2.0 James: A brief history
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Born James Alexander Shipley, only son to Mary and Alexander Shipley. At one time he had a little sister. But only for a moment. She was in this world only long enough to take one breath. That was also around the time Mary Shipley took her last. Alexander Shipley remarried 18 months later when James was 9.
Melissa Tanner, his new step-mother, was kind enough. But it was obvious, very early on in the union, that James was never going to be a priority. That was ok with the boy. He was happy to do his own thing. Satisfied, despite losing his mother at such an early age. And encouraged by his father to explore his interests.
Alexander Shipley II was a self-made man, with the help of his father. When James turned 17, Alexander surprised James with the gift of his own shop. James had exhibited a rare talent in woodworking and had just finished his apprenticeship with a master cabinet-maker in a nearby town. Now James was ready for his own business. And his father couldn't have been prouder.
It was not long before James was inundated with work, and the time came to hire an assistant. Tom Mallory was James' best friend since school, and a natural choice. Each day, James and Tom opened shop together and poured their hearts into the many jobs that came their way. Word of mouth was their only form of advertising, and when many of his father's wealthy clients and colleagues looking for unique and original pieces to present to their wives, the boys were never bored.
This was his life for many years. Happily working with Tom and carving out works of beauty. His father kept insisting he hire a bookkeeper, but money was something that never interested James. He simply took the money from the work he did, paid his bills and Tom's wages, and spent or gave away the rest. There were many times that he did not even charge for his work, much to the distain of both his father and step-mother.
When his father passed away suddenly, James' world seemed to stand still. Tom stood beside him at the funeral and he drew from the strength of their friendship. With no siblings and his mother already gone, Tom became family.
Melissa and James had not talked much when his father was alive. And James did not expect this to change now that Alexander had passed. If James had a tendency to ignore money, Melissa made up for his lack of attention. She had grown accustomed to the lifestyle his father had provided her, and James had wondered more than once if it was the currency that truly attracted her in the first place.
Six months after his father's passing, James was working at his shop when Melissa came for a visit. She had only been there twice in the five years he had been open, so he was justified in his shocked expression.
"Nice to see you." James greeted her warmly. He vowed to always be polite to the woman who seemed to have made his father so happy after the death of his first wife. Regardless of how she treated James or his father, (or his father's money!) James vowed to be polite.
"James." Melissa greeted his, if somewhat less warmly. "I have an issue to discuss with you. You know Bernard." She gestured towards a man dressed stiffly in a very expensive suit. Bernard was his step-mother's new lawyer. She had hired him shortly after Alexander's death.
James nodded towards Bernard. He did not like the man. And he suspected there was more to this relationship than just work. But that was only his speculation.
"James, we need to discuss the trust your father setup for you." James groaned. His father, in an effort to provide for James but protect him from giving away his rightful inheritance to 'people who needed it more', had setup a trust fund of substantial wealth to be handed over to his son only after he is married. His father figured James would be more responsible with the money knowing he had his own family to consider and provide for.
"As you know, our financial situation is not what it once was." James almost snorted. It once was fine. Until my father passed and the income stopped and your spending increased. James shook his head to try to remove those thoughts. It was really sad how Melissa had blown through the money his father had left her.
"Anyway, the bottom line is, you need to get married." James' head snapped up. How much of the conversation had he missed?
"I'm sorry. What?" James' mouth went dry at the thought of marriage. All he wanted was to continue on as he was, working on his projects and earning what he needed to live off.
"You know very well the amount of money that is sitting in the bank with your name on it. And you also know you cannot touch it until you are married, per your father's wishes. You also know why." Melissa's tone was firm as she stood with her hands on her hips. It was almost funny to be lectured by her about money.
She continued. "Your little... shop here is still under your father's name, which means it is in my portfolio now. And with my little... cash-flow problem, I am going to need to collect on it." She nodded towards Bernard, who handed James a stack of papers. "Go ahead and review all these. Once you are married, you will be able to buy this shop from me. And I will offer you a fair price, of course." She was almost smirking now. "All that is required is your signature on the last page..."
"Stop." James didn't even know he had raised his hands in the air, until the word shot out of his mouth. "This is insane. I have no desire to get married. I have not even met a girl that I would like to spend my free time with much less the rest of my life. So you are going to have to find another way to raise the money you need. Try selling off some of those antiques in the house or something. That should work, right?" He looked back and forth between his step-mother and her lawyer. Neither one changed their expressions.
"You know this is crazy. Who would I even marry in time for your to get the money?" In his mind, the issue was closed. Until Bernard handed another stack of papers.
"Elisabeth Rodgers?" James could not believe his eyes. "You want an arranged marriage!?" Elisabeth was the daughter of one of his father's colleagues. A lovely girl, but very quiet. James had only met her once or twice. And now they wanted him to marry her!
"You have another choice?" Now he could safely say Melissa was smirking at him. "I did not think so. Marry the girl. Get the money. And pay me for this... place." She wrinkled her nose at the sawdust in the air. "Or leave the premises and I will sell it off, and all it's contents."
James felt like the world had been pulled out from under him. All his work, his machines, the hand-carved front desk and doors. The whole store was an expression of his hard work and heart's desire. And in that moment of looking around at the life he had literally carved out for himself, James knew what he had to do. And in that moment he felt a sense of liberation far greater that the perceived free life he already had lived.
