All Around The World

All Around the World

"Pardon me, I’m looking for …”

“Yes ma’am Ms. Findlay, please follow me; I’ll escort you to Mrs. Nelson, she’s waiting for you in the conference room. My name is Samantha.”

“I apologize for being late.”

“No problem, your editor at Life informed us you were to arrive from Casablanca after your assignment’s completion.”

Stopping in front of a set of oak doors, Samantha knocked twice & then motioned for Candace Findlay to proceed and take the lead.

“Mrs. Nelson, Ms. Findlay. Would either of you care for something to drink, a snack before you begin?”

“Nothing for me.”

“Same. Please close the door & hold my calls until the end of this meeting.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Please, have a seat Ms. Findlay.”

Candace took a moment to look around the room & also at her host before she herself sat down. Mrs. Nelson was a very striking woman with piercing green eyes, a height of at least 5” 8’, a trim figure & an extremely enviable café au lait complexion. She reached to her left to pick up a remote & stated to Candace “I do apologize for interrupting your travel; I understand that after the completion of your assignment you were to be traveling to Bimini for vacation. I’ll do what I can to make this layover as quick as possible for you & back into the friendly skies.”

“That would be appreciated, but I don’t understand why I’m here.”

“Do allow me to explain. Do you know Ms. Layla M. McRae?”

“Well, yes, she’s a friend, actually we met when she was my guidance counselor in high school, but what does that have to do with my being summoned to an attorney’s office?”

“I detest being the one to inform you, but Ms. McRae passed earlier this year, precisely on 01/02.”

“I..I…I didn’t know that she was ill.”

“From my understanding, she didn’t tell many people. In getting her affairs in order, she opted to do a video will & you are the only person specifically mentioned.”

“Me?”

“Yes ma’am. Ms. McRae did do a more traditional will which included directions on distributing her assets & monies, but the video only mentions you. Please, allow me to play the tape; she explains herself quite well.”

With that, Mrs. Nelson pushed ‘play’ & Ms. McRae came onscreen.

“Candace, I apologize for getting you here under these circumstances; I tried to write to tell you of my ill-health, but I never wanted you to worry nor put your life on hold for me. Out of my entire career of being a guidance counselor & working with children, you were always my favorite, although I could never let on. You reminded me so much of myself at your age: shy, soft-spoken, content in working behind the scenes. It may have been my job to assist you in getting on the path to your career, but it was my honor for you to choose me as your friend. Thank you.

“Now, for the 2nd reason that I’ve had Mrs. Nelson arrange for you to be here today. In my will, I’ve stated where & to who everything is to go to except for $20,000, which is being gifted to you with one condition: it is to be dispersed to those you find to be truly in need in the course of your work as a human-interest reporter. I have always taken a small amount of pride in helping you to become who you are & now I ask that you help me add one last thing to my resume’: philanthropist.

“Lastly, Mrs. Nelson should now be handing you one envelope encasing a cashier’s check for the $20,000 along with a 2nd envelope containing my safety deposit key. Inside that box, you’ll find a small black book & instructions as to what’s to be done with it. I apologize for being so cryptic but I know that I can trust you implicitly to complete this final task on my behalf.

“Thank you once again for being my friend.” & with that the tape stopped.

Candace wiped the last of her tears onto her handkerchief & then looked at the two envelopes.

“I offered Ms. McRae the complete services of my firm to handle this last matter, but she stated that she wanted it to be completed with a personal touch, that you would know how to do such as it was not a task to be struck off a to-do list. As you know, she could be a formidable force. I, nor anyone at my firm, knows what’s in that box, but will assist you should you need such in completing her final wish.”

With that, Mrs. Nelson stood up & extended her hand for Candace to shake.

“Once again Ms. Findlay, you have our condolences.”

Candace stood to shake Mrs. Nelson’s hand.

“Thank you.”

Candace took the next logical step & used the bank name & address on the cashier’s check to assume this would be where Ms. McRae also had her safety deposit box. After speaking with the bank manager, he confirmed her suspicions, offered his deepest sympathies & escorted her to the vault.

“Ms. McRae was a valued customer & member of the community for more years than I can remember and will truly be missed. Please, let me know if I can assist you with anything else.”

“Yes sir, thank you once again.”

