Chapter 2: Diversions (Norman Owens)

[HoneyDog]

Boston 19th November, 9.00am

As the rain pelts against the window of his cheap boarding house in Charlestown, Norman Owens regards the street outside. He has been in Boston for 3 months, waiting for news of when he will be joining Professor Putnam’s next expedition to do fieldwork with the Cree of James Bay in the Canadian north. During the time, he has been using the university library to read up on previous studies of the Cree, their language and the local environment.

Despite keeping busy with research, he is restless, and longs to be out in the solitude of the wilderness, breathing the clean air. He has never really enjoyed the bustle of Boston, and cannot wait to leave. Ideally he would have never have left Finland, but he knows deep down that he will not return there. The fighting between the Reds and Whites and the schism it caused, setting families and friends against each other has poisoned the place for him. So, now he must think of the future and the opportunities it presents. But commissions for conducting exploring have not been in great supply as of late, although things are now starting to recover after the upheaval of the war and the influenza pandemic.

He's excited about visiting the Cree, but knows that he'll need to leave soon. He is existing on a small grant from the university until the expedition starts, and he has very little disposable income. This, combined with a lack of friends and dislike of the city, means that his only outlet is research and preparation, and so he is becoming a little bored and frustrated. He could contact his parents for funds, but it could mean to them vindication of their view that his best future lays in helping with the family business concerns back in Washington. So that is no course of action.

As he is lost in his thoughts, he doesn't hear the ringing of the telephone in the entrance hall downstairs, and almost doesn't hear the knocking of his landlady, telling him Professor Putnam is on the phone.

The Professor usually saves his conversation for their meetings at the university - he rushes downstairs hoping finally to hear the news he has been waiting for.

"Hello Professor!' Norman is almost breathless. "I'm like a big kid!" He thinks to himself.

"Ah Norman! Good morning to you!" comes the professors calm and measured tones. "I have some good news for you, but it won't exactly be what you're wanting to hear, so let me apologise in advance if I've got your hopes up unduly. Our grant has been approved, but due to university bureaucracy it won't be available until late next month, so we can't purchase our supplies until the new year. However my friend, we will definitely be leaving in January".

[Tabs]

"Good news, Professor!" said Norman, "It's a relief to me that we'll be studying the Cree at last." The call was a welcome diversion, God knows he was damn bored, but he began to wonder--"Is there anything else, sir?"

[HoneyDog]

Putnam

“Why yes, as a matter of fact there is. I wanted to call you about it as I’ll need your answer quite soon.”

There is a pause on the line.

“It’s a bit irregular, but nothing illegal of course! You might find it an amusing diversion. In fact, I’m quite intrigued myself, but papers don’t grade themselves. Ha Ha!”

The Professor can sometimes take a while to get to the point of the matter.

[Tabs]

He didn't like the sound of "irregular"; "illegal" however was okay by him. "Papers--I see, so you're too busy? I'm not sure about this..."

[HoneyDog]

The Professor chuckles to himself. “Oh no, you don’t have to grade papers for me. Although I must admit it can be frightfully dull. Undergraduates often have such little perspective, especially regarding kinship among aboriginal groups”.

He coughs.

“But your papers were always very good of course, even though anthropology wasn't your major. Do you ever regret not majoring in anthropology?”

[Tabs]

"Not now I don't, sir. I was lucky with the Sami job," he remembered the reindeer herders wistfully, "in so many ways; one of those is that I've 'put my foot in the door'--fieldwork opportunities open up after the first time." Norman hoped he hadn't overdone the positivity, the Professor said that the expedition was going ahead, time to change subject. "This diversion you spoke of, tell me about it. I'm free till January, you know."

[HoneyDog]

“Ah yes of course, sorry for rambling on. An associate of mine from the Theosophical society, a very important contributor to the expedition, would like someone to accompany his wife on an erm…investigation”.

[Tabs]

"I see--keep him onside? Y'know that I'm not keen on mumbo jumbo, but I'll do it if we needs keep our contributor sweet." Norman sighed: "This wife, some grieving 50 year old who lost a son in the war, I presume?"

[HoneyDog]

The Professor snorts. "I’d like less cynicism from you. Some of us take this ‘mumbo-jumbo’ very seriously. And no, she is not a grieving mother, but in fact a talented young artist, with a superb appreciation of the link between the material and spiritual worlds that is highly evident in her works. Oh, the turquoise!”

He pauses for a moment.

“The investigation is into the mystery of a rented property belonging to an associate. I don’t know the details but apparently some strange events have been associated with it and now it cannot be rented. The owner is very willing to pay well for the assistance. With your mind and her artistic sensibilities, you should be able to get to the bottom of the problem”.

[Tabs]

"An artist? I've never had anything to do with that type... Look, sir, I'll be on my best behaviour--anything to ensure that our expedition goes ahead." He couldn't help but question: "Turquoise?"

[HoneyDog]

Putnam respects Norman but not when it comes to his sense of aesthetics.

"Never mind that. Listen , I know that you're not always the most patient of men when it comes to dealing with others, but do try to be as reasonable as you can. As well as the fee from the landlord, her husband will pay you $40 a day to aid her."

[Tabs]

"Sold," said he laconically.

[HoneyDog]

“Excellent decision my boy. I’ll introduce you the day after tomorrow, and then you can meet Mr. Jordan, the landlord. 11am, at Parker’s Restaurant in School Street. See you at the university”.

He rings off.

Spoiler:

OOC:   I think this is done! Time to get you introduced