December 13, 2001. Gouverneur, New York. I was on my way home from work when I got a call from an unknown number. When I picked up the phone and looked at the caller ID, it said that it was from Maine. Even though I was never the person to answer unknown callers, I had this deep urge to answer it. 

“Hello?” I said into the phone, making sure I was still keeping an eye on the road, and as well as my speed. All I heard at first was this deep breathing, and after a second, it had finally answered me. 

“Would this happen to be a Mr. Anderson Johnson?” the voice had said. To me, the voice had sounded like someone I knew growing up, but when I had heard the New England accent, I had thrown the thought out the window. 

“Yes, this is Anderson Johnson, may I ask who I am speaking to?” I said, already thinking that if this was one of those telemarketers, I was going to throw my phone out the window.

“My name is Sylvester O’Hara, and I was the lawyer to your great uncle, Andrew Grady. I am calling to inform you that he passed away last month, and while going through his will, I saw that he had left you his house in an isolated part of Maine. It is a nice-looking house, but the closest person to you is about 4 miles away, and the house is surrounded by woods.” he said. 

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At first, I did not believe him, but I also could hear the sorrow in his voice, so I figured that it could only be true. And what had gotten me thinking about my uncle Andrew was that the last time I saw him, I was 10 and was living with my parents. He and my father had gotten into a fight and a few choice words were said. Even though he and my parents did not get along, I had still talked to him until I was at least 18, when I had gotten a job at T.R. Welding. He had been the one who told me to go for the job and was very excited to hear I had gotten it. 

“Are you sure he left it in my name, I have the same name as my father?” I said, knowing better than it was for me. 

“Are you not Anderson Johnson JR?” he said, knowing just as well as I that the house was meant for me. 

“Yes, that would be me.” I said. By this time I was about 20 minutes away from home and knew by the time I got there, I was going to need a drink. 

“Good then,” he said, “because, on the will, it states that he wants you to move in as soon as possible.”