Microstory 1252: Duke Andrews

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Duke Andrews was born in Grand Junction, Colorado, but he always had a draw towards the Kansas City area that he could never explain. He visited there at least once a year since he was eight years old, which his parents were happy to do for him, because they were happy to do pretty much anything. They didn’t coddle or dote on him, but they did believe it was important for their child to exert his independence, vocalize his desires, and try new things. They wanted him to see the world, so Kansas City was just one of the many places he went. His great aunt, Bubbles (real name) was a retired middle school teacher, so she traveled with them as his tutor. She didn’t know everything he wanted to learn about, but they always managed to find a really good library for him to study what he wanted. It was through these studies that he eventually landed in the field of natural science. He excelled in biology and physics, but he liked all science, and learning in general. He moved to Kansas City as an adult, and lived there permanently to pursue his work. The career he ended up with happened because of a series of events in his life, but it wasn’t like it was all part of some plan, or a dream. He didn’t want to be a scientist when he was a kid. He didn’t really have any thoughts on the matter at all. His parents taught him to live in the present, and not think too much about the future. He was always just what he was at any moment. That wasn’t to say he didn’t have ambition; he just didn’t let himself be disappointed when things didn’t go quite his way, and he liked to practice being grateful for what he was able to accomplish, or gain. It was a big surprise to everyone when he helped found what later became a multi-billion dollar corporation. It wasn’t something his parents would have wanted for him, but again, they were supportive of their son’s choices. He didn’t do it for the money, and he didn’t do it to change the world. It all just made sense, based on everything else he had done up to that point. He lived, he nurtured his company, he met a few time travelers, and he died. This was what Duke Andrews did, but it wasn’t who he was. Duke Andrews was a learner. His instinct to understand the world around him was what truly drove him forward, right up until the very end.