Charlotte’S World

By Maud O Banks

Mrs. Stout made Charlottes clothes. She always did. One day she made a black dress for Charlotte and sewed yellow chickens on both pockets.

Charlotte thought her dress was nice. It was certainly different, but she liked it. But when she went to school it was a different matter. Oh, how the children made fun of her new dress. But, boy did she ever tell them off and set matters straight:

Well, its my dress and I like it. I find it attractive, if you dont mind.

Charlotte didnt have to tell them her mother made the dress for her for they had drawn that conclusion instantly. In recounting her tale to Verona, Charlotte put her shoulders back, sat up straight and lifted her chin high. She brought her right shoulder forward just under her slightly tilted chin and glared at Verona. Then she remarked:

A snooty bunch they were, I tell you, but I sure put them in their place. And there is something else I must tell yousomething I will never ever forget. Or someone, I should sayMiss Granger. She was my teacher. And, a nicer person you couldnt find anywhere. She was single at the time. I dont know if she ever got married later, but she was such a lovely person. She surely was lovely and nice. She both saw and heard what the children were saying and how I stood up for myself. I tell you. She walked right over to me and put two dollar bills in one pocket and a handkerchief in the other. What a nice thing to do! What a nice thing she did for me! I tell you, I will always remember what Miss Granger did. Children can be so cruel! I was eight years old at the time. And, she spoke so nicely to me in front of all those children.

Now little girl, she said. I think this is one of the nicest dresses I have ever seen.

Of course, all the children were looking on. They saw and heard what our teacher did and what she said.

That told them and shut them up all right! declared Charlotte with a toss of her head and a straightening up of her back and shoulders.

Then she continued relating her story to Verona.

We didnt have much at that time. It was during the Great Depression. But we managed, she said.



Charlotte is not afraid of anything, neither the living nor the dead. And, that was why she took the bull by the horns and gored herself through life with a can do, fearless attitude.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524657260

Maud O Banks

Banks was born in Jamaica and later came to the United States. She received her Master’s Degree in literature from Xavier University. She has an adorable grand daughter and eagerly awaits the arrival of her first grandson. Banks is the author of Sound Awareness, a highly acclaimed nonfiction, published by Author House Publishing Company. She lives in Canton, Ohio and volunteers in various non-profit community agencies. Coming in January, Bon Voyage, Agnes Mary, is Bank’s greatly anticipated third novel.

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© 2017 Maud O Banks. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Some of the names and places in the text have been changed to protect the privacy and innocence of some individuals.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/11/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5246-5727-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-5728-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-5726-0 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Introduction

List of Main Characters

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Acknowledgements

About the Book

About the Author

For my son and grandchildren

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Follow Charlotte’s path through the streets of her favorite city in the world. View and enjoy the historic sites as you journey with her through the neighborhood she cared for so much. They formed and influenced her course of life and in like manner she helped to fashion theirs.

Introduction

C HARLOTTE IS NOT AFRAID OF anything, neither the living nor the dead. And, that was why she took the bull by the horns and gored herself through life with a can do, fearless attitude. Just tell her she can’t take on a career field in which men dominate and she’ll show you that she certainly can, and make a mighty fine and illustrious work of it as a trial lawyer. She has cracked the glass ceiling and no one could get in her way without an enormous fight. Dare to challenge her that she cannot win the heart of the beau of her nemesis and she’ll show you otherwise. Even in death, her heart belongs to him and his to her. Give Charlotte a job and she will get it done efficiently, with confidence, and without restraints. She might scrub the floors and brush away the cobwebs that fettered their lives. For, her poise and self-assurance nibbles away at every manacle that tries to bind her. And, if she scared her dear old grandma, don’t blame her, for her grandma scared her first.

If you are interested in hearing how Charlotte accomplished set goals of fortitude and contention, listen to the freshly arrived Verona generate a flurry of sneaky comments on the role of modesty and compromise.

Set in Canton, Ohio the tale of Charlotte reflects the solid, simple living of her time and surroundings. Open-minded and candidly decisive in all her efforts and endeavors, Charlotte has to maintain evidence to back up her claim to fame. She is determined to dip her feet in every aspect of cultural and community activities that propel her up the ladder of accomplishments, steadily, and without missing a single rung.

It’s not only a fact that her parents doted on Charlotte from birth till their untimely death, near her arrival at the peak of her career, but the foundation they laid that made her life subsequently full and complete.

When, in her later years, Charlotte realized she had lost her whole known family, she clung desperately to the love and support of her childhood friend. And, as fate would have it, she gained the trust and loyalty of a newcomer at precisely the time she lost her best friend. Then, the litany of dirges continues to permeate her every conversation with her guest, whose effort to create some distraction met with mixed results.

