Brillant Corners

Robert Annenberg grew up in a house that had ten-foot ceilings, shiny parquet floors, and huge venetian glass mirrors. The home itself, sat on a huge corner lot in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was surrounded by beautiful large oak and maple trees. His parents were considered old Philadelphians or proper Philadelphians. This class of people claimed their hereditary and cultural descent from England, and Germany. Proper Philadelphians were influential in the development of the arts, culture, science, medicine and law.

Young Robbie as his parents called him, grew up as an only child, with several dogs and cats as companions. And was somewhat considered a prodigy because of his brilliant scholarly activities and interest in scientific study. He attended the best private prep schools and later Ivy League colleges. After college he went on to Med school to pursue his interest in medicine and science. His summers were spent at the family home in Bermuda, it was there where he acquired the taste for rum, West Indian women, and their culture. He felt entitled to all that life afforded him.

Upon completion of his studies, he settled for a career as a chemical biologist conducting scientific research for a major company. He married a "blue blood" Philadelphian woman. The marriage produced one son and it lasted only a few years. After the divorce there were no visitation rights granted, he and the son became estranged. And somehow the corners of his life began to spiral in a totally different direction. He became a functional alcoholic and settled for a job as a salesman for a pharmaceutical company. His proper Philadelphian family now disowned him, and his trust fund was revoked. He lived his life traveling up and down the road cornered between the pills he proffered to doctor's offices, and the booze he drank to medicate the something within himself that was lost.

The hotel where he took up residence for extended stays, employed a beautiful desk clerk of West Indian descent. She was the daughter of the head Jamaican housekeeper; her name was Bea. She was tall, beautiful dark chocolate skin, elegantly dressed and she spoke the Queens English. After a frustrating day on the road Robbie approached the hotel lobby drenched with sweat and disgust after a very non-sales day. There was Bea standing at her post, looking efficient, very attractive and ready to help. "Mr. Annenberg your room is being cleaned right now; can I offer you a cup of coffee while you wait?" He said, "that sounds super, thanks." Bea sashayed to the coffee machine and poured the coffee and asked, "cream and sugar?" "Just black, thanks," he blurted out. Bea began to ask him about his day, and she said to him " you must be working yourself to a frazzle. Somedays you look like something the cat dragged in... you need to take better care of yourself" and she smiled. He smiled back and said, "point well taken." From there the friendship blossomed. He looked forward to seeing her when he arrived back from the four corners of the roads he travelled daily. They soon shared more conversations about the day's happenings and sometimes even enjoyed a meal together.

Soon Mr. Annenberg became Robbie to Bea. He gave up his extended stay at the hotel and took a room in Bea's mother's home. Bea was recently divorced, and she lived there with her three teen aged children. Robbie eagerly helped them with their homework. He avoided making his knowledge of the subjects and his instruction too esoteric. They thought he was brilliant and a regular guy at the same time. Bea and Robbie's friendship turned into love and then marriage. A small wedding was held in the home. Bea's family approved of the union, Robbie's parents did not. And they told their friends he had remarried and all they knew was that she was British and Black.

A few years into the marriage, both Bea and Robbie had changed the course of their lives. The drinking stopped and the devotion to Christ, and healing began. Bea went to school to become a nurse and Robbie left the very demanding pharmaceutical sales business, only to become a driver of sorts for delivery companies. Their relationship became somewhat strained because of the long hours he spent away from home. Bea gave it some thought from time to time, as she was busy with her nursing career, she worked long hours as well. She did wonder where he spent his days. Sometimes coming home late, when there was no time for conversation. Like two ships passing in the night, they would say to each other when there was time to talk. Yet come Sunday morning he was always available for worship with her...... this was the glue that held the marriage together. Having lunch with a friend one day Bea said to her friend, "how do you like my life.... I get rid of one overzealous and hardworking husband to get another one who is highly over educated yet he works at nothing substantial.... he is a piece of a husband!" They both laughed and shook their heads and continued sipping their drinks.

Because Bea's car needed repair and was in the shop, she had to take public transportation to work. Her stop on the City Line Bus faced the corner of South and Walnut streets. On the far corner she spotted an Apothecary shop it read ANNENBERG'S APPOTHECARY.

She knew the name because it was her name. Even though she hyphenated her former married name to this name. She was curious and went to check out the store. She opened the door to the shop and found the usual drug store products up front. As she made her way to the back of the shop there was a sign that said, "Natural Cures for the Most Common Ailments" She squinted her eyes, adjusted her glasses and peaked around the far corner, there behind the counter was Robbie in a white coat mixing compounds and dispensing solutions. She faintly heard one patron say "hey Doc, you cured my diabetes I don't have to take those shots anymore or pills, thank you! Can my daughter get a consult next week she has several ailments? "Bea was in shock, she was speechless.... Robbie looked up and saw her. All she could do was briskly turn around and stumble to the front of the store and spill out into the street. As she faced the brilliant bright sunlight, she stood on the corner clutching her chest, and felt her breath leaving her.