Discover 'Eugene and the Friend Machine': A Heartwarming Tale of Friendship and Invention
We're thrilled to share a sneak peek into one of the newest additions to the Good Little Souls collection: "Eugene and the Friend Machine." This enchanting bedtime story takes young readers back to 1917 Cincinnati, introducing us to a brilliant young boy who learns that the best friendships aren't always built, but found in the most unexpected places.
A Lonely Inventor's Dream
Meet Eugene, a quiet, clever boy with a mind full of gears and grand inventions, but a heart that longs for a friend who truly understands him. Living in the bustling city of Cincinnati in 1917, Eugene often feels a quiet loneliness amidst the clamor of progress.
Here's a glimpse into Eugene's world and the spark of his grand idea:
In the bustling heart of Cincinnati, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventeen, lived a boy named Eugene. Now, Cincinnati in 1917 was a marvel to behold. Its streets, though still cobbled in many places, hummed with the gentle clatter of horse-drawn carriages sharing space with the exciting new rumble of automobiles. Gas lamps flickered to life as dusk settled, casting a warm, inviting glow on brick row houses. The mighty Ohio River, a wide, brown ribbon, flowed past the city, carrying steamboats laden with goods and dreams. It was a city of industry and innovation, of grand architecture and hidden alleys, a place where the future felt close enough to touch.
But for all the excitement and progress around him, Eugene often felt a quiet loneliness. He was a boy of sharp intellect and boundless curiosity, with eyes that sparkled when he spoke of gears and pulleys, and a mind that hummed with inventions yet to be conceived. He loved to read, devouring books about faraway lands and scientific discoveries, and his hands were always busy, tinkering with discarded clocks or sketching intricate designs in his worn notebook. His parents, good and loving folk, were often occupied with the demands of their busy lives, his father at the printing press and his mother managing their lively household. They saw Eugene’s quiet nature as a sign of deep thought, never quite realizing the ache in his heart for companionship.
One particularly rainy afternoon, after another unsuccessful attempt to join a game of marbles outside, Eugene retreated to his attic. He sat on an old crate, watching the raindrops streak down the windowpane, a profound sigh escaping his lips. "If only," he murmured to himself, "if only I had a friend who understood me. Someone who liked to talk about inventions, who didn't mind if I was quiet sometimes, who would always be there." He tapped his pencil against his chin, his brow furrowed in thought. A spark ignited in his brilliant mind, a flash of pure, audacious genius. "If I can't find a friend," he declared to the empty attic, his voice gaining strength, "then I shall simply make one!"
The Quest for Parts and an Unexpected Meeting
Eugene's quest for the "perfect friend" leads him on an adventure through the hidden corners of Cincinnati, searching for just the right parts for his magnificent machine. It's during this journey that he encounters someone who will change his life forever.
His quest for parts led him far beyond the familiar streets of Price Hill. With a canvas bag slung over his shoulder and a keen eye for discarded treasures, Eugene ventured into the sprawling, vibrant tapestry of Cincinnati. He explored the dusty corners of old workshops, where the scent of sawdust and oil clung to the air, hoping to find a forgotten spring or a discarded cog. He peered into the overflowing bins behind clockmakers' shops, searching for tiny, intricate gears that might serve as the machine's "brain."
His search for this elusive copper tube led him to a part of the city he hadn't yet explored, a maze of forgotten warehouses and crumbling brick buildings near the old canal basin. The air here was damp and carried the faint smell of coal smoke and stagnant water. He was rummaging through a pile of rusted metal scraps behind what looked like an abandoned factory, his hands grimy, when a voice, thin but clear, startled him.
"Lookin' for something special?"
Eugene jumped, nearly dropping the heavy gear he was examining. He turned to see a boy, perhaps a year or two older than himself, emerging from the shadows of a collapsed doorway. The boy was thin, his clothes patched and worn, but his eyes, a startling shade of blue, were sharp and intelligent, missing nothing. He held a small, gnawed apple core in his hand.
"Eugene," Eugene replied, extending a hand, which Elias shook, his grip surprisingly firm. "Elias, would you... would you like to come back to my house? I could offer you something to eat. And... and you could see the machine. The Friend Machine." The words tumbled out before Eugene could second-guess himself. He felt a strange urge to share his secret, his sanctuary, with this resourceful, observant boy.
Building More Than a Machine
As Eugene and Elias work together on the Friend Machine, a deeper connection begins to form. They discover that the qualities Eugene sought to program into his invention are already present in the bond they're building.
And just like that, they started working together. Elias, with his street-smart ingenuity and practical knowledge of discarded treasures, became an invaluable partner. He knew how to loosen a rusted bolt without breaking it, how to polish tarnished brass until it gleamed, and where to find the oddest, most perfect little components in the forgotten corners of the city. Eugene, with his detailed blueprints and theoretical understanding of mechanics, guided their efforts, explaining the purpose of each circuit and the function of every lever.
As they built the machine, something else, far more valuable, was quietly being built between them: a friendship. Eugene, who had always struggled to express himself, found it easy to talk to Elias. Elias listened with a quiet intensity, his blue eyes understanding. Eugene learned about Elias's life on the streets, how he had lost his parents years ago and had been fending for himself ever since. He heard stories of cold nights and hungry days, but also of incredible resourcefulness, of finding kindness in unexpected places, and of a resilience that awed Eugene. Elias, in turn, listened to Eugene's dreams of invention, his frustrations with his shyness, and his longing for connection. He saw past Eugene's awkwardness to the brilliant, kind heart beneath.
The Realization
The story culminates in a beautiful realization for Eugene: the perfect friend wasn't something he needed to invent, but someone he had already found.
Eugene felt a pang in his chest. He looked at the machine, then at Elias, really looked at him. Elias, with his smudged face and bright, knowing eyes, who had shared his stories and his laughter, who had helped him find the rarest parts, who had simply been there. The realization hit Eugene with the force of a perfectly aimed baseball. He didn't need the Friend Machine to make a friend. He already had one. The perfect friend wasn't a collection of gears and wires; it was Elias.
"Elias," Eugene began, his voice a little shaky, "I... I don't think we need to finish it."
Elias stopped, his hand hovering over the screw. "What? After all this work? It's almost perfect!"
"No," Eugene said, stepping closer, his heart thumping. "It's not that. It's... it's just that I don't need it anymore. Not to make a friend, anyway." He took a deep breath. "Because... because I already have you. You're the friend I was trying to build. You're... you're perfect."
A Home and a Heart Full
"Eugene and the Friend Machine" is a story about the unexpected ways friendship can blossom, the kindness of strangers, and the true meaning of home. It reminds us that sometimes, the greatest inventions are not made of metal and circuits, but of shared laughter, understanding, and an open heart.
You can find the full story of Eugene and Elias in "Good Little Souls," available now! We hope you and your little ones enjoy this heartwarming tale as much as we do.’;