For, Charlotte does not lament nor does she sing the funeral hymn of her suitor.

List of Main Characters

Charlotte - An only child

Nathaniel Stout – Charlotte’s father

Marlene Lawrence - Mrs. Stout

Lizzie – Charlotte’s best friend

Sid-Lizzie’s husband

Frances Freedman-Charlotte’s grandmother

Napoleon (Nappy) Benson-Charlotte’s husband

Miss Granger-Charlotte’s teacher

Johnny-Charlotte’s cousin

Sharon-The Bakers’ niece

The Bakers-owners of confectionery

Verona-Student of Nursing

Nancy – Charlotte’s nemesis

O nce upon a time , in the beautiful, enchanting city of Canton, Ohio lived a charming little girl named Charlotte. Charlotte’s family was poor, and by design, chose to have only one child in whom they would take great delight and satisfaction. Her parents would ensure that she amounted to someone special and extraordinary in life and to be an inspiration in the lives of others. With everything that lay in their power, the Stouts would provide a joyous, happy, and contented childhood for their daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Stout encouraged Charlotte to invite her school friends over so they could play doll house, hide and seek, catch, hopscotch, and make raucous noises…anything to keep her in high spirits, and to liven up the home as well. What her parents desired more of Charlotte, though, would be that she proved not only to them and herself, but to everyone else that where one starts in life doesn’t define what they will become. And, to that very purpose, she did not disappoint them.

1

W HEN CHARLOTTE STOUT PLACED AN ad in the classified section of the Repository under Adult Care she never dreamed her empty, quiet house would once again become such a bustling abode in her later years.

My parents are gone. My Nappy is gone. My Sammy is gone. Now Lizzie is gone. I am the only one left. I am so afraid that when I am gone I won’t be missed. There won’t be anyone to mourn for me or remember anything I did, complained Charlotte the morning she met Verona.

When Verona arrived at Charlotte’s home the first day she found her host quite animated and muttering to herself. Verona saw no one in the room with Charlotte on that memorable morning she got to Charlotte’s house. She waited to see if anyone would surface from an adjoining room. And, if by chance someone did indeed come forward, Verona would not think the elderly lady had gone off her rocker. It could be she was already entertaining that very notion of her agitated and apparently troubled host. Maybe, someone else might have been in another area of the house, thought Verona. So, she waited, watched and listened for any creaking floor boards or voices. But, no one presented himself from anywhere within the house during Verona’s visit that unforgettable day. It was a day that would be forever etched in Verona’s computerized mind.

Verona still hadn’t recovered fully from her fright. Nearly an hour earlier Charlotte had first buzzed her into her home through the security alarm system. She had entered through door one without any incident. Then, the green indicator light on door two beckoned her to an inner hallway. She was then facing a short flight of stairs straight ahead of her. But, Verona had not yet let go of the brass handle of the door. And, that was when something startling and disquieting occurred in the small space in which she had found herself. The sound heightened as it bounced off the walls on both sides of her and sandwiched Verona in their confines. If she were to let go of the door handle, would the piercing sound cease? She had to do something, anything that could rectify the situation at hand and restore some calm to her shaking knee and leaded feet. Of course, that was exactly what she intended to do. She would let go of the handle of the door, but, when?

Her eyes cautiously followed a series of steps that led up to a landing several feet ahead of her. What next could she expect from the earsplitting sound that pursued her from all angles?

Consequently, Verona continued to keep a firm grasp on the door knob, in the event she might need to hasten her steps and exit the building with great urgency. So, she held on.

In the darkened enclosure she had felt trapped. Then, she had turned to look up the stairwell, again. Suddenly, a figure appeared in plain sight. The apparition was that of a lady, short in stature and with a broad outline. The lady peered down at Verona. She cocked her head from one side to the other as if trying to decipher in the darkness of the entrance way what manner of guest might be there. She raised one hand to the bridge of her nose to adjust the spectacles on her face. That was when Verona better determined the situation at hand.

The profile of the spectacled face at the top of the stairs was by no means what distressed Verona most. It was how perilously close to the edge of the landing above it appeared. And, Verona saw the wheelchair.

Seated in her wheelchair at the top of the stairwell, Charlotte belted out an overly zealous greeting that made Verona instinctively let go of the door handle, and gaze up at her. Good God, this woman doesn’t need an alarm system! She is one, thought Verona.

Charlotte had instantly engaged her guest in full conversation before Verona had time to close the door. That had caused the alarm system to screech out such a piercing sound that unnerved both of them -— Charlotte, to continue talking at a feverish pace, and Verona to carefully and cautiously mount the few rungs of steps towards Charlotte. When she finally approached her host and knew for sure she was standing on level ground, she took a deep breath and said.

