The Unifying Factor (Part 1)
The Value: Character

By Carlos Fontana

Blond hair, grey eyes, skin so white you would guess it had never been touched by the sun, fussy, tidy, easily distracted, and positively pedantic about personifying the behaviors of particles as near deifications: Gilbert Genoa Shasta has been the most influential person in my life (aside from my mother of course). It is a rare quality when a book learned individual recognizes the skills of those who learn by example only. Gilbert knew of these distinctions otherwise we never would have spoken at any length, about anything.

When I was thrown into college by my parents, who detested my poetic achievements, I was easily put off by anyone that found book learning easy or, heaven forgive them, enjoyable! As you can imagine my first impression of Gilbert, his nose buried deep in a big brown text book, was outright distain. Yet he looked up at me with a boyish grin which, in my state of mind, made him look like a crazy person; and then he laughed at me as if he knew what I was thinking.

“You have a marvelously expressive face, what is your name?” were the first words out of his mouth (still grinning insanely). He then stood immediately, holding the book in his left hand then behind his back, he stuck out his right hand to shake mine. There was something in his overall gesture that made me see him as a fellow human being, I was shocked. I could almost feel/hear the switch being toggled in my heart and mind. After that class, which was the last for both of us that day, he took me to the university club room and bought me a drink; we’ve been friends ever since. And I found that learning from some books is well worth the pain.

After college we each went our separate ways until he sent me the following letter:

Dearest Friend,
It's been much too long since we've spoken to one another (though only a year has passed.) I have recently been shown that a look back to our college days together, as a time of magnificent discovery, may have even more meaning than we thought at the time.

All those drunken hours spent arguing fine points of animal behavior and program logic have coalesced in my mind through a most amazing revelation by someone I have never met. He spoke my thoughts better than I could have.

I want to demonstrate something of this revelation to you but to do so I need to ask of you a great favor, if you would only have the time and patience to indulge my overtures. In the end if no one else has found a need for that great mind of yours, I have. Please tell me that you will consent to my proposal.
Your friend (and future colleague)
Gilbert G. Shasta

Gilbert had gone to a lot of trouble to send me that letter. It was hand written with a loopy, spidery style of penmanship, on real paper. It was such a lovely piece of paper at that: 100% rag content, creamy white, obviously hand dipped. In fact, the water mark was one of Gilbert's own designs. I recognized the signet from his use of it at college. I remembered wondering if he had set up a paper making apparatus for just the two pieces of paper. Sometimes Gilbert would go to an extra amount of trouble to do something... if doing so was likely to be appreciated by the recipient.

How could I refuse a friend? - The thought never crossed my mind actually - but I remember wondering, “Why is he going to all this trouble?”

I sent him my R.S.V.P. and he, in turn, sent his invitation to the `Experience' as he called it.

Dearest Friend,
I'm so pleased that you've consented to this meeting. The potential merging of our minds means much to me. I want your experience with my demonstration to be impeccable. So an “Experience” it will be. I shall send someone to your home on the morning of August 15 at 09:00. You will be conveyed to the destination of my choosing by several individuals whom I have given the same specific set of behavioral instructions. Please pay attention; it is important to my point.

This is all the information I wish to convey at this time. Again, I thank you for your consent and beg your indulgence.
Your friend,
Gilbert G. Shasta

top