don’t think he went to jail over it, but he was finished as far as baseball was concerned/’
“He could tell me things that would happen before they happened. A player would do something and Buddy’d say, ‘Didn’t I tell ya?’“
“The first time I met Buddy Delmar, your dad and I were at the Ambassador, in the Pump Room. Buddy paid for our drinks. He flashed a roll that could have choked a horse.”
“You mean if he tried to swallow the money.”
“Who, honey?”
“The horse.”
“It’s just an expression, Roy. Buddy likes to act like a big shot. Some women go for that routine, not me.”
“I remember Buddy asked me, ‘How’s that good-looking mother of yours?’“
“Did your dad hear him say that?”
“I think Dad was getting a hot dog.”
“Buddy Delmar thinks he’s catnip to the ladies.”
“I’d never take money to strike out.”
“Of course you wouldn’t. You won’t be like Buddy Delmar. You’ll be your own man.”
“Is Dad his own man?”
“Sure, Roy, he is. Being his own man causes him problems sometimes.”
“Buddy from Detroit had a problem, you said.”
“Baby, you don’t have to be’ like any of these people. Your dad is a decent person, don’t get me wrong, but he does things you’ll never do. Your life will be different, Roy.”
“What about Buddy?”
“What about him?”
“Is he a decent person?”
“If Buddy Delmar had never been born, the world wouldn’t be any worse off.”
“Mom, if we ever have a house, could I get a dog?”
“Oh, Roy, you really are my own special angel. We won’t always be living in hotels, I promise. Listen, if the Crackers aren’t playing, we’ll go to a movie, okay?”
“Okay. It wouldn’t have to be a big dog. If he was too big, he wouldn’t be happy riding in our car so much.”
“Baby, remember what I said about keeping your arms in.”
Look Out Below
M OM, WHEN YOU WERE A GIRL , what did you want to be when you grew up?”
“I thought I might be a singer, like Nanny. Other than that, I had no idea.”
“Uncle Jack says I should be an architect, like him.”
“If that’s what you want to do, baby.”
“I want to be a baseball player, but after that I’m not sure.”
“Apalachicola. Doesn’t the name of this town sound like a train? Let’s say it, Roy. Slowly at first, then faster and faster.”
“Apalachicola — Apalachicola — Apalachicola — Apalachicola — Apalachica-cola — Apalachica-agh!-cola! It gets harder the more times you say it.”
“Isn’t it just like a choo-choo? Ap-alachi-cola — Ap-alachi-cola — Ap-alachi-cola —“
“It’s pretty here, huh, Mom?”
“Especially now, at sundown. Your dad and I were here once in a big storm. Almost a hurricane but not quite. Black sand was flying everywhere. We couldn’t see to drive.”
“I think it was close to here where Uncle Jack’s boat got stuck on a sandbar when he and Skip and I were fishing. Remember, Mom? I told you about it.”
“Tell me again, honey. I’ve forgotten.”
“Uncle Jack couldn’t drive the boat off the sandbar so he told me and Skip to jump in the water and push from the stern."
“Did it work, or did you have to call the coast guard?”.
“It worked, but when we first got in and started pushing, Skip saw a big fin coming at us. He shouted, ‘Shark! and we climbed back into the boat as fast as we could. Uncle Jack asked, ‘Where’s a shark? Skip pointed at the place where he’d seen the fin and Uncle Jack said, ‘Get back in the water and push! I’ll tell you when there’s a shark coming.”
“That sounds like my brother. Did you both get back in?”
“Uh-huh. Skip’s a lot stronger than I am —”
“He’s four years older.”
“Yeah, well, he pushed as hard as he could and so did I, and Uncle Jack cut the wheel sharp so the boat came unstuck. Then Skip and I swam fast to it and climbed aboard before the shark came back.”
“I’ll have to talk to Jack about
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