Redemption - Leon Uris [93]
I followed your plan of battle on a fellow in school who has been the school bully. I seem to always have to defend the poor, like Robin Hood. Anyhow, he isn’t the school bully anymore. Three thumps to the ribs and he left his chin wide open. It was glorious.
I was contemplating commencing sexual activity after my next birthday inasmuch as I’m big for my age and several of the older girls at school know more than their parents think they know. However, having been cautioned by you, I’ve decided to delay things for a time. But, I have the itch all the time.
Love,
Rory
Nor could Rory write:
I try to read between the lines of your letter and wonder what heroic action you are into. Frankly, I’m thinking very heavily of the day I can be in Ireland and swear allegiance to the Irish Republican Brotherhood.
My Dear Rory,
It fills my heart to know you are reading your ninth book.
Looking up old acquaintances, I was encouraged to try to make the Belfast Boilermaker rugby team. Thanks to that year I played in Australia, your old uncle still has the legs. I’m at the loose head prop position.
It means a fine job at Weed Ship &Iron, and a series of coincidences. Jeremy Hubble is working at his grandfather’s yard and is also trying to make the team. He moves very fast and has good nerve.
It appears that he is behind in his studies and will have trouble getting into Trinity College in Dublin. So, I’ve got me a viscount to tutor on the Midlands rugby tour. I’ve always cared for this lad and taking him under my wing makes me feel, sometimes, that I’ve got you with me.
Aye, I saw Caroline. She has aged lovely. There is no denying a love still exists between us and always will. But, our love, from both sides, had always been dream stuff, mystical, untouchable, breakable, dangerous.
I don’t know about herself, for women can linger forever in love flown.
She was ethereal, and so long as I was in her spell, I was never fit for a real, live woman. Rory, the moment I saw her I knew I was free for the first time in my life to seek, to fly, to hold without her hovering about me.
Ah, I guess I carried my childhood to extremes but I don’t dream quite so much, anymore. Realism has settled in…utter realism for my life now demands it. And thank God, with it, I can love a real woman.
I know you’re reading right through this, Rory lad. All the coincidences were manufactured by me to get into Weed Ship & Iron and use Sir Frederick Weed’s private train, which takes his rugby team on the Midlands tour and might end up carrying Brotherhood guns into Ireland.
Realism! I am a bastard for using Caroline and Jeremy. Realism! I am of the Irish Republican Brotherhood so that decision became automatic. It came down to a simple logic that I can no longer love Caroline in that way and be a member of the Brotherhood.
A lot of the old dream here changed the day I took the Brotherhood oath. We’re playing a rough game now, but as Long Dan Sweeney said, “Nothing we do to gain our freedom can be as evil as those who have denied us our freedom.”
Dear Uncle Conor,
It is a good thing you explained to me that a natural and proper step into manhood is masturbation, because I do it quite often now. If you hadn’t told me I’d be swimming in guilt and confessing all the time, even though there is nothing to confess. I’m so glad because I got the worst lecture of my life from Father Gionelli about sin and self-abuse. Your advice to me on this matter is the same kind of advice I will give my own son.
As you said, history comes back to haunt. The Squire found my books. He just glared and glared and glared. After glaring, he took his mare up to his bloody hilltop and talked to whoever he talks to up there. Anyhow, Uncle Conor, when he came down from his bloody hilltop he never said a word to me for three weeks.
So you know what I do? I bring a book into the parlor at night and read to myself right in his face. But it doesn’t really help. Everyone gets real tense. Besides, I’d rather read in