"Fine." James said, and was met with grins from both parties that weren't even held back. Until the next moment, when he happily watched those broad smiles slide right off both their faces. "Take it all."
Melissa Tanner, his new step-mother, was kind enough. But it was obvious, very early on in the union, that James was never going to be a priority. That was ok with the boy. He was happy to do his own thing. Satisfied, despite losing his mother at such an early age. And encouraged by his father to explore his interests.
Alexander Shipley II was a self-made man, with the help of his father. When James turned 17, Alexander surprised James with the gift of his own shop. James had exhibited a rare talent in woodworking and had just finished his apprenticeship with a master cabinet-maker in a nearby town. Now James was ready for his own business. And his father couldn't have been prouder.
It was not long before James was inundated with work, and the time came to hire an assistant. Tom Mallory was James' best friend since school, and a natural choice. Each day, James and Tom opened shop together and poured their hearts into the many jobs that came their way. Word of mouth was their only form of advertising, and when many of his father's wealthy clients and colleagues looking for unique and original pieces to present to their wives, the boys were never bored.
This was his life for many years. Happily working with Tom and carving out works of beauty. His father kept insisting he hire a bookkeeper, but money was something that never interested James. He simply took the money from the work he did, paid his bills and Tom's wages, and spent or gave away the rest. There were many times that he did not even charge for his work, much to the distain of both his father and step-mother.
When his father passed away suddenly, James' world seemed to stand still. Tom stood beside him at the funeral and he drew from the strength of their friendship. With no siblings and his mother already gone, Tom became family.
Melissa and James had not talked much when his father was alive. And James did not expect this to change now that Alexander had passed. If James had a tendency to ignore money, Melissa made up for his lack of attention. She had grown accustomed to the lifestyle his father had provided her, and James had wondered more than once if it was the currency that truly attracted her in the first place.
Six months after his father's passing, James was working at his shop when Melissa came for a visit. She had only been there twice in the five years he had been open, so he was justified in his shocked expression.
"Nice to see you." James greeted her warmly. He vowed to always be polite to the woman who seemed to have made his father so happy after the death of his first wife. Regardless of how she treated James or his father, (or his father's money!) James vowed to be polite.
"James." Melissa greeted his, if somewhat less warmly. "I have an issue to discuss with you. You know Bernard." She gestured towards a man dressed stiffly in a very expensive suit. Bernard was his step-mother's new lawyer. She had hired him shortly after Alexander's death.
James nodded towards Bernard. He did not like the man. And he suspected there was more to this relationship than just work. But that was only his speculation.
"James, we need to discuss the trust your father setup for you." James groaned. His father, in an effort to provide for James but protect him from giving away his rightful inheritance to 'people who needed it more', had setup a trust fund of substantial wealth to be handed over to his son only after he is married. His father figured James would be more responsible with the money knowing he had his own family to consider and provide for.
"As you know, our financial situation is not what it once was." James almost snorted. It once was fine. Until my father passed and the income stopped and your spending increased. James shook his head to try to remove those thoughts. It was really sad how Melissa had blown through the money his father had left her.
"Anyway, the bottom line is, you need to get married." James' head snapped up. How much of the conversation had he missed?
"I'm sorry. What?" James' mouth went dry at the thought of marriage. All he wanted was to continue on as he was, working on his projects and earning what he needed to live off.
"You know very well the amount of money that is sitting in the bank with your name on it. And you also know you cannot touch it until you are married, per your father's wishes. You also know why." Melissa's tone was firm as she stood with her hands on her hips. It was almost funny to be lectured by her about money.
She continued. "Your little... shop here is still under your father's name, which means it is in my portfolio now. And with my little... cash-flow problem, I am going to need to collect on it." She nodded towards Bernard, who handed James a stack of papers. "Go ahead and review all these. Once you are married, you will be able to buy this shop from me. And I will offer you a fair price, of course." She was almost smirking now. "All that is required is your signature on the last page..."
"Stop." James didn't even know he had raised his hands in the air, until the word shot out of his mouth. "This is insane. I have no desire to get married. I have not even met a girl that I would like to spend my free time with much less the rest of my life. So you are going to have to find another way to raise the money you need. Try selling off some of those antiques in the house or something. That should work, right?" He looked back and forth between his step-mother and her lawyer. Neither one changed their expressions.
"You know this is crazy. Who would I even marry in time for your to get the money?" In his mind, the issue was closed. Until Bernard handed another stack of papers.
"Elisabeth Rodgers?" James could not believe his eyes. "You want an arranged marriage!?" Elisabeth was the daughter of one of his father's colleagues. A lovely girl, but very quiet. James had only met her once or twice. And now they wanted him to marry her!
"You have another choice?" Now he could safely say Melissa was smirking at him. "I did not think so. Marry the girl. Get the money. And pay me for this... place." She wrinkled her nose at the sawdust in the air. "Or leave the premises and I will sell it off, and all it's contents."
James felt like the world had been pulled out from under him. All his work, his machines, the hand-carved front desk and doors. The whole store was an expression of his hard work and heart's desire. And in that moment of looking around at the life he had literally carved out for himself, James knew what he had to do. And in that moment he felt a sense of liberation far greater that the perceived free life he already had lived.
"Fine." James said, and was met with grins from both parties that weren't even held back. Until the next moment, when he happily watched those broad smiles slide right off both their faces. "Take it all."
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