Chapter 17: Noblesse Oblige

Sifting through the wreckage was a fairly simple yet depressing task. There was none. Even the beat-up Caravan was gone. All traces of any human habitation on the small lot had been erased. It would be several days before the vehicle, or what remained of it, would be associated with Katarina and Lev. It was located in a field in Washington County. Of their single wide, not a trace was ever found. Experts compared the F4 (some were insisting it was an F5) twister to a galactic blender. With a vortex full of debris — like trees, posts, barbed wire, tin roofing, glass, lawn furniture, etc. — all flying around at over 300 mph, human and animal tissues wouldn’t stand a chance within the nightmare cyclone.

A week later after the searches were called off for any survivors, the 48 county residents who were reported missing, were declared dead. Katarina and Oksana mourned the loss of their husband/father and Cosmo their dog. We put them up in our remaining guest rooms, while Maria stayed in our second master suite. Even a week after the disaster there were tens of thousands of residents who were still without power or utilities. I asked Wanda to make a $1M donation — in my name — to be split four ways among the three counties besides mine that were affected the most.

I joined up with a group of volunteers who went around delivering food and water to those who still had homes but nothing else, temporary shelters were provided for those who lost everything and had nowhere to turn. With the help of Wanda and the EGP, I was able to set up a trust fund for displaced families to ensure that they could carry on with basic needs like school lunches, medical deductions, insurance deductibles, rent, utilities, and transportation. Several local corporations and affluent citizens jumped on board and it grew quickly. It was a win-win for everybody because the donors enjoyed nice tax breaks, community gratitude, and a warm fuzzy feeling — while the community was able to recover even faster.

The contractor who built our house and specialized in stormproof ferroconcrete homes contacted me and asked to survey the place to help them know what went well and what could have been better. For this, they offered to repair or replace any part of the house that was damaged, free of charge. While they were here, I hired them to design and build a new home for Maria. Of my list of ‘lessons learned’ I resupplied the storm shelter with hearing protection ear muffs and a battery-powered emergency radio. I even had hearing protectors custom-made for my animals if this ever happened again. On a whim, I placed a heavy hammer next to each of the thick metal safety doors in case we were ever trapped inside and had to signal our potential rescuers by beating on the steel barrier.

It came as no surprise that Katarina’s husband was too cheap to invest in any kind of insurance so he left them with absolutely nothing but more debt. After speaking with Lupi and then consulting George, we decided to have the property reappraised. Without the decrepit structure and refuse scattered about, it came out even more valuable than before. One evening I sat down with Oksana and her mother to discuss their options and what they wanted to do. School was back in session and expected to catch up and graduate on time so our initial plan was to have them stay with us for the remaining months until she was done. I went over the appraisal and showed them the purchase agreement that gave me first rights to the property. At first, the mother bristled at what she felt was underhanded and shifty. But I held up my hand and went over the purchase history of the lot, showing her what they paid for it initially and what it was valued at currently. Then I offered to pay her twice its current appraisal value which would eliminate all of her current debt and still give her and her daughter a nice chunk of change to move forward with.

Both of my orchards were total losses but with the help of several arborists, we were able to replant a number of the trees that were uprooted and replace the ones lost. The pond was slow to refill and I repaired the dock myself while a small army of groundskeepers and landscapers worked to repair all of the damage to the new gardens, we were putting in. Lupi and I had planned our wedding this Spring in our new garden, but it would appear as if we would either have to change venues or postpone it.

By Spring life had returned somewhat to normal, though the painful memories still haunted many. I closed on the property leaving Katarina with over a quarter million in her bank account. They ultimately decided to move back to their homeland where they could live like royalty along the Black Sea. It was a tearful departure for Oksana and Jasmine but with technology these days, they promised to stay in touch and one day meet up again. The ink was still drying on the papers when the fence contractor showed up and began closing in the adjoining lot with mine. Gunner and Libby now had over 60 acres to roam.

April Fool’s Day was no joke when I received my royalties for not one, but all three of my books. My fourth book, which we were tentatively calling ‘Miracle Cure’ was now being proofed, edited, and reviewed by the legal beagles to make sure everything was ducky. It was expected to be released to the printers by Summer.

The garden scape we placed in front of the house and around the pond had grown enough to be suitable for our nuptials so we decided to go ahead with the wedding. It was a hot June afternoon and we exchanged our vows before several dozen members of her family as well as many friends from J R Publishing and my good buddy Danny MacFarland and his new bride Remi. Danny stood beside me while Davee tearfully gave Lupi away. The ceremony was short and sweet and the party that followed was epic. The best wedding present by far was the one Lupi and I prepared in secret and gave to Jasmine. Her adoption was finalized a week later at the Courthouse and she tearfully insisted on taking Bishop as her last name. As a physical token of her new status as my daughter, I presented her with a diamond ring which she cried over as I placed it on her right ring finger. Lupi hyphenated her name only because Didi and Lulu retained Cruz as their surnames.

