Nathan stopped to check the mailbox on the way home from school. He always like to do this. It was usually just bills or fliers for various sales, but once in a while it would be something interesting. Nathan pulled a bundle of letters out of the mailbox. There were two bills, one flier, and one something interesting.
The interesting letter looked old-fashioned and fancy, with looping letters and wax seal to close it. It was addressed to Nathan’s father, Dwayne. Nathan ran the rest of the way into the house and up the stairs to his father’s office. His father worked from the house and kept a separate room for work. Nathan liked that his father was always home when he came home.
“Dad, there is letter for you.” His father looked up from his computer, where he had been typing intently. He smiled.
“Oh, really? Well let’s see it.”
Nathan handed his father the envelope and waited to watch him open it. His father examined the letter, turning it over in high hands.
“This is different.” His father pulled out a pocketknife and carefully cut the envelope along one edge, preserving the wax seal. He pulled out the letter inside and started reading it. He glanced at Nathan, then flatted it against the desk so they could both read it.
Dearest Sir,
I hope that this correspondence finds you in most excellent health. This letter might be somewhat of a surprise, but I am writing you regarding a contest for which you are the winner. I am the solicitor for a unique and wondrous client who decided to gift a beautiful and grand home to a single lucky individual, which is yourself.
I give you my mightiest congratulations on your happy news. The home is a one-of-a-kind, a true gem in the wilderness.
As for the details, the home is located at
999 Route 6
Abitibi Junction
I am certain that you have many questions regarding your new home. I can be reached by telephone. I encourage you to come view your new home a soon as you can. I will have the appropriate paperwork ready to transfer it to you when you come to view it.
Sincerely,
Albert Terwillinger II
Nathan’s father looked confused. Nathan felt like he was going to explode with the good news. A new house! Nathan’s father turned over the letter, and there was a phone number and full street address on the back, along with a hand-drawn street map.
“Well, this is unexpected,” muttered Nathan’s father.
“Dad, are we going to check it out?”
“We should probably talk it over with your mother first. And call this Terwillinger fellow.”
Nathan heard his mother’s car pulling into the driveway and ran down the stairs to the door to meet her.
“Mom! We received a letter that says that we won a house!”
His mother smiled, bemused. “Well, hello, Nathan. What’s this about a winning a house?”
His father came down the stairs and kissed her on the cheek before handing her the letter. She quickly read the letter. She also looked confused. “Is this some type of joke or a scam?”
Stolen novel; please report.
Nathan’s father took back the letter. “I am going to call this Terwillinger fellow and find out more.”
Nathan followed his father up to the office, where his father dialed the number and spoke to someone on the other end. Nathan waited, listening to his father’s side of the conversation.
“Hello, I am calling for Albert Terwillinger.”
“The second.”
“This is s Dwayne Hillman. I-“
“Yes, I received the letter about the house.”
“Uh huh.”
“Uh huh.”
“Well, yes.”
“But who is giving away the house?”
“Anonymous?”
“This is all very irregular. I don’t remember entering a contest for a house.”
“Uh huh.”
“Okay, we can come see the house this weekend. Saturday. We can be there for 1:30 pm.”
“Okay, I will see you then, Mr. Terwillinger. Goodbye.”
Nathan had waited patiently, during the conversation. He was ready to burst. “So?”
“We will drive out there on Saturday and see if this is legitimate. It could be fun adventure, either way”
Nathan ran down the stairs, “Hooray! Mom, Mom!”
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The rest of the week crawled by at a snail’s pace. His mother and father had told Nathan not to become too invested in the house, but he was still excited about the mystery and adventure of the whole affair.
The plan was for Nathan and his father to drive out to Abitibi Junction in their pickup truck. Have lunch in Abitibi Junction, then drive out to the location indicated on the map. Nathan’s father was packing a substantive tool and repair kit, in case the road were rough and to also perform a basic inspection of the house.
Nathan packed his own kit for the house, including his flashlight, Swiss army knife, and a notebook and pencil.
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Saturday eventually arrived. Nathan’s father kissed his mother goodbye, and they set out for the Abitibi Junction. The drive took about three hours. Nathan had never been to this area, and his father was unfamiliar with it.
Nathan enjoyed the drive. The sun was shining brightly, and the plants and trees were coming into full growth with late spring. Abitibi Junciton was located well off the main highway, and the area was quite remote. Soon they were driving into the Abitibi Junction.
Abitibi Junction was small. It was community, but it was a very small one. There were three businesses located near each other on the gravel road: a general store/post office/restaurant/ice cream shop, a gas station/auto repair/parts supply/animal feed store, and an art store/art supply store/farmer’s market/beauty parlour.
Nathan immediately loved this place. It was quiet and peaceful, a little town nestled in the forest. He could hear a river flowing nearby and a gentle, warm breeze was making the leaves shift. He could not help but imagine living here.
They went into the general store/restaurant. The general store had a wide array of things with minimal selection: a shovel, a fishing rod and some lures, rows of canned foods, rows of dried foods, a mounted deer head over the checkout counter, some rifles behind the counter, some books, tobacco products, batteries, rope, toilet paper, and cleaning products. It really was a general store.
At the counter was a thick man reading a western novel. He barely glanced up when they walked in. The other side of the checkout counter was the restaurant counter. The man put down his novel and shifted over to them as Nathan’s father picked up the menu. The man put on an apron and leaned on the counter in front of them. “What’ll you have?” The man did not appear to be particularly friendly or unfriendly. He just seemed…uninterested.
Nathan looked at the menu quickly. There were three options: hamburger with fries, hot dog with fries, or fries. All of them came with the same drink, a soft drink that Nathan had never heard of.
Nathan and his father ordered hamburgers (with fries). The man wondered into the room behind the counter, which apparently was the kitchen. Nathan’s father looked over at Nathan and raised his eyebrows. A few minutes later, the man came back with their meals, puts them on the counter and went back to reading his novel without saying a word. It was a total surprise, but the hamburgers were amazing. Nathan’s hamburger was the best that he had ever eaten. The soft drinks that came with the meal only had French writing on them and were also very good. This place was looking better and better to Nathan.
When they finished, Nathan’s father went to the checkout side of the counter to pay. “I received a letter about a contest, saying that I won a house out on Route 6. Have you heard anything about this contest?”
The man typed the order into the register. “No.”
“Do you know this Albert Terwillinger fellow?”
“No.”
“Is there a house out there?”
“Yup.”
Nathan’s father paid the bill and left a tip in the jar.
They went out and got in the truck. Nathan’s father looked over at him. “That man can cook, but he has to be the least talkative person I have ever met. He is Silent Chef.”
Nathan laughed and made a note in his notebook about Silent Chef at the general store.
Nathan’s father started the truck. “Let’s head out and see what’s out there.”
