Untitled Novel - Chapter Fourteen

The next plan for the day was that after lunch they would all go to Dream Island for their traditional outing: Marcus was not quite sure why they were going back to this island, however, all their other traditions had been pleasantly fulfilling: the perfect idea of love and family. It seemed that he would now learn and experience one more memorable episode in the Tolkowsky family Easter traditions.
Peter had convinced Emerald to ride back home with them. They had special brunch invitations to dine with Dr. Steuber. It was known that business associates of Tolkowsky Diamonds’ would be there. This would be high on Emerald’s list of things to do: socialize with currant or potential clients.
“Marcus, we are on our own until we meet Mom, Dad and Emerald back at the marina about 1:00 o’clock. What would you like to do between now and then?”
“I would like to sit on a wall and have a hotdog.”
“It sounds like you’re ready to go back to New York.”
“No, that’s not it. I just would like a good hot dog in a park somewhere.”
Navette pondered for a short while. “I think I just know the spot that might satisfy your urge.”
“Well, today is Easter Sunday and I would think the normal hotdog vendors would not be working today. Let’s see. I bet you are going to take me to an amusement park of some kind… we’re going to Disneyland.”
“No I don’t think that Disneyland has the type hot dog you are looking for. But, you are right about a park. I know just the park.”
“Well, I can see that you want to surprise me, however, I still like guessing. How about a zoo park or a carnival? They have good hotdogs.”
Navette liked this guessing game. It was light hearted fun. This is just what they both needed to take their minds to a relaxed level: an enjoying the moment level. “It is neither, but you have the general idea.”
Marcus was having fun also with this game and felt he could come up with the answer before arriving at their destination. “I’ve got it. We are going to Dodger Stadium.”
“What makes you think we are going to Dodger Stadium?”
“It just makes sense, baseball parks have great hotdogs, they are always big, juicy and you can load them down with mustard and catsup, just like Joe’s hotdogs. Anyway, I saw the sign directing us to Dodger Stadium.”
“You are so observant. You should have been a spy. We have a box in the Dugout Club there and we will go in and you can get a hotdog and see the stadium. However, the game doesn’t start until around 1:00 when we are to meet the others at the marina.”
“That sounds great. I would love to see Dodger Stadium and I understand they have a great hotdog. They call it the Dodger dog.”
Navette turned onto Stadium Way and followed the signs to Elysian Park Avenue and this led them to the valet entrance. One of the services for their reserve seating box is valet parking service, so Navette pulled up to the valet parking area, showed her membership card and they entered the stadium all in a matter of fifteen minutes. This was outrageously cool to Marcus. What would make it even more cool would be that they could stay and experience the game. But they had the traditional trip to Dream Island keeping them from staying for the game. A trip that Marcus had no perception as to what this tradition day on Dream Island encompassed.
“Why don’t we stay and watch the game? I am sure that Peter would understand. Let’s call him and tell him we decided to watch the game instead. For a guy who has Dugout Club seats, Peter would definitely understand. In fact, he would probably want to join us. Call him and let him off the hook on the Dream Island thing.”
Navette was seeing a part of Marcus that she had not seen. Had something at the baseball park triggered an emotion from a previous experience or from childhood?
“Marcus, I have told you how much Dad looks forward to this treasure hunt. I think he would be terribly disappointed if we did not show.”
“Treasure hunt! Is this what the tradition is all about? What type of treasure hunt? Do we hunt for an egg filled with Easter candy?”
“No more questions. You will just have to find out for yourself. The treasure is so special that I do not want to miss it. So, get your hotdog and you can sit in the club and enjoy it. Then we must go.”
The hotdog was very good: just as Marcus had imagined. Navette ordered a fruit smoothie and slice of vegetable pizza. They had time to leisurely eat and still meet the others. This was a good stop: a special treat for Marcus. He hadn’t experienced a baseball game since his early youth. It was then that he and his father would go to the game at Wrigley Field in Chicago. This was a part of his childhood that he cherished.
“Why don’t you go and enjoy the traditional treasure hunt with your family? I’ll stay here and enjoy the game. Just being near a baseball stadium brings back some pleasant memories: memories that I had nearly forgotten.”
