From: "Robert Borski" 
Subject: (urth) sepia man as Tilly?
Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 16:37:41 -0500

mantis having speculated:

"But what if the normal sepia man really is a man that neither one has ever
seen--what if he is Tilly?"

I rather like this idea, and I believe StoneOx alluded to it earlier, though
not with the same amplification you provided.

It explains why Miss Hadow does not recognize the two men, as well as Den's
admission that he's never met them. Also the antiquated fashion sense of the
giant.

The three relatives of Tilly's who want Smart to take over the pharmacy may
be Mrs. Mason, Candy, and Arline (though the latter two must be very young),
and the giant in the photo is not Tom Lavine but "little" Rodney (the bed
may be a childhood keepsake or else he simply grew out of it fast). Tilly
probably never married "Mrs. Mason" so therefore her two children are
illegitimate. (This would explain why the carnies don't believe there's a
real Mr. Mason. ) But as for Tilly being the father of Doris by yet another
relationship/marriage, I find this less credible. According to the timeline,
Tilly dies somewhere around 1924, which would make Doris about 39 when
Charlie Turner shows up. It also makes the ages of Candy and Arline--if
they're Tilly's daughters--probably even older--another glitch in the
theory.

And still to be answered is why Charlie Turner sends a 40 year old photo of
Tilly and giant to D. Weer, as well as why the photo of Candy looks
similarly aged.

But overall I think the sepia man = Tilly answers more questions than it
raises.

Robert Borski




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