The Talk

By Thomas Bolsover

The narrator reflects on different times in his life when he had an opportunity to talk with someone special in his life (father, relatives, friends, and other influential people). When the narrator thinks back on these times, he realizes to make sure he takes the opportunity to talk with his own grandson and connect with him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9781667891200

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The Talk

©2023, Thomas Bolsover

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

ISBN eBook: 978-1-66789-120-0

To My Grandson

Table of Contents

Acknowledgment

Preface

Social Distinctions

First Encounter

A Different Way of Normal

A Kind Act

A Lasting Image

California

Back

Hard Times

Invisible

Moving on

Seven Days to Sunday

Moving On

Fast Forward

The Year 2009

Sick Kids

A Conjunctive Mystery

Vir Sapientiam Dat

Huic Habeo Non Tibi

The Talk

Note From the Author

About The Author

Acknowledgment

To my family, friends and colleagues who have suffered through the constant barrage of badgering to read my rough work. It was appreciated and I have learned.

Enough to know, that the only place for me to go, is up!

Preface

The TALK is a fictional novella based on true life experiences. It begins with a young boy waiting for a Talk, and answers to why bad things happen to good people. It ends with an old man giving the Talk to his grandson—the one he never received.

In the many years of a life time, it represents situations that can be, and are, common to us all. No matter what is our culture, race, color, politics, or religion.

The journey leads from early, safe and happy, times with family, to chronicling the many trials and tribulation that can befall anyone, no matter who we are. We are all are susceptible.

The recent disruption of the 2019 through 2022 Covid epidemic caused division and unravelling of people everywhere. Even all the communicative technologies of today, people appear lost and lonely. This story does not preach. It will, however raise an eyebrow from contemplation and thought. And maybe, in some small way, give some solace to those who experience hardships.

They are not alone.

One

Social Distinctions

My name is Harlan Peters. The year was 1956. I was six years old. Father, mother, little sister and I were on an adventure. We were in a 1952 Dodge with all our worldly goods and chattels in a U-Haul trailer tethered to the back of our car. It did not matter how much we had or how little. What mattered was we were together. It was a happy time in my childhood. Travelling under the open blue sky, somewhere, anywhere and together.

There was a cozy and cheerful sense that enveloped us in a gentle bubble of anticipation. We were looking forward to our new life in the American west as landed immigrants. Excitement was in the air and laughter rode on the warm, hazy breeze that squeezed through the partially open windows. The feel was serene as we talked and watched the countryside dance by.

We were on our way to Anaheim, California, USA.

One of two younger brothers on Grandma Peters’ side (nee McLean), settled in California after World War 2. He spent some tortuous time in a Japanese concentration camp as a work slave after the Canadians capitulated in Hong Kong. He enticed my father to come to the USA. There’s gold in the streets of California, just ready for the taking, he would say to Father. His mother, Great Grandma McLean, was an Irish Connolly who married a Scottish McLean. Even though Mc is usually Irish, it was still a no-no back then. An Irish maiden inter-marrying with a Scottish esquire, having a daughter of mixed blood, then moving to England in the late 1800s was a social indignity to be frowned upon by the upper class. They decided to emigrate to Canada and start anew.

The future was safe and more assured in Canada. Irish protestants and Irish Catholics did not have to kill each other here. It was also acceptable for a daughter of Catholic Irish/Scottish blood to marry a WASP of Anglican English descent.

Some of Grandma McLean’s cousins were stone masons back in the UK. Sir Henry Pallett indentured them to assist with the construction of Casa Loma Castle¹ in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Sir Henry Pallett had amassed a fortune of 17 million dollars by 1911, founding the Toronto Electric Light Co. By 1924, he owed 1.7 million dollars. He lost everything, including his castle in the 1929 stock market crash. The castle eventually fell into ruins. My mother remembered playing and running through the half-roofed, derelict building as a child during the great depression of the 1930s. It proofed that status and class were no match for money and hard times. Life can be like that—cruel and