Hartwood Stakes Out The Garden

Hartwood Lurks in the Shadows - - The Boston Garden May 12, 1981

The Evening of Tuesday May 12, 1981

Game 5 at the Boston Garden - - Celtics v. Houston

Throngs of people make their way down the shadowy sidewalk under a large pale green moon the evening of Tuesday May 12th.  There is an energy in the damp evening air, anxious anticipation, the excited masses making their way to game 5.  Celtics fans, sure, some will have money on the game, some are just zealous fans.

A man apart from the rest however lurks in the shadows of their midst, disinterested, and bereft of their concern with the professional spectacle, Hartwood hasn’t yet made out the details of how he will get inside (if needed).  Details, details of which he isn’t going to let keep him from scoring a quarter million dollars for this bell.

If Hull’s buyer was going to cough up that much for that pedestrian book, surely, they’ll be ready to tender over at least that much for a true artifact.

He continues looking over the night shrouded shoulders of Boston’s upper middle-class socialites beneath the huge moon’s, moonlight.

Finally, he spots him through the crowd, Hull . . . apparently his company supplied him with top-notch tickets to the game for a business meeting with some foreign associate named Berners-Lee . . . from CERN and, some new chief from the NIH . . . another institutional buyer, perfect . . . deep pockets . . . and, together with his cut of the profits from the book (and presumably that should be all of it - - without the museum acting as agent and . . . well, what could he say? . . . it was so unfortunate that Dr. Madison wasn’t around . . . having been shot . . .)  well, it’ll be more money than he’s ever seen, that goes without saying.

He continues watching . . . he sees Hull pass through the entrance . . . now he just needs to get in there, find Hull, and approach the buyer.

The Crowd Arrives for Game 5

The Mood of Hartwood’s Stakeout