The Three Christs of Ypsilanti - Milton Rokeach [62]
These news items were not, however, our only sources of information. Leon also carried on a busy correspondence with various figments of his delusional system; this correspondence also pointed toward change.
On September 10, 1959, Leon invented a foster “light brother” and “light sister,”[1] Prince Charles and Princess Anne of England. As far as we knew, this was the first time that England had ever figured in Leon’s delusions. Its appearance was clearly traceable to Joseph, who was obsessed with England; it was almost as if Leon wanted to “chisel in” on Joseph’s territory and crowd him out, thus gaining undisputed possession of Joseph’s domain. Three days after he had invented them, Leon wrote a long letter to his light brother and sister, in which he gave them a great deal of advice on how to adhere to the “straight and narrow path religion”; essentially it boiled down to advice on avoiding sinful sexual thoughts and behavior. “If you are asked by nosy criticizing individuals why your ‘Old Man’ is at a mental hospital in the United States tell those persons that our dear guardian Uncle Dr. George Bernard Brown has “Ordered” me as an inside Dr., government agent to see how people are treated there. Concerning my coat of arms and public ensignia it is as follows: a white dove sitting far forward on a rectangular shape opened at the bottom pertruding into the picture of a dunghill, and on the dunghill is written, Dunghill of Truth and in the open rectangular shape is written: Domino dominorum et Rex rexarum King of Kings and Lord of Lords … respectfully your loving light brother.” To this, Leon signed his “full name,” and in addition tacked on at the end, “the Old Man.” This proliferation was also added to his calling card. The “Old Man” was, of course, Clyde; both Joseph and Leon had frequently referred to him in the past as the “Old Man.” Thus, one change traceable to Joseph is evident, and another traceable to Clyde. Subsequent changes in Leon’s system are detailed in the chronological account which follows:
September 15. Leon says: “With me in the Philippines and Prince Charlie in England, we’ll span the world.” He says he remembers something in reference to Dr. Darwin: “One of my uncles says to my other uncle: ‘Do you think there are people who have not yet been discovered? Their bodies are more rugged in appearance than a human person’s body, but that’s above an ape.’ I believe my uncle made a comment that the Yeti are those undiscovered people.”
A few days earlier the men had read about the Yeti in a magazine article on the Abominable Snowman; the introduction of this material marked a brand-new tack, about which we were to hear much more in the months to come.
September 16. Leon repeats that the Yeti are the missing link, and goes on to announce that he is looking forward to presenting his wife, the “Queen of Queens,” to Queen Elizabeth. This, too, is a new idea. Leon is not referring to the Virgin Mary, whom he had previously described as his present wife, but to a new wife whom he will marry shortly. He muses over the castle that will be instantaneously created for his wife. The biggest banquets ever seen will be held there. Then, through translocation, Leon and his new wife will vacation in any part of the world, or have that part of the world brought to them. Apparently Leon is anticipating a wedding banquet and a honeymoon.
September 20. Leon informs us that the Yeti are formed by the cross-fertilization of a human and a plant or an insect, for the purpose of creating a bigger, stronger human. They prefer to live from day to day, eating and drinking what they can find; they choose to let the rest of the world go by. The Yeti are extremely strong and dense because of an additional cross-fertilization with teakwood; this explains why they can pick up a “1400 to 1800 pound living yak over