With that being said, the bank manager departed & left Candace alone in the vault. What she anticipated to be inside she really didn’t know but she took a deep breath & threw caution to the wind. The contents were only three things: a faded white handkerchief with the initials “HC” in one of its corners swathed around the black book on top of yet another envelope, addressed to Candace….a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

It had been seven months & sometimes Candace felt as if she were making progress in locating Hershel Cullman, other times not. The black book that Ms. McRae had left could best be described as a journal, containing pictures, letters, dried flowers & other mementos from a long-ago romance with Mr. Cullman & her instructions were to locate him & give him the book, much easier written than done. Mr. Cullman & his family had moved to parts unknown shortly after Ms. McRae had relocated with hers. Candace had found a clue after spending hours searching through reels after reels of microfiche & encountered a picture of Mr. Cullman & a Mr. Charles Benson placing 1st & 2nd place, respectively, in a track meet. Tracking down Mr. Benson had provided her with a prospective phone number for Mr. Cullman, but what was she going to say? Even if it was him, would he even remember Ms. McRae? It had been a number of years ago, but Grace had been given an assignment & she did not want to disappoint her friend.

She was still getting her speech together when the line was answered.

“Hello? You’ve reached the Cullman residence.”

“Hello, may I speak with Mr. Hershel Cullman, please.”

“You’re speaking with him.”

Grace may not be an expert, but this gentleman did not sound as if he had lived through the Great Depression.

“I’m sorry, my name is Candace Findlay & I’m looking for a Mr. Hershel Cullman who attended Fairfax High School & moved at the end of his junior year, 1940.”

“That would be my father. May I ask what this is about?”

“Oh, yes. I know this may sound strange, but I was asked to locate Mr. Cullman by a Ms. Layla McRae; the two used to date in high school.”

“Layla McRae? Did you say Layla McRae?”

“Yes, they were high school sweethearts but she & her family moved prior to graduation & she and Mr. Cullman lost contact with one another. She wanted to give him something from their time together. May we set a time so that I can do so?”

“This upcoming Saturday actually works.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll actually be leaving tomorrow for an assignment in the Soviet Union. I’m due to be back in two weeks; can we meet then?”

“I’m marking it on my calendar now. Do you know where the reservoir is? The ducks are a favorite attraction.”

“They’re a favorite of mine as well. One PM?”

“Yes, thank you, this is a pleasant distraction. See you then.”

“Alright, this is my favorite part. Tell us how your eyes locked & you two fell in love at first sight.”

“It was for me, but it took until 2nd sight for your Mom.”

“Dad!”

“Well, it did, but I’ll let her finish telling the story.”

“Your father & I met up at the reservoir and right away I asked about your grandfather. He stated that he hadn’t known how to tell me about his passing, plus he wanted to find out a little about me first.”

“And then?”

“Since he had very slyly asked for a 2nd date, I decided that the book would give us a topic of discussion for then.

“And then?”

“As we looked through it together, we learned more about your grandfather & Ms. McRae, their time together and even ourselves. We realized that we had a lot in common & slowly became friends, long distance because I was still working at Life magazine.”

“I knew right away how I felt about her, but your mother fought her feelings. It took her meeting my girlfriend that I’d begun dating while she was on assignment on the Great Barrier Reef to finally say that she wanted to be more than friends.”

“I actually told him that same night, & he broke up with her the next day. I’ve always felt guilty about that; I should have called her & apologized.”

“And then?” the twins chimed in together.

“Then, we dated long distance for a few years, until I could decide if being stationary would be something that I could do. I had grown used to flying all around the world & didn’t know if I could give it up, but I also knew that I didn’t want to have travel & work be the only things in my life that I’d ever done.”

“I proposed on the 4th anniversary of the day we met, your Mom said yes & I’ve never been happier, that is until the two of you came along.”

“What did you do with the money?”

“HIV & AIDS cases had just begun to be diagnosed and were & are devastating to those affected. The money was donated to the International Red Cross because the first initial cases were found in Africa.”

“Just think, all of those lives, touched by two people.”

“Yeah, we wouldn’t even be here if Ms. McRae & Grandpa hadn’t have brought you two together.”

“Which is one of the reasons we kept the picture of the two of them together & donated the remainder of the book to the Fairfax High School Alumni Association. Even though they graduated from other high schools, the journal contained archival pictures from their time there. We think they’re happy with the decision.”

“Now, off to bed you two.”

“Aww, Mom!”

“You heard your Mother, good night.”

After they had each kissed the girls goodnight & sent them upstairs, Hershel kissed Candace on her cheek & began quoting one of the couple’s favorite songs “L is for the way you look at me…”

“…O is for the only one I see. Did you really love me at first sight?”

“Actually sooner; when I first heard your voice, I knew. Without knowing it at the time, we helped each other get through our grief & grieving. How could I not love you?”

“Just think, it took me travelling around the world & returning home to find…home.”