Unrequited Time

Book excerpt: James C. McCurrach was born in Brooklyn, New York and was the namesake of a self made business success story. He had a privileged upbringing that included a succession of private schools culminating in a B.A. from Brown University in Providence, R.I. He traveled a circuitous route as an adult - a journey that included tennis, a Vice Presidency at the former Bankers Trust Company in New York City as well as the principal in a New York restaurant. After many personal hurdles, he finally succeeded in his original goal of a teaching career. Additionally, his work assisting foreign students in the English language resulted in the publication of two English textbooks for English beginners in Japan and Korea. He is a former squash racquets champion with numerous top ten rankings in various age categories. He resides in San Francisco with his partner of 29 years. This Memoir is dedicated to P. Justin Jacobs for his loyalty, support and continuing encouragement. A troubled youth in search of direction finds himself groping to find his place despite numerous obstacles centering about his Father looking for a duplicate. Such are some of the problems facing James C. McCurrach Jr. as he passes through his early childhood years and the social upheavals encountered on the path to a new century. All of this is complicated by his growing uncertainty of his sexual proclivities at a time when homosexuality was ridiculed and considered a deviancy beyond the pale. At the same time, his Fathers' influence was a constant presence that would lead to a series of disasters, both socially and financially. Despite trying to throw off his Father's yoke, there remained a continuing need to please him and establish some sort of positive approval resulting in a series of tumultuous relationships and career moves. His Mom had always told the youngster that he would be a late bloomer and indeed that prediction would come to pass as in his later years the teaching profession would provide the purpose and rewards that had long eluded him.