A Life Revealed

[austintorn@aol.com]

A Life Revealed

(The Womb to the Tomb)

Womb: 9 months; Childhood: 12 years, Teens: 7 years, Young Man: For life; Tomb: Eternity; College: 5 years; Military: 3 years; Norma: 30 years; New Life: Ongoing, as below; Online posting: 3-4 years; A thousand videos: 6 months…

There are many lives, and the last ten years, as when aged 53-63, seems to be a fine place to start, for the 31 years at IBM were over, those having both to do with general software programming and of the secret cryptography hardware unit plans and implementation, with she of the Philippines no longer of this world, in a life that, too, we may get back to.

…

The new millennium was just underway. I was living, loving, and writing in New Hamburg, NY, on the Hudson River, thinking that I might go back to Chicago or Hawaii, but really just letting my retirement sink in, having given my house to my son for his many and overflowing renting room mates and friends from all over the world.

The old house, plus ‘Oreo’.

My landlady liked me, and I guess that’s why the rent was so cheap, but it was really not going to be of any long consequence. I was, though, able to be a boy again, touring around the quaint and flowered town, the boat yards, the train station, and along the river with her grandson and a large St. Bernard, on so many fine days.

The Episcopals, the fun kind of church, with men and women equal and the leaders married and having fancy cars, had a good coffee hour, so I went to that part, meeting and knowing the head of the famous Reese estate and its nature sanctuary, and more investments galore.

I came to know the Great Lama of the Eastern U.S., too, from dining so often in his cafe, and so we often hung out together, with the Buddha girls, too, sometimes, especially one in particular, discussing reality, life, love, sex, and everything, even string theory. Here, the ‘Rubaiyat of Austin P. Torney’ was born, 570 quatrains in the form of Edward FitzGerald’s style of Omar Khayyam’s verse.

…

[austintorn@aol.com]

The months rolled by, to be told of another time, and I happened to see a passenger jet flying too low, having awoke and gotten up from the rumbling noise, it apparently following the Hudson River down to NYC and not at all heading towards Stewart Air Base / Airport. The date was September 11, 2001. Well, that didn’t look good to my DIA training, nor to the very rough intel that many wished not to come true. I called in a report to the West Point General and the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant.

I went back to sleep, but my landlady came into my room, a bit later, as she was wont to do, and said to turn on the TV, for something was happening. Then I saw the second tower get hit.

Life had changed, for the era of really hunting down and terminating terrorists had begun, of which part I still cannot say very much, although back in my war time, that was routine. Some actual small tidbits are in the ‘World Intelligence Agents’ tales, but that was not the main line at all, but just of a more general DIA scope. Any and all current and former DIA operatives were contacted on 9/12.

Reese may have been in a meeting on the higher floors, but turned out not to be. My Iranian friend from IBM, then working in insurance, went in late to work, as usual, but saw his company go away in flames, as viewed from the Staten Island Ferry. His girlfriend called me, who was also my confidant supreme, and I was able to locate him. However, the newly married son of the Episcopal minister had been killed.

…

[austintorn@aol.com]

I sometimes drove the landlady, who had no car, to some relationship (Coda) and Al-Anon meetings, at first staying out in the parking lot and getting to know some of those who’d rather stay outside. One day I went in, and there was Cynthia speaking so eloquently, purely, and truly of her life and her upcoming divorce. They don’t lie in these meetings when they pour their heart out, and so they can be known about fairly instantly. Another sure way is to read someone’s poems and prose.

Cynthia at 38

Most of this part of the story is known from posts and blogs, but those were quite a while back, and perhaps some newness is here. I bought an old van, knowing that Cynthia and I would soon be together, for life. She was 38, and I, 53. l looked younger than my age. Healthy living, I guess, but I do have wine on occasion, and smoke sometimes, although I didn’t smoke then at all, or before.

Hannah, several years later.

I met John McEnroe for the first time in Millbrook, along with Mary Tyler Moore, where, for some reason, many stars live, at the tennis club, but tennis, too, is another life. We ate at the Millbrook diner.

…

[austintorn@aol.com]

So, then, began my tales of life told at the Coda (codependent)relationship meetings, which, of course, due to the oral medium, can really beat out the same words in print or posts. At first, a few deadbeats claimed that I was too happy, but then it became as contagious, as some of their toxicity and sad tales of doing nothing used to be, as well, misery then no longer wishing for company.

I told of the Great Lama, on one meeting night, they not believing, as I had expected, and then he and his bodyguards entered the room, all dressed up, the Lama then speaking of his thinkings, doings, and travels.

I felt like some kind of ‘Forest Gump’, meeting up with famous figures, and with the witnessed 9/11 history in the making.

…

[austintorn@aol.com]

I bought a van, which was to become the ‘LoveMobile’

Cynthia had three children, then aged 4, 5, and 10. I knew I would mostly likely have to give up my dreams of the beach in Oahu and/or living near my relatives in the Chicago area. Second life had arrived, a new Ground Hog Day that had signaled an early spring.

Trip to Chicago, Oakbrook Mall




My parents and Cynthia's children.

SciForum glimpse:

http://www.sciforums.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=220

[austintorn@aol.com]

The first Valentine’s Day,
at Brass Anchor restaurant, on the Hudson.

After the lovemobile served us well for several months, I rented an apartment on the beautiful Whaley Lake, behind the Appalachian Mountains, in Holmes, NY, which, ironically, was directly on the other side from where Cynthia and her ex had their home that they were selling, when the market was still booming. It was only a mile away by a rocky Appalachian Trail pass that wasn’t supposed to be a road, but could be if one kept the car’s tires on the higher portions of the stones, avoiding the washed out gullies, but was 6 miles away by the regular roads.

So, here, with the glittering lake slightly below, was the paradise and the sanctuary, the children not yet knowing of it for quite a while. The water, depending on the weather, had many surfaces, from still and pure blue ‘sky’, to reflecting clouds, and to grey and even black and filled with stars at night. Many a nook along its shores made for our love book and that was all that it took.

[austintorn@aol.com]

A house was then rented for a year or so on a waterfall pond in southern Millbrook, a retreat just as fine, the children having come to live here.

…

I had money saved in IBM’s 401-K plan and spent it on a house in Poughquag before the money could fade away from the volatile stock market.

65 Van Scoy Rd, Poughquag, NY

[austintorn@aol.com]

Hannah enrolled in dance class, becoming excellent in jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, acrobatic, pointe, hip-hop, theater, solo, duo, and group, and more. As did older Amanda, in part, although not having a natural talent. Many a competition was attended over the years, as mini-vacations, and we met many of the famous white and black swans.

Hannah, a year ago.

Hannah, 13, last summer at WildWood Crest, NJ.

The town wouldn’t let the ‘Jersey Shore’ TV show film here.

Amanda and Austin, some years ago.

Amanda at 17, two years ago, now 19.

Proud of something.

[austintorn@aol.com]

Adam took up Taekwondo and once we once met the one and only 10th degree GrandMaster in an elevator at the hotel of an event. My son had done the same and had taught me the Korean style. He has since run a teaching academy.

Adam, many years ago.




Cynthia’s relatives gather, a year ago. I am in the back.
Adam is still with his girlfriend.




Hannah, dance, years ago.

[melanie]

Lovely thread Austin.

Thanks for sharing you and your loved ones.

We're all ONE

May you and yours ENJOY ALWAYS A HEALTHY AND WONDERFUL LIFE.

PS: keep sharing the fascinating pics, love your house with the hot tub and swimming pool btw, i'm soooo jealous ... lol