Toby "The Iron Man" Bruce: Hemingway's "Man Friday"

Toby "The Iron Man" Bruce: Hemingway's "Man Friday". . Hemingway met Telly Otto "Toby" Bruce on a visit to his in-law's home in Arkansas during the summer of 1928. The local furniture maker and former classmate of Pauline's provided an easy and friendly diversion to Hemingway's writing the final chapters of A Farewell to Arms., When the Key West Guide Book to local attractions listed the Hemingway Home in its 1935 publication, Toby was asked to build a privacy wall from old bricks stored at the Key West Naval Station. A year later, he was offered a job as Hemingway's driver for $65 a month, plus room and board., Toby worked on salary for six years and "for free thereafter" for the rest of Hemingway's life. He served as Hemingway's driver, secretary, and man Friday. He drove the Hemingway sons home for summer breaks and holidays, and he oversaw many of the home's renovations including he installation of the infamous pool., In Key West, Toby met and married Laura Betty Moreno, the artist who originally designed the renovations for Mallory Square and established the history department in the Monroe County Library. Toby and Betty traveled with the Hemingways and often entertained in each other's homes. Many of the family members of Toby and Betty still reside in Key West., As Hemingway's secretary, Toby supervised the typewritten manuscript of For Whom the Bell Tolls. In appreciation, Hemingway dubbed him "The Iron Man" and awarded him the commission to design the book's dust jacket. Hemingway declared that the book cover design was "The Iron Man's masterpiece". He handwrote an inscription in one of the book's proofs: "To Otto with much affection and deep appreciation for all he did to make this book. Ernest Hemingway."