Preface

A word from the author

I felt these few words were necessary because of the complexity of the character Cornelius Randolph. From the outset I (the author) wanted a plausible character to live in and adapt to an implausible situation. I found the responses I wanted from Cornelius were not what I would call normal.

I needed reasons for these responses and felt it could only come from life experience. At 92 yrs Cornelius had life experience in abundance. His great age and extremely poor quality of life led him to believe he was 'dead', but no one had given him permission to lie down and his stubborn attitude in the face of adversity would not allow him to do it for them. 'They want me, they can damn well come and get me'.

The following potted biography (emphasis on potted) of Cornelius helped me greatly to produce this character and I hope it helps the reader to understand some of his reactions and make them more plauseable.

Born 10\11\1922 in a slum section of the East End.

1923 age 5 months. Parents died of TB. Grandmother born and bred in the East End stepped in to bring him up.

1925 age 3 years. Diagnosed damaged by forceps at birth he was prescribed his first pair of glasses.

1927 age 5 years. He started school. It was the beginning of hell on Earth. Children are very cruel, especially when you wear two milk bottle bottoms secured to your face by bits of wire. Fighting back made for unpopularity by both staff and pupils. A bitter loner was forged.

1936 age 14 years. Left school a confirmed loner, rough, tough and belligerent; his treatment at school led him to expect nothing from those in authority. Immediately started work and began learning to earn money via manual labour, in a new location. Grandmother had waited until school was out to move out of the East End.

1939 age 17 years. War broke out with no immediate effect.

1940 age 18 years. Call up. He was rejected by the Military because of his eyes. Otherwise declared fit and ordered to a reserved occupation, farming. A new type of life with new skills to learn. Not particularly onerous as hard work was no stranger and a plethora of young widows and Land Army girls were only too pleased to introduce a callow youth into to the ways of pleasuring women. Such was the shortage of men.

1946 age 24 years. Released from reserved occupation he returned to his Grandmother's home. There was so much work about and so little labour that the money was good and the fiddles were awesome. 70% of a week's wages could be earned per day on the fiddle. Transport clothes and a good lifestyle were there for the taking. Obliging widows were available in abundance.

1960 age 38 years. Work was still easy come by, widows and fiddles less so. Dolly birds were coming on line. He was swiftly becoming the 'oldest swinger in town'

1968 age 46 years. Grandmother who was 89 and who would have had to attend the doctors to enquire about symptoms for the common cold should she want one fixed breakfast, sat in her chair and died. Verdict natural causes. Cornelius lost the only person he truly cared for.