Harry Pond
Harry Pond is a character in the Eden Pond Series.
Biography
Harry was the twin brother of Eden Pond and and younger brother of Merton Pond. The 17 year age difference between Merton and the twins, combined with the fact their parents died when the twins were toddlers, meant Merton was more of a father than brother to Harry.
His left leg was weakened and disfigured by the polio he contracted at age eleven, causing him to walk with limp. His recovery was difficult, and led to a significant change in his manner and outlook. Treatments included a trip to the Brooten Kelp Ore Resort.
He was unable to run or do work requiring leg strength, and so was not eligible for military service when the war began in 1941. Though he knew he couldn't be a combat soldier, he tried to volunteer for the army with the thought there would be many other jobs he could perform. Despite his insistence he could be useful he was rejected.
Eden hadn't wanted him to try, and they argued about it. He decided to move out of the house where they'd grown up together, and where she still lived with their older brother Merton. He wanted to do something useful, so he went to Tillamook, where he found a job at the New Day Bakery, with a room in the apartments above. He and Eden did not see each other or speak for more than two months.
When nightly blackouts were implemented, he volunteered as an air raid warden to ensure his neighbors were observing blackout procedures, and at times could be over-zealous.
He also volunteered with the Ground Observer Corps to watch for and identify planes flying along the coast.
Description
Average height, 5'7"—shorter than Eden by three inches, a fact that was a source of aggravation to him. His left leg was shorter than his right and weakened by childhood polio. He walked with a limp, and required a cane for longer distances or if he was on his feet for long periods. He was unable to run or do work requiring leg strength, and so was not eligible for military service during the war.
He was fourteen minutes younger than Eden, a fact which often rankles him.
His hair was short and black, worn in a wave on top.
Aside from his leg, he was very strong, especially in the arms and chest, though this wasn't evident from his build which was lean and wiry.
Harry's Bucket Hat
As a child, during a trip to Bayocean on a rainy day when he forgot a hat, Mr. Yokoyama, one of the Japanese oyster farmers who lived and worked on the peninsula, gave Harry a bucket hat. He would come to cherish the hat to the point that he refused to replace with with a more suitable men's hat after high school. Once charcoal grey, years of rain and sun would fade it to the color of wood ash by the time of Harry's death. Eden would take possession of it from Nanette Howard, who noticed Harry had left it at the bakery where he worked on the day he died.
Vital Statistics
Date of Birth: 7 February 1917
Date of Death: 23 February 1942
Character Affiliations
- Eden Pond, sister
- Merton Pond, brother
- Jonah Shibuya, best friend
Appearances
- Tillamook Guerrillas (working title), Eden Pond Book 1