was hard and the company paid him a living wage. But it was shortening his life. Although Everest Stone had left the Canadian wilderness at age fourteen, his heart never left his birth site. For most of his adult life, he had worked for Ruggins Maritime, and never fit in. His huge tanned hands didn’t belong among the delicate whitish ones of his fellow workers. His massive shoulders and straight posture clashed with his peers’ hunched shoulders and backs. And Ev was honest and kind — vulnerable traits in the heartless world of Ruggins.

Having begun his life in a world where honest effort made success, Ev had not adapted to the artificial world in which he now made his living. He did his best to follow the rules as an obedient slave to the master industrialist. But the boss, old man Chester Ruggins, had died and left his inept son to manage a company that had no heart.

Rudy, the son, wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, but it didn’t come naturally. Soon after his father’s funeral, the son figured it would be a good idea if he cleared the place of dead wood.

With fire in his eye, he entered the plant and searched for men with no spirit. However, his father had so totally destroyed the spirits of his workers, that there was nothing left but dead wood. Unable to single out any particular individual, the young Ruggins decided to fire someone who would not argue for his rights.

Thus, Rudy Ruggins selected the quietest man in the company — Everest Stone.

Chapter 2

TERMINATION

RUDY RUGGINS SUMMONED Ev to the office. When Ev entered, the new boss recoiled in terror. Rumor had it that Ev was timid, but his initial impression was scary. Deciding to abide by the rumor, young Ruggins began, Mr. Stone, Ruggins Maritime is a progressing company, and we need prodigious minds with eminent thoughts. You have been unable to manifest any creative ideas. You are an unproductive scientist.

Ruggins glanced sideways, showing what he considered his magnificent profile; his prominent feature being his pointed nose and head full of black hair, cut very short in the style of a Wandian military officer.

Ev looked askance at the babbling young industrialist. Ev was unable to read much of what the man said. Ev got by with lip reading only a few letters; P, B, F, V, W, L, M. Anyway, the man’s lip movements were mechanical, giving Ev the impression that the whole speech was unimportant. Probably some pep talk about the wonderful company. Ev wondered if the guy had memorized a prepared speech. If Ev had interrupted, it would have completely thrown the inept boss. But there was no danger of that. Ev was a quiet man in nature and was totally unprepared