Sunday, October 11, 2020

Baseball carries Death, a Short Story (rough draft)

 

               Baseball carries death.  Ed Casey was cleaning the dishes and suddenly he was having one of those deep moments when one of the mysteries of life was clear to him.

His father was sitting next to him on the school bus.  Men were smoking in the school bus.  They laughed and cracked open cans of beers and passed them inside the school bus.  Some cans sprayed out, and a few times the cold beer showered around him.  He was waiting for something to drink.  It was hot in the bus.  There were words on the metal surface, but he was too young to read at the time.  He recognized the letters.  There was a drawing, but he could not tell what it was.  He looked back and saw one old man sitting on the edge of his seat, his feet were in the aisle.  The old man winked at him and he looked back to the front.

               “Are you having fun yet?”

               “I’m thirsty.”

               “Going to see the great Willie Mays, this is so much fun.”

               The men belonged to a club his father explained, a local rotary club, but he was not interested.  He wanted something to drink.

               He turned back around and looked at the old man.  His eyes rolled back, and he fell into the aisle of the bus.  It was the heat someone said.  Get him some air someone said.   The men were trying to get the old man to wake up, but he was not moving.

               The bus stopped and an ambulance crew came on the bus and carried the old man off.

               “What happened to him?”

               “They’re taking him to a park and let him rest next to a tree.”

               He wasn’t sure what his father meant, but he imagined the old man, sort of dazed from the heat, sitting on the ground with his back against the tree.  Alone and not sure when the bus would come back and pick him up.  Those facts were not made clear to the young Ed.

               At the game, his old man bought him a blue plastic batter’s helmet with an orange plastic band that had to be adjusted to fit his small head.  He was given an American Cheese sandwich in wax paper, a small bag of Wise potato chips and a grocery store soda wrapped in aluminum foil to keep it cool.  And remembers watching Willie Mays get up to bat.  But his mind went back the old man sitting against a tree in the park. 

               When they arrived home, his mother yelled at his father since he was drunk. 

               Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash; a few years later, same happened to Thurman Munson when he was flying his plane.  There was Donnie Moore, a pitcher for the Angels who committed suicide after he shot his wife.  Lou Gehrig.  Babe Ruth giving his last raspy voiced farewell speech.  Gil Hodges.  They all died. 

               Ed put the last dish on the rack to dry.  That day Whitey Ford died and he recalled seeing Ford throw out of the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium when the Yanks played The Mets in 2000.  The chairman lived to 91.  But back then he was just getting over cancer. 

               Ed sat in the living room and checked the apps, his email and felt the night settling in.  His parents were back on Long Island.  He was alone in his house and yet the sound of the cars rushing by the highway and the isolation was peace.  Like the old man leaning against the tree in the park, baseball carries death, much like life.

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Grocery Shopping at Night

10/6/20 22:39

There is something about grocery shopping at night.  This is the time when most are home and watching TV and the few stragglers, myself included voyage into the barren store. Mask on, the cart’s handle wiped clean.  There are open lanes, except for the ones with carts and boxes of products to be shelved after midnight.  There are less hurried folks at night.  The focused fucks who are in a rush after work, who are on their own must-get-it mission and who do not give a mighty shit if you or I are in their way.  A tap?  A nudge?  Maybe an excuse me?  Maybe I am confusing these scenes with my previous shopping sprees on Long Island.  A few times, we stop in the dead zone; where lanes intersect, eyes looking at eyes not sure if the person is smiling or sneering.  I debate should I pick up a six of a pumpkin brew?  Maybe?  I debate.  I have these internal debates all of the time when I am shopping. Should I pick up Goyo product even if the COO praised Trump?  Does this shopping spree have to become a political event?  Why are groceries so expensive?  I buy vegetarian meals and organic, but spend next to nothing on my clothing detergent.  In some ways I am cheap, a reminder of my father who to this day loves a good sale, but I won’t stoop to his frugality.  The man drinks water from the tap, who would do such a thing?  Just think, I used to dread the supermarket and now at night I have found my oasis in the distance.  The lit up parking lot beckons under the October moon.

Thank you for reading this.


Monday, October 5, 2020

Twenty years ago, Kid A and Twenty Five Years Ago (today) Automatic for The People were released

 10/5/20 22:46

Twenty years ago, Kid A was released by Radiohead.  This was the new album for me and the new band since they released OK Computer which is one of my all-time favorites.  Sent a text to Jason since he is a Radiohead.  And he called me.  This led to you must listen to The Bends and Darkstar and I have a homework assignment.  Insane how we can be so passionate about our music, even decades later they stir up the dust and haunted visions.  We can share music like books and yet the songs speak to our souls in different ways.  Jason brought up Automatic For The People by REM and this led to stories about their song Drive…the album.  I looked up the listings.  The album was released on this date back in 1995.  25 years later we are talking about where we lived and what were doing.  Jason was in Arizona and listened to the album over and over and I was back in Northport, renting a duplex, married with two daughters who are now women…and would listen to that album and felt the defiance in Ignore land. My how the world has changed. 

It’s late night in Bethlehem and the house is quiet expect for Kid A playing in my headphones, Morning Bell…

Thank you for reading this.

 

Sunday, October 4, 2020

Imzadi Publishing Accepts The Bombastic Adventures in The Arizona Desert

9/30/20 23:07 Home

Good news my dear friends, my novel was accepted by Imzadi Publishing.  I mailed the contract yesterday and based on the wail the mail has been moving in this country, the publisher should have it in two weeks.  The Bombastic Adventures in The Arizona Desert is expected to be published in July.  

The house is coming along.  I painted the other bedroom since Emma, Bella and Matt are planning to visit.  Now, it looks like it will be the Halloween weekend.  It will be the first time in three years since I slept in the same place with my kids.

10/4/20 20:21

Meli is working.  We are on Zoom together.  She is playing music and both of us are doing our things and yet we are together.  Earlier, I ran for 8 miles and now can feel my body slowing down and asking if it is time for bed.  Thinking about the morning light falling through the brittle leaves.  There are some maples that are still green, grasping onto the summer even in October.  Made it back home for church and I’m thinking of the miracles, praying to God for something specific, and yet I felt a little awkward, don’t put God to the test.  I am praying the spousal via 

I’d like to get back into the challenge I gave myself last year, a blog entry each day, even if they are short.  Maybe this time, I will share more poetry?  Whatever, even a stream of conscience. 

Cleaned the house.  Yesterday, I cleaned the windows and wished Meli was here to help or to keep me company.  Then today were more chores.  After a few hours or being in my sweaty clothes I took a hot shower,  the steam was flowing out the open window and the sunlight was bright in the small room, open shades, there’s no one living behind this house to peer in, so I took my naked time and got dressed.

I spoke with my brother, my sister Eileen for a few seconds, Mom and Dad and caught up for a few minutes.  And here I am listening to music my love is playing, and I am really impressed with this Spotify list. 

Reading Raymond Carver, shorts from Cathedral and Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges.

Thank you for reading this.

London Calling

  January 28, 2024 Flying to London tonight for our sales meeting.   First time traveling out of the country for the job.   First time in ...