Good morning, Charlotte. I am Verona, she said, still obviously shaken and feeling unsteady on her feet. She reached for the closest chair where she sat motionless and stared at her host.

In the meantime, Charlotte fumbled with a control device she held in her hand. Much to their relief, the blaring noise ceased. Now, if the furor it caused could just go away from them that would be great. For, they both realized that disarming the security system proved to be much easier than disarming their nerves.

They will be here soon enough, Charlotte remarked fretfully. They will be here in only a few minutes. I know they will, she continued as she wheeled herself towards the bay windows that faced the street. She reached her long arms towards the window curtains. Very quickly she realized that wasn’t a wise pose. That made her sit back in the wheelchair and reassessed her positioning. She reached for the arms of the chair and appeared to catch her breath.

She tried again. That time she held on to the chair arm with her left hand, and with her right hand she reached across the window seats. Her slender fingers tried to get a hold of the curtains. The silky fabric, however, flowed away from her and ballooned back against the glass.

These fingers don’t work like they used to, she said.

Verona didn’t budge. She sat erect on the chair and was desperately trying to compose herself. In all fairness to her, she feared her knees would buckle beneath her and make a bad situation worse.

Are you okay, Charlotte? she managed to ask, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

Oh, I will be all right, she said and sat back in her wheelchair. Charlotte lifted up both of her hands so close to her face that the touched her eyeglass. The impact caused her to jolt her head backward. As she recovered, she examined her hands closely. She looked at them, first, with the palms facing her. Then she turned them over and looked at the back of both hands. Charlotte rested both her arms on the armrest of her chair and gave out a big sigh. She laced and unlaced her fingers together several times. Then freeing them she brought them up to eye level again and wiggled them in front of her face. The next thing she did was to open and close her fists for as many times as it took her to count aloud to ten. After doing so, she pushed back her shoulders and straightened out wrinkles from her sleeves.

Once again, she leaned forward. That time she got a more secure hold of the curtain. Charlotte then pulled back the semi-sheer panel at the window. She looked one way up the street and then the other way. She repeated that motion and Verona thought airily how Charlotte appeared to be watching a tennis match in progress. The elderly lady was moving her head from one side to the other in a rhythmic motion as if she were watching the ball bounce from one racket to the other as it sailed over the net. Her pearl, teardrop earrings had dangled with the motion but her hair remained unmoved. Charlotte was waiting in anticipation for the arrival of a representative from the security alarm company. For, she had said they would be there soon enough.

Verona observed how impeccably dressed Charlotte was and the beautifully coiffure fashion in which she wore her hair. She had on a highly fashionable floral dress that flowed gracefully halfway down her legs and revealed her stocking feet and black Oxford pumps.

Wouldn’t they call first? Verona asked.

Charlotte moved her lips but no words came out.

The alarm hadn’t gone off for very long -— hadn’t sounded for more than a few seconds before you were able to shut it off, Verona ventured. She did not necessarily expect a response from Charlotte, and none came.

Have they had to come here lately, Charlotte? asked Verona.

The guys from the security system, have they been here recently? Verona continued.

At that point, she was allowing herself to make polite conversation. She wasn’t sure how the endeavor would come across to her troubled host.

No, not lately, Charlotte answered as she turned her head to look at Verona and let the curtain slide from her fingers.

If they had any concerns they would definitely call. You have a great security system here, Charlotte. That’s good. Verona said that in an effort to help calm them both down.

Charlotte wasted no time in breaking the news of the death of her best friend Lizzie to Verona who had little choice but to sit there and listen patiently and in silence. Charlotte poured out her heart to Verona for the next five minutes. She seemed out of breath as if she’d been talking for quite sometime before Verona arrived. Her grief was noticeably raw. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were red. Soon, she began to talk in a softer voice.

Normally, that would have been okay for some one, whether grieving or not, to lower his tone of voice at will. However, in the case at hand, Verona had cause to be concerned about Charlotte for she appeared disconnected from what she was saying. Her demeanor had changed too suddenly. She wasn’t pouring out her thoughts about the loss of her best friend any longer. Perhaps, if she were doing so, that might have suited her guest better. Now, she became too quiet. Maybe, she hadn’t slept since receiving the bad news. Yes, maybe that’s what it was. It could have been that Charlotte was suffering from sheer exhaustion, coupled with loneliness. Couldn’t a condition such as the one she found herself in thrown her into a zombie-like catatonic state?

Oh, well, Verona sighed.

Her host apparently heard the moderate puff of air that emitted from Verona’s nostrils.

