A CASTLE ON A HILL

The directors of the museum were adamant. The vampires (and their hangers-on) would have to vacate their quarters in the basement and find shelters elsewhere. One suffered a minor stroke over the whole affair and lost most of the sight in his left eye. The other developed a nervous stutter causing him to lose his upper plate during an after dinner speech which in his circlles constituted a serious faux pas. So the undead were un-housed. Temporary diigs were haistily arranged at a local hotel. The Ritz Carlton, I think it was. Familiars took care of everything. All our crew had to do was show up. And show they did. Each sported a finely cut, well made get-up. Not because of the occasion, but because it just came natural to them. The vampire nature and all that. Papa, no, excuse me, 'Jimmy' was obviously the leader, so he dealt out the rooms. One for Jonathon and Sarah. One for he and Luna. Another for Baylah. Her mortal financier beau was a frequent visitor. The human contingent, wilkravitz, Edith and all the rest, were given cash cards and brokered their own rooms. Jimmy said it was more natural that way. They shouldn't travel with such a large entourage. So they settled down and relaxed for a bit. A chamber group was sent for and they arrived, providing classical accompaniment for 'Jimmy's' meeting with the real estate woman. Jonathon sat in on it too. But there was no doubt that the steely-haired, Richard Gere - eldest Baldwin Brother combo was the founder of the  feast. I would guess Miss Housey-poo though Jonathon to be the pampered son, or favorite nephew. The ladies hovered in the background, like over-indulged Persian Gulf wives. Believe me. They knew they were just playing a part. But they did it to pacify Jimmy. And who was Annie in all this? She was the Jane Withers. Zebulon always thinks of her as that. Have you ever seen those old Shirley Temple movies, the ones where she had to confront a rather large, overbearing, loud-mouthed, little thing? Well that was Jane Withers. And Annie (though skinny and boney) fit the role to a 'T.' So the woman sets up her magic-talking-box (excuse me, her 'laptop') and proceeds to scroll down a selection of properties. We saw townhouse after townhouse. Beautiful they were. But Center City was too lively. True, Jonathon had resided in a small townhouse once. Although, that was tucked away on a tiny, dead-end street and perfect for a vampire-gentleman. Nothing even remotely similar was available now. So they settled on Chestnut Hill, a city neighborhood, but with a decidedly old-money, country mmansionette (NOT 'McMansion' there IS a VAST difference) feel. The lots  were spacious and private. The lanes were quite leafy. And the neighbors made their society with 'friends.' The nearness of shelter had nothing to do with it. In short, the perfect locale for a refined, though unusual 'family.' A married couple (Papa-Jimmy and Luna), their favorite nephew and his partner (Jonathon and Sarah) plus an assortment of valued retainers (Edith, wilkravitz and one or two others). Oh yes, Annie...She was passed off as Papa's daughter. And it all worked out. Baylah went back to operating her little, jewelbox, piano bar ( the one with the equally jewel-like apartment upstairs). So that gave them a pied-a-terre in Center City. Her familiar didn't appreciate giving up power. But he kept his mouth shut. He was only an emplyee after all. And the boss was possitively inhuman.....Ha Ha Ha.... Not really. She was not cruel. Zebulon makes a little joke...Now, where was I? Oh, yes. Workmen came in to make whatever changes were necessary in order to make the new house suitable for our life-eaters. You know, comfortable, dark rooms in the cellar and all that. Maybe a secret passage or two as well. Although a secret passage was there since Underground Railroad days. So that one was already in place. After about two weeks, you would have thought they'd been there for centuries. Not the passageways. The vampires, I mean. And that was it. A new family seat. A fit home for our steely-haired patron.......And 'Jimmy' truly enjoyed it....... Life, or the 'after-life' was good........