The pond was a favorite swimming hole during the hot days of summer and Gunner and Libby were devoted swimmers. They never tired of chasing each other around the yard and launching themselves off the dock like little kids. They had any number of floaty toys that they would eagerly fetch for anyone willing to toss them into the drink. Applejack preferred long naps in various favorite sunny spots and he took to sleeping with Jasmine exclusively. When he went out in the evening he prowled and hunted and shamelessly terrorized the wildlife around the property.

We decided to spend the remainder of our summer break on an extended honeymoon. We took the three girls along as we enjoyed a seven-day Disney cruise followed by a long trek through western Europe — touring Spain, Italy, France, and England. The following Winter break we planned on returning to Okinawa and then Japan.

When School started back up Jasmine switched to the local Highschool and the twins became enrolled in the primary school right across the parking lot. Jasmine was the youngest freshman in her class and became quite popular as an athlete.

It took three weeks before we were called to the Primary school to discuss several issues that were noted by the teachers and counselors who dealt with the twins. All 1^st graders were tested at the beginning of the school year and both girls scored well above the National average by a wide margin. At first, they were concerned that perhaps there was some sort of collusion going on between them so they asked if they could be separated. They were each given alternate tests and were seated in different rooms. The results were the same and we met with their teachers, the principal, two counselors, and a child psychologist. I could tell Lupi was nervous whereas I was merely confused.

“Thank you both for coming Mr. and Mrs. Bishop,” the principal said, “my name is Linda Mars. We wanted to meet with you to discuss the exceptional results from our testing of Didi and Lulu. As you have probably noticed from the reports, they have both exceeded every criterion for age-based academic assessment. What we are here for today is to discuss the various methods we use for testing exceptionally gifted children and see how you would like to proceed.”

I think I may have absorbed the bombshell a little faster than Lupi because she just looked around at all the faces with a startled expression, while I cleared my throat.

“So, by ‘gifted’ you mean genius or something?”

She nodded and smiled brightly. “Exactly so. Before we continue, I should introduce our other faculty here. You already know Mrs. Sheridan and Mr. Copley, their teachers. Mrs. Emily Dockens is one of our gifted learner counselors and Dr. Gary Bradley is one of the district child psychologists who will be conducting the IQ testing should you wish to proceed,” she continued. “Dr. Bradley, can you take over?”

“Certainly,” the pleasant elderly gentleman said, “Besides the extraordinary cognitive assessment indicators, it was brought to my attention by the music teacher that your daughters both share a unique affinity for piano. Have they had formal lessons?”

Lupi and I looked at each other.

“Well, I don’t know about ‘formal’,” I replied, “their Uncle Davee has taught them a thing or two and then they spend a lot of time on YouTube,” I shrugged. “The rest they either figure out by listening to something on the radio or TV, or they just read it.”

He nodded. “As for reading, their teachers and the state placement testing both indicate that they are both reading well above 1st-grade level. Do you read with them at home routinely?”

Lupi nodded readily. “All the time,” she said, “they are always reading. I gave up taking them to the library and bookstores and have just started letting them download eBooks onto their tablets. Didi just finished all of the June B Jones series and Lulu is obsessed with Captain Underpants.”

“I think before we can determine how best to serve their academic needs, we need to get a better picture of just how advanced they are academically,” Dr. Bradley replied. “To do this I would like to conduct a series of intelligence quotient tests that are geared towards assessing children at their age level.”

“So, are you talking about putting them into higher grades or something?” I asked.

Mrs. Mars answered, “That is a very likely scenario,” she said, “within reason. We do not wish to deprive them of their social peer exposure, so advancing a grade level is one step. Depending on the results of Dr. Bradley’s testing and his recommendations, they may prove to be even beyond our gifted learner criteria and might benefit from another program entirely. One that places them with similarly gifted children who can all learn at the same accelerated pace.”

“Are there programs for such kids around here?” I asked.

“The closest would be the Canterbury Academy down near Mobile.”

“We are not putting the girls into a boarding school,” I said flatly, “That is too far away. If I have to hire private educators I’ll do so, but I’d like to keep them in an age-appropriate group setting.”

“Of course,” he replied, “that is our wish as well. The primary obstacle isn’t the lack of specifically trained educators in this district, but the funding to provide such specialized instruction and counseling.”

“Why?” Lupi asked.

The principal grimaced, “Partially, there never seems to be enough money to go around,” she said.

I placed both hands firmly on the table, not quite slapping them down. I hated bureaucratic bullshit. “All right. As of this moment, funding is no longer your concern. Tell me what you meant by ‘specifically trained educators’.”

There was silence around the table as everyone regarded me with open astonishment.

“I’m not sure that I follow, Mr. Bishop,” Dr. Bradley interjected.

