Another Time, Another Place, Harry Clinton
by
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Clinton, Clinton, the name … and as Annie closed her eyes, she envisioned a long dark tunnel. She could see herself walking through it, when rays of daylight blinded her. To protect herself from the blinding rays, she put her left hand over her forehead to screen the rays from her sight.
She was on a cobblestone street, watching horse-drawn carriages parade past her. It appeared to be another time and another place, for nothing looked familiar to her. The people were dressed in clothes from another time, the 1800s.
The scene changed to a tremendous ballroom. It was filled with
people, men and women dancing. All of a sudden, everyone disappeared except a beautiful, dark-haired woman wearing a light blue dress with white trim and lace. Her partner whispered something into her ear, stirring up laughter from the woman. After the dance, the woman disappeared from the ballroom and walked into the garden. She was waiting for someone. She looked around, when in a moment, a handsome young man draped his arms around her, placing his lips by the side of her neck, kissing her passionately. She laid her head on his shoulder, turned towards him, and placed her lips firmly on his.
He pulled back, took her hand, and ran with her to the back of the garden. A small guesthouse came into view. Both of them were standing by the door while he put his hand into his pocket and reached for the key. He opened the door and they rushed inside, passionately kissing and fondling one another.
“I love you, I love you,” he whispered as she lay naked next to him.
“I must have you, now,” he sighed. Both bodies entwined together. He was fiercely kissing her lips, devouring them, when a piercing voice entered her consciousness.
“Annie, Annie, get up, it’s twelve noon. Get up … and have some breakfast.”
Annie awoke, not stirring from her bed. Her thoughts were centered on the dream. The woman was beautiful. So real was the lingering scent that Annie envied her, wanting to be the one who was being loved.
But that woman was no stranger to Annie. She had dreamt about her many times, always with a man making love to her, the same man, it appeared to Annie.
“Annie, breakfast is ready. Come on, get out of bed,” Mary cried.
“I’m coming, let me wake up for a second.”
Annie dragged her weary body out of her bed, put on her bathrobe, and hobbled into the kitchen. She could smell the aroma of a fresh pot of coffee that Mary had just brewed waiting for her.
“Hurry, sit down,” Mary said. “I want to go shopping downtown, so hurry up and eat.” Mom was great. She would take care of Steven during Annie’s working hours, while Annie would take care of him during the day.
As Annie sipped on her coffee, the dream was now becoming a faraway memory, slowly dimming its light in her mind. Thoughts of the past evening took its place: the voice, the wind and the name … Harry, Harry Clinton.
Do I know that name or person? Why did that name pop into my head last night? He said he is part of my past. How is he connected to it? Maybe Mom would know.
“Mom, have you ever heard of a Harry Clinton?”
“Where would I know him from?” her mom asked.
“From New York or maybe Puerto Rico. I don’t know,” Annie said. “Is the name familiar to you?”
Mary paused and thought. “No, not offhand. Why, what’s the
matter?”
“Nothing, the name keeps popping into my head,” said Annie. “I somehow think that he’s from my past.”
“Do you know anything about him?” Mary said. “No, only his name. Well, don’t worry about it, it’s not important,”
said Annie.
All the while Annie was questioning her mother, her eyes never left the print in the newspaper. There was no point in having Mary suspect the irrational happenings of the previous night.
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About the Book
Harry Clinton...dead since the 19th century, has a message to give to Annie and Roberta... the main characters of the book. Little do they realize that he is the catalyst that will change their lives forever. His message assists both women to change course.. emancipating themselves from the strings of the past ... to go forward to the future.
Two young women...childhood friends, emotionally and culturally different but similar in their search for their identity as independent women. Annie’s life reflects the traditional role of her mother but searching for more expression as a woman of her time..the 1970's.
Annie's love affair with a local businessman gives her the freedom sexually but restricts her demands as a growing individual. Roberta, comfortable with her outspoken manner and fierce independence, is ahead of her time, creating havoc in her life.
Her feminine, sexy veneer allows her to “climb the ladder” until she is labeled as a tough, aggressive and ambitious woman, not succumbing to the pressure to restrict her by a corporate world who allows women to succeed only up to the door of the corporate boardroom.
Roberta’s tragic younger years molds and creates that strength that she possesses. Her near death experience from an illegal abortion , her views of equality in the work force and other female issues cause her to be aware of who she is and why she was destined to face these issues.
There is a piercing of the veil of the past depicting the woman of yesteryear showing how she may have affected the woman of today. Roberta and Annie are confronted with the woman of yesteryear, ironically, through a man., Harry Clinton , which leads Annie on a desperate path to find out who he was...never expecting what she was to discover.
About the Author
Susan worked for many major national companies and is now involved with a major land development in
Susan has been described as rebellious, free spirit, aggressive, uncontrollable, and bulldog by some members of the male hierarchy.It doesn’t matter how adept women may be in that world for these women may be respected for their knowledge but intimidating to those that are not familiar with the nature of these women.
Susan decided to write, “Another Time, Another Place, Harry Clinton” so other women might want more for themselves...to be accepted for themselves...even though they may have to fight every inch of the way to get there.
Susan hopes this story will inspire other women to realize that it is within their power to go further than what they think is not available to them... and to explore the ways that will win them respect and admiration from the world today.
Susan credits much of her success to her deceased husband, Lenny Schiffrin, who was her “rock” and stability throughout their marriage.She also credits her mother, Jeannette Shabel, who never realized there were boundaries for women and passed that feeling on to Susan.
And to Harry Clinton, a dead man, who knew the importance of these women to succeed...every woman’s “knight in shining armor”.