Historical Association #3
I am Edmund Grayson VII. My 6 times great grandfather, Charles Grayson, was the third person to walk off of the Mayflower and onto Plymouth Rock in 1620.
After suffering through two horrid winters he and his wife, Sarah, made their way to what is now Lowell, MA. He claimed all of the land from what is now Lawrence, down to Billerica, across to Littleton, up through Groton to the New Hampshire border. He did all of the necessary paperwork, made it stick, and the family owned all of that land for generations. Needless to say we made a rather tidy fortune from it, to the point that my 3 times great grandfather, Edmund II, was worth what would be, here in 1907, several BILLION dollars. The family has carefully guarded that delicious sum, and the current family patriarch, Edmund Grayson V, who still goes to the office every single day, at the age of 88, in order to run the enterprise, is worth all of those billions. His eldest son, my father Edmund VI, also goes to the office every day as 2nd in command. My younger brother, Josephus, is the business man of my generation. I am not.
While I have not been written out of the various family wills, I AM considered something of a black sheep, due to the fact that my chief passion in life has always been, not money, but the glorious game of basketball.
But, I shall allow the rest of the family to cherish their love of money, which some say is the root of all evil, while I pursue my career as a coach.
Make no mistake, I am “ridiculously well to do,” as a wonderful author puts it, worth well over 100 million dollars, so I am completely free to follow my heart with no concerns regarding my personal wellbeing. In any case, on to the topic at hand.
I was born in 1872, at our 20 room home in Lowell. I was the third of seven, and the first son. I was educated in exclusive private schools from kindergarten through Phillips Exeter Academy, and, of course, Harvard. I learned basketball early and was a four year starting Point Guard at both PEA and Harvard. As a PG it was inevitable that I learn and know nearly as much as a coach. My natural interest led me to seek out the members of the coaching staffs who were willing to teach me more.
Upon graduation from Harvard I secured a job teaching English literature and coaching the team at PEA. I also coached cross country in the fall, and track and field in the spring, although I must admit, I am far less interested in those sports. Still, I give it my all!
I was very successful as a basketball coach almost at once. In my 12 years here at PEA I have won 11 league titles, and won 6 state championships including 3 in my last 5 seasons.
After 8 or 9 seasons I felt that I was ready to serve as head coach at the university level, but the opportunity never presented itself until just now. More about that shortly.
But first, a bit more about my personal life. I majored in world lit at Harvard. I have always passionately loved good books- fiction, historical fiction, history, biography, science related- almost all sort of books, but especially the “great books.” I think I have been a good teacher because I have managed to bring my passion for books to my students. In any case, I find the time to read approximately two books each week, and have done so since I was ten years old or younger. I often sacrifice sleep to indulge this passion, but I have no regrets.
Aside from teaching and reading, I engage in walking to stay fit, approximately an hour each day that weather permits. When the always intriguing New England weather does not permit me to walk outdoors, I try to walk in the gym at PEA.
At age 28 I was introduced to a beautiful 18 year old debutante, Winifred Lawrence, of the Lawrence, MA family. We hit it off immediately, and were married in the spring of 2000. Alas, she died in childbirth 11 months later, as did the child.
I mourned her for a long, sad time. At the urging of my family I allowed myself to be introduced to another 18 year old debutante, Flora Lodge, of the Boston Lodges, two years ago. I felt and feel that the age difference of 15 years is a bit much, but Flora and I get on perhaps even better than did Winifred and I, even after 14 months of marriage. Our first child is due any day now. I dread that day immensely, given what happened last time, but Flora assures me she will be fine. If I may be a bit too personal for a moment, Flora explains that she has a more womanly body than did the very slender Winifred. She explains that her wide hips were made for bearing children, and she hopes to have several. Women seem to know far more regarding these matters than do men, except for physicians, and are also far more comfortable discussing such things. I find myself squirming when she begins to address this sort of thing, at which times she laughs at me. Oh well, she is young, and I love her very much.
We live in a modest, for our class, 12 room home here in Exeter. We have a housekeeper and a cook to help indoors. Their husbands take care of the property. Both families live in a two family servants’ cottage on the property. We have engaged the services of a nanny, who will begin work as soon as the baby arrives. She and her husband, who will serve as my chauffeur and valet (It would seem that the automobile is here to stay, alas), will live- well, as you will note shortly, we are about to relocate, so more on that shortly. I have managed to live all these years without a valet. I have felt the need sorely, and welcome his arrival.
Thus begins my tale. The next installment shall be placed here in due course.