Charlotte turned her wheelchair around effortlessly and slowly. She faced Verona. Her expression was blank. Verona found it hard to determine or establish what Charlotte was thinking. In fact, she wondered whether or not Charlotte was even thinking at all. Maybe, all thoughts had fled her, for that matter.

Then, the telephone rang. The loud sound immediately, and without any delay, sent Charlotte in a tailspin with her wheelchair again.

Wait just a minute. That could be my insurance agent. Charlotte wheeled her chair towards the shiny black telephone on a side table that had been pushed up against the wall. She leaned over and picked up the phone.

Hello, answered Charlotte. She turned her head slightly and glanced at Verona.

Yes. Yes, this is Charlotte, she replied to the caller in a steadier tone of voice.

Everything is all right. Oh, a guest of mine just came in. That will be fine. Thank you. Charlotte seemed to be responding to questions posed by an agent from the security alarm company.

With little effort, she wheeled herself around to face Verona. And, as she approached her, Charlotte smiled contentedly.

Is that the call you were expecting from the insurance company? Verona ventured.

No. They should be calling any time now, though. I called them early this morning. The secretary said someone would call me back to answer a number of questions I will need to ask them, said Charlotte.

Before long, a gray sports car pulled up in Charlotte’s driveway. The driver parked the car on the right side of Verona’s silver and black 1964 Ford Model Fairlane with gray leather interior.

The women saw him pull into the driveway.

Oh, now, that’s a flashy car, said Verona.

I’ll say it is, remarked Charlotte without revealing any emotion in her manner of speaking.

Both women watched the tall, lanky middle-aged man step from his car. He looked about him cautiously. Then, before making another move, he cast a glance at the house, again. The women wondered whether he could see them through the sheer curtains. Next, he bent his slender frame and examined Verona’s Fairlane closely. Then, he raised himself up revealing first, his rounded back, followed by a head with wind tossed hair. He pulled a comb from his breast pocket and did a once-over to his hair, replaced the comb in his pocket, and proceeded towards Charlotte’s front door.

2

W HEN HE RANG THE DOOR bell he was in full view of the onlookers. They both glanced at each other. Charlotte indicated to Verona to please answer the door.

Stepping aside, so that Charlotte could see the visitor, Verona turned and looked back at her host. The visitor introduced himself as Chuck and produced an ID badge. He spoke loudly so Charlotte could hear. She invited him in.

Come in. Please, do come in. Charlotte said.

Chuck walked in through the door and went towards Charlotte.

She was my best friend from childhood. I got the news this morning from her daughter. Now they are all gone. First, it was my father and mother, then, Nappy. Then it was Sid. They are all gone. Now it’s only me. She was my best friend. She turned her head and looked painfully at Verona.

Chuck looked perplexed. He glanced from one woman to the other as if he were watching a heated tennis match in progress. The motion reminded Verona of how she pictured Charlotte a few minutes earlier.

"But, you wouldn’t know that now, would you? We went to the same schools.

We went to Clarendon since we were only six. We liked it there. We liked when the bell rang for recess. We had so much fun from way back then. She was my first best friend. We became best friends at my fifth birthday party. But, we knew each other way before my fifth birthday. From there it was Lehman and then on to McKinley High. Charlotte reminisced on those precious times she spent with Lizzie. She appeared riddled in grief. A sad, pensive countenance overcame her which she seemed unable to shake for several seconds.

Verona, this is Chuck, she said with a sigh. She made no further words of introduction.

Chuck nodded to Verona.

Strangely, Chuck seemed satisfied with the situation as he found it. But out of formality, he asked:

Mrs. Benson, I am sorry to hear of your grief, but is everything else all right with you? His deep masculine voice wouldn’t crack, even if he wanted it to.

It is a painful time. It is a painful time, that’s all I know, Charlotte moaned.

It will pass, Mrs. Benson. It will pass. Although it seems impossible, you can be certain it will pass. Well, if all else is okay, I’ll presently be on my way. Goodbye, then Mrs. Benson. Nice meeting you, Ms. Verona, he said as he waved to the women. They waved back.

Then, suddenly Charlotte focused her attention towards the door that led to her bedroom. She moved about restlessly in her chair. Verona caught an unmistakable scent of a man’s cologne. Before long, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

Chuck wasn’t wearing any cologne or after shave splash. Verona hadn’t detected any scent when she opened the door for him. She didn’t notice any unusual smell while he was in Charlotte’s living room talking with them.

Verona couldn’t keep from wondering what caused Charlotte’s sudden reaction. And that scent, what should she make of that scent? Not that it was unpleasant. English Leather, it might have been. It just seemed to have come from out of the blue. And, that sudden movement Charlotte made as if she was startled by some unseen