Stewart cheated and I’m coming back. I booked a flight to Dulles for December 3 because I’m speaking at a salon on the second. Can you pick me up? I land in the early evening. What are the Christmas plans? If I’m still there then, and you have arranged for the upstairs to be occupied by Fiona, I can vacate. Spoke to Suzanne and Bob this morning and they have their guesthouse and they said I’m welcome to it. I despise Los Angeles, but that dry, consistent climate suits me and they’re really more toward the hills than the city anyway.
I’m heartbroken. Seventeen years—SMACK—just like that, shattered. Makes me realize how Stewart was braided into everything. My work, my routines, my friendships, meals, movie watching, book reading, walking, waking up, drinking coffee. Makes you wonder what any of it was for. What it meant. Casts every good thing in an ugly green, doesn’t it?
Well, my dear. I’ll see you soon,
Felix
Harry Landy
Florence Moore Hall
Stanford University
436 Mayfield Ave.
Stanford, CA 94305
November 25, 2017
Dear Harry,
Happy Thanksgiving. How are you, dear? I haven’t heard from you in some time, but my hope is that it means you have been busy with learning and friends out in California. Is that the reason? I do hope you are happy. Your father seems to think you are, but your father tends to be easily charmed by rosy delusions, as you and I both know. How are your studies coming? How is the building of the video game coming along? Your father told me you’ve got the attention of internet people in the Silicon Valley. Haven’t I always said the only different thing about you is you’re smarter than the rest of us idiots? I always like to see when I’m proved right.
I am writing to see if you might be willing to use your internet navigation capabilities along with your Stanford library access and do a favor for me. Would you be willing to look up one CHARLES BRODERICK THORNE. Born September 1, 1917, Portland, Oregon. Anything you could find would be helpful, any old thing. I have it on good authority the man died in a cattle stampede.
If you do find anything, Harry, please refrain from sending me an e-mail with long strings of characters in blue I’m meant to click. The last time you did that I became so lost in the internet I had to press the button on the computer itself to turn it off and then start over when I turned it back on. What would be best is if you could print anything you find (in as large a size as possible)and mail it to me. I understand this makes things more complicated for you.
I have additional news to report. I did write to Dezi Martinelli in September.
With love,
Ms. Van Antwerp
Ms. Van Antwerp
17 Farney Rd.
Arnold, MD
21012
December 23, 2017
Dear Ms. Van Antwerp,
I found three documents through the Stanford library databases and ejournals that mention the Charles Broderick Thorne I think you want. There was also a Charles Broadwater Thorne born in 1921 in Birmingham, Alabama, and his records have gotten mixed with your Charles Thorne, but I think I can figure out which one is which. The one you’re looking for also went by Charlie. I printed the articles and enlarged the type as much as I could.
I was thinking about coming to visit you this summer. I have an internship for June and July, but I’m coming home the first week of August.
Sincerely,
Harry Landy
P.S. Dad is right. I think I am happy. I think he is very unhappy with my mom back in the hospital.
Enclosure 1
CHARLES BRODERICK THORNE
