'A spooky feeling is creeping up my spine.'
These were the words rusty used to begin another strand of his story. He went on:
'Years ago, maybe ten or so, my mother called me up and asked if I knew of a man called Tom North. I said no and asked why.
She told me that 'Tom' was my half brother, he had been the child of my fathers, born before he had met my mother. He had been put up for adoption and my father mentioned him to no-one.
Until a letter arrived, a letter which my mother opened, Asking my father if he would meet him. My father refused. Denying all knowledge.
My sisters met the guy a couple of times, knew of his whereabouts. I asked one of them for his details but she refused to give them to me.
She told me that our family was far too dysfunctional and introducing him would do him no favours.
Later she told me that his details had been destroyed in a house fire.
That was the last I heard of Tom North'.
1 comment:
From the embers: he arose by any other name. All points the compass true but Rusty is by namesake so and dates do just elude him. ‘Dear Malcolm’ came the sleight of hand in 1992 when ‘Tom’ was ‘Tim’ revised to ‘Bob’ and ‘North’ was further round that ‘South’ and ‘East’ was opposite in fact. The seedling of the sinner son was not required to do his dance but shuffle from the empty stage as father acted up a rage, of someone misaligned. A giant step for man not kind, to so deny but I know why. So, that can be his gift to me: the him in he, that shall not see.
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