“Dad will be mighty disappointed. I’m afraid that you will also. You don’t know what lies inside these buried treasures. I can’t promise that you will receive yours if you don’t go with us.”
“It is worth the risk. I just want to take in this atmosphere and experience more of the ballpark.” You had better get going or you’re going to be late.”
“How will you get home?”
“I’ll call a taxi.”
Navette left Marcus at Dodger Stadium soaking up the sounds and sights of Dodger baseball. Dodger Stadium is remarkable for a fairly old stadium. It was built back in 1962 but has been updated and refurbished to make it still a favorite. It has one of the best grass fields in the league; in fact, in a “Sports Illustrated” survey players rated Dodger field high on the list of favorite fields to play. Yes, Marcus was taking in the moment. Marcus hasn’t been to a baseball game since early childhood. But he remembered those times. It was then that he and his father enjoyed each other’s company and found life to be fun. Even if they were financially strapped and his mom was working on the days they were at the game.
Marcus was once again clouding good memories with bad. His dad was somewhat irresponsible. Leaving his mother to buy the groceries and pay the rent while he juggled jobs that were, at most, temporary jobs. At least, they were temporary as far as his father was concerned. But the baseball games were special. “I wonder if they still sell peanuts.” Marcus thought. Wrigley used to sell roasted peanuts in the shell. Marcus remembered his dad getting a huge bag of these peanuts and he would crack them open and share the fruit with Marcus. Yet another memory that was bittersweet. He knew that they needed the money for other things: rent, groceries, electricity, etc. Marcus found himself resisting these unpleasant thoughts of today for the pleasant thoughts of the past.
His memories, though, had taken place on the bleachers and not in a plush Dugout Club. So to recapture these childhood memories he would need to leave the comforts of this air-conditioned club and move to the cheap seats. The cheap seats were a distance into the outfield. But, here at Dodger Stadium even the cheap seats were nice. You could go through a buffet and get all you wanted to eat but all Marcus was looking for was a bag of roasted peanuts in the shell. Sure enough, as Marcus sat down in the center of an area of vacant bleacher seats, a guy came up the steps barking the all familiar sound: “Peanuts, Popcorn, Cracker Jacks.”
“Over here” Marcus yelled. “I’ll have a bag of those peanuts.”
So now Marcus was in a bleacher seat with his bag of peanuts ready for the game to begin. Everyone knows that the national anthem is sung before every professional league baseball game and today would be no exception. Marcus always enjoyed this as a child and was looking forward to it today. He wondered if possibly someone famous would be here to do the honors but didn’t have a clue. There was this guy setting three seats down from him and Marcus asked. “Do you know who is to sing the National Anthem?”
The guy looked kind of surprised that Marcus would ask but he quickly replied. “I believe it is Paul something. I forgot his last name.” Marcus was wondering if it could have been the guy he just heard singing at the Easter service.
“Not Paul Potts.” The guy shook his head and said. “That doesn’t sound right.”
Marcus thought for a minute and decided that it would not be Paul Potts. He wasn’t even a United States citizen. He would not be singing our National Anthem.
“Ladies and gentlemen…it is a special honor for me to introduce to you a two time Grammy winner… Paul Williams to sing our National Anthem.”
Marcus thought. “Who is Paul Williams?”
He was a short old guy. He must have been in his seventies. Marcus had never heard of him. But he had won many awards – he must be famous. Why had he not heard of him? His awards must have been won many years ago, that would be the only explanation.
He began to sing. His voice was low and raspy, possibly from age. Somehow he managed to get through the song and the crowd began to cheer. Marcus found himself standing and cheering as he did when a child. His dad would always stand and cheer after the National Anthem. Marcus now remembered the next event was the infamous first pitch. This was the unofficial first pitch of the baseball game made by a dignitary or a famous person and hopefully the pitch would be good enough to be caught by the catcher.