I stood up. Why did they always insist that grownups try to actively participate in these group sessions while seated in toddler chairs? “I mean,” I said firmly, “what does the Canterbury Academy have that y’all don’t? I want to know so that we can make it happen here. If it’s just money then tell me how much it will take. You have specialized teachers already I take it; do they need to be paid accordingly? Tell me. I want this to happen. And if you can identify other kids like Didi and Lulu then the more the merrier.” I glanced at Lupi and found her beaming at me proudly.

The principal gazed at me with wide eyes. “Mr. Bishop this is an extraordinarily generous offer and I am at a loss for words...” She awkwardly rose out of her mini chair as well. “I am excited to accept your offer and engage in this wonderful opportunity. Of course, we need to present it to the district and...” her eyes glazed as she began contemplating the complicated task of navigating through the Board of Education. “This is an incredible opportunity for us,” she said speaking to the psychologist and counselors.

“If I have my way it will get a lot better,” I replied confidently, “But make no mistake here, my offer is solely for the benefit of these kids and I will not tolerate any shady shenanigans.” I looked at each of them. “I will insist on a certain amount of oversight to make certain that my money and the donations I plan to bring in are utilized as intended.”

Dr. Bradley stood and presented me with a hand. “I give you my word as a member of the board of educators,” he smiled, “I think we will be calling a meeting shortly to discuss this. I will present a query of facts and findings to investigate and research what we have in place already and what we need to augment the project.” He glanced at Mrs. Mars, “I think we should incorporate Sebastian into this ASAP.”

“Who is that?” I asked.

She smiled and nodded to everyone. “For the moment I think we can adjourn this meeting and take it up at a later time.” Everyone nodded and stood. “Come Mr. and Mrs. Bishop, Sebastian Fitzgerald is our esteemed music director and one of the ‘special educators’ Dr. Bradley mentioned. He is a musical prodigy himself and a Julliard Alumni. He is, or was, working on a dissertation on childhood development and musical theory, but he became ... how should I say this? He is exceptionally talented and seems to have shifted his priorities to become more involved in the education process than the theory involved.”

She led us into the hall and down toward the gymnasium and music hall. Lupi leaned into my ear and whispered, “Davee went to Julliard.”

I wasn’t at all surprised but still another piece of the puzzle suddenly locked into place.

As we approached the hall, we heard a piano playing an intense classical piece that I’m sure Lupi recognized instantly. When we entered, we found the young red-haired man gazing intently at our daughters as they sat side by side before the keyboard playing their fingers off. Sebastian looked like he was in rapture as he nodded and twitched his fingers like a mad conductor. When he glanced up and saw us approaching, he made a simple gesture with his hand and the twins paused. When they looked up and saw us, they brightened and jumped off the bench to run over.

“That was amazing girls,” I said, “Uncle Davee didn’t teach you that,”

“I did,” Sebastian interjected bashfully, “just now.” He pointed to the music on the stand above the keyboard. “I mean ... just now. They just performed it for the first time and did it almost flawlessly.” I recognized the look on his face. I had seen it before when Davee looked like he had shit the Hope Diamond. “They are simply amazing!”

Dr. Bradley shook his hand, “Sebastian we’d like a moment of your time to discuss a unique opportunity that has just landed at our feet.”

“Are you two ready to have some lunch,” I asked the girls and they jumped up and down excitedly, yelling, “Nuggets!” Lupi and I each grabbed a hand and headed out to feed them while the wheels of bureaucracy began turning.

Later that evening Davee showed up, at our request and we talked about the school meeting and what was in the works. He was beyond excited at the thought of another outreach program that would benefit gifted students and was instantly talking way over my head as he watched the girls perform the piece that Sebastian had taught them. They seemed less certain about it this time but I thought it was fantastic.

“They don’t have the music in front of them. That is why they struggled,” Davee commented as he hugged each girl and began showing them how to play it again. “It is a relatively simple piece by the late Henry Mancini, also a Julliard Alumnus, called Orange Tamoure. Let’s see if you recognize this one,” he grinned and began pounding out the Pink Panther theme song.

By the time he left, plans had been discussed and phone calls made. It would be several weeks before anything of substance was accomplished but several definitive steps were quickly adopted. Frank ‘Davee’ Davenport was elected to the county board of educators by unanimous vote, and a literary academic trust fund was established through donations from many affluent donors (including yours truly). The Clarence Carter Academy of the Literary and Performing Arts was established — on paper at least. My only request/demand was that my two girls be allowed to explore their full potential AND be allowed to be 1^st graders as well. They may have been determined to be far beyond their peers academically, but I wanted them to be allowed to be kids most of all. It wasn’t an easy task for the team that set out to create the gifted student program. Even I had to backtrack a little when it became apparent that they were just too different from typical first-graders and left some of their friends feeling hurt and inadequate. It was a slippery slope but somehow, we managed to incorporate them into the social mix of toddlers while challenging them at secondary and high school levels.