Chapter One: The Beginning
May 27, 2002—1:56 am
I suppose it is fitting to open a new journal as another phase in my life is happening. Though it's probably a coincidence, it is quite unusual to start a new book at exactly the right time. Usually I end up documenting half of a trip in one book with the remaining half in another. This trip is quite important, however, so I am glad it will all end up together. Ugh! Listen to me rambling!
Alex arrived about 2 hours ago. By God, that boy was a mess! No backpack, filthy clothes, bloody hand, and looking like he was about to cry. Perhaps I should have picked him up... but what's done is done. I'm sure Alex learned a lesson about taking better care of his belongings. He will, after all, be accompanying me to the Amazon—he's got to learn to care for himself. Don't know what that son of mine was thinking, coddling a nearly grown boy like that!
I know I promised myself that if John wouldn't raise him up right, then I would do my dardnest to, but he did seem pretty broken up about his flute. I gave him Joseph's. Don't know what I was thinking. I probably shouldn't have; knowing Alexander he'll lose it somewhere in the Amazon, but, well, he is my grandson after all. Lord, if the boy heard me say that he'd think I'd gone soft! Can't go letting him have that impression. He needs a firm figure in his life and since nobody else seems to be volunteering to do any dirty work, I'll just have to take on the job myself. When it's all said and done, he'll thank me for it.
The preparations for the trip are almost complete. Alex and I will be leaving for Manaus in a couple of days. We'll meet Timothy, Juan, and that old loon Leblanc there then travel with our guide down river to Santa Maria de la Lluvia in his plane. Cesar Santos, I think his name was. Yes, that sounds about right. I heard he has a young daughter who will be staying behind; if Alexander isn't looking up to the trip I'll leave him there with her.
Hopefully we'll be able to find the Beast, though I doubt it. Ludovic Leblanc, whom I've never had the pleasure of meeting in person but know by reputation emailed yesterday–and heaven only knows how he got hold of my personal account—to welcome me aboard his expedition. I had half a mind to set him straight right then, but managed to calm myself down before I hit 'send'. He is, after all, the major reason we even have funding for this project. But if he can get on my nerves this badly through email, God knows what I'll do once I actually see his pompous face.
Kate Cold