“Ladies and gentlemen to throw out the first pitch of this game…the mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa.” This answers the question. Marcus wasn’t familiar with the mayor of Los Angeles, however, he did remember times when he was a child that it was a big thing to see the mayor of Chicago doing this same feat. At that time he was excited. The mayor was a sharp dressed Hispanic looking fellow and had a good arm. He threw the pitch like a professional – right to the catcher. The game would start now. The Rockies would have first at bat and the Dodgers would be in the in the outfield. The outfield players would be the only ones that those less fortunate folks setting in the bleachers could actually see. The rest were so far away that it was difficult to make out the numbers on their uniforms without binoculars. This is why Marcus remembers getting to meet one of the Chicago players: He was close enough for him to hear when Marcus and his dad would yell at him. They tried not to boo him but they would shout “Good catch” every time he caught the baseball and “Good try” every time he didn’t. His name was Andre Dawson and he played right field for the Chicago Cubs.
Marcus hadn’t kept up with baseball since he had left home. He had no idea where Andrea was today. He could be retired for all Marcus knew. He had not heard the announcements of players before the game. He didn’t have any idea who was playing for either team. The first pitch, that actually counted, was thrown and hit into the right field. It looked as if it was coming directly at Marcus. It was as if it were in slow motion. The ball was plainly in Marcus’s reach. He stood as those around him stood, hoping to catch the baseball. They gathered around Marcus as if he were ground zero. The baseball was heading right to Marcus. He did not have to move a muscle other than raise his arms slightly above his head. He had caught the first baseball hit in the game. The player in right field was very disappointed of course. Marcus could see him leaning against the fence separating the baseball field from the stands. No errors were called, of course, the baseball was just hit too far for him to make a play. Marcus automatically yelled to the player, “Good try”. He made a slight hand wave as to say thank you.
There was a young boy to Marcus’s left who was one of the several nearby fans that had hopes of catching that baseball. He actually bumped into Marcus when Marcus stretched out his arms to make the catch. But the boy was not tall enough to reach the baseball or he would have had a good chance of catching it. Marcus sat down and glanced over to the boy who had a disappointed look on his face. The young boy wanted to catch the baseball.
Marcus remembered one incident from his childhood when he was about to catch a baseball that was hit into right field. As he recalled, his dad was trying to catch the baseball for him but there was this huge man sitting beside him that simply out reached and out shoved his dad. There was a brief display of anger from his dad, but there was nothing he could do. His dad simply congratulated the guy and forgot the matter. Marcus was disappointed of course. But, he knew that his dad had given his best attempt to catch the baseball.
The boy saw Marcus looking at him and Marcus held the baseball up in the air and said to the boy, “You want it?” The boy immediately responded “Yeah.” Marcus tossed the baseball to him. He caught it and then turned to his dad with a big smile saying “Look Dad the man gave me the baseball.” The boy’s dad gave him a pat on the back and tucked the boy’s baseball cap down on his forehead and then turned to Marcus and said “Thank you.”
This made Marcus feel good about himself and again brought up childhood delights.
Marcus was beginning to feel sympathy for his dad. All this nostalgic thinking had revealed a tender love for his dad. Even though he had been so irresponsible in supporting his family financially, he had showed a love of life and family that Marcus had forgotten. Maybe it was time to pay his father a visit or at least send him an email or letter. This was something that he felt he should not put off.
Marcus decided to go back to the Dugout Club where he asked for a piece of paper and he began to write his father a letter.
Dear Dad,
I am sorry that I have not written you in a while. I hope life is not too hard in the Castle. Mom told me that you were helping the warden with the landscaping and that he liked your work. I suppose it makes the time go by faster.
A lot has happened to me the last few months, much of which I wont bore you with. I suppose you’re wondering why I am writing you a letter on Dodger Stadium stationery. I am writing this letter from the Dugout Club during the game. I just caught the first pitch of the game and wanted to share it with somebody. It brought back memories of when you tried to catch that ball at Wrigley Field. Anyway, I gave the ball to a kid who was very disappointed that he hadn’t caught it. It made me feel good to give it to him and you should have seen the look on his face.
I have met a beautiful, talented and rich girl and it is looking pretty serious. Actually her father is rich. How else would I find myself in the Dugout Club? Well Dad you were just on my mind and I decided to write. It is Easter Sunday and I will mail this tomorrow.
Oh, by the way her name is Navette Tolkowshy. We will be flying back to New York tonight and I will be at a new job. Things are good; no things are great.
Hope to see you soon.
Love, Marcus

It felt rewarding to have written this letter. He had harbored these ill feelings too long and this letter was a start in rebuilding the relationship between him and his dad.