Nightmare Series - 6

The Dream

"This is a serious piece. It's something I wanted to write for a long time and let it stew in my head until I finally wrote it down on paper!"

David Ortiz fell into a deep sleep. He was exhausted. He found himself strolling down a narrow hallway hearing the puttering of music in the background. Nobody seemed to be around the gray musty walkway but the music was loud enough to attract attention. David strolled a bit further and opened the last door at the end of the hall. The room that was exposed was bright and lively with a grand piano in the center. The room was bright pastel. Pictures surrounded the oval room of the great musicians of the past. The floors were white ash, the same material as the old baseball bats and the man doing the music, dressed in a tuxedo nodded politely for David to sit down in one of the audience seats. It was a strange audience. Nobody else was there. The silk tablecloths on the small round tables and the black chairs made the place fell all the more special and all the more out of place. It didn't feel like modern times but then again the man peddling the music seemed all the more endearing in such a setting.

“What do you think Papi? “ smiled the man at the piano.

“I think if you were off key, I'd say you were a master.”

The man laughed and dismissed the comment.

“I'm not that good, but I like it. “

David walked up to the piano resting his hands against the wood.

“Of all the people...”

“You never thought you'd meet me...well, David...I promise you that I'm only human.”

David laughed. This was his inspiration, his idol, a man knew so little about.

“I liked your home run David...nicely done. Oh but to have the fans cheer for me like they did for you ...and in Boston. The irony of it all! Damn, I missed out!”

David laughed. He sipped a glass of water left on the piano.

“So what's it like up here anyway?”
“Here, “chuckled the man. “David...too much time on my hand. Oh I paint, I read, I play music...finally read Les Miserables and Oliver Twist. I seem to like the happy stuff!“

The man laughed at his own joke.

“You are Jean Valjean, “said David with affection.

“David, “said the man. “you want to know who I am...I'm a man who did his best in life and that's the way I want you to see me. Nothing more...nothing less.”

“You opened the game up for so many people. You never stopped changing the world. “

The man twiddled the piano keys and played a lively rhythmic melody.

“David...let's not talk about the past. “

“I couldn't have done it.”

The keys stopped. The man slammed his fists on the piano. He held his temper in.

“I'm sorry...every time somebody meets me. I'm not a legend David. I'm just a man.”

David sighed and sat next to him against the ivory and ebony of the piano keys.

“I'm sorry...I didn't mean...”

The soft voice of David seemed to calm the man down, He twiddled the keys and got up from the piano reaching for a drink of water.

“I look back at it all...I don't know. Some days were just so damn hard. It wore me out you know. Now all they do is honor me. I see Jackie Robinson days and Jackie Robinson this and Jackie Robinson that...where was that when I was alive...when I could appreciate it and I could get some of what they took from me back. “

For the first time David saw emotion welt on his face.

“Sorry David. I know what I did...just sometimes...sometimes it eats at you. Always having to be proper and mannered and honest and straight. Never allowing yourself to feel anger. I didn't want to be a...legend David. I just wanted to play the game.”

“Heroes...they ain't born Jackie, they're made.”

Jackie felt the wood of the piano and looked around the room.

“Hank Aaron...broke Babe Ruth's record. Everybody knows that...and all he could say was he was glad it was over. They took it away from him David. ”

David leaned down and struck the keys of the piano tossing out a simple melody. That caught Jackie's attention. He smiled.

“Oh...you have shown me something David...”
“What's that, “smiled David.

“That you are one lousy piano player!”

David laughed, got up, and slapped Jackie on the back.

“All my life...I wanted to live up to your standards. You're a hero to so many people Jackie. Nobody will take that away from you!”

Jackie sipped the last of his water.

“You know what. I'm honored to know you David Ortiz...but let me remind you that in the end...when all is said and done, you have to learn to live inside your own body and your own frame of mind and decide what you gave to this world and what you gave to yourself. “

David grabbed more water from the tray.

“What have I done?”

Jackie leaned forward and said, “you took the city of Boston...which tore me apart in tryouts and now they cheer you on when you struggle. You made them all watch you David. You have white people wearing your jersey and you carry the team and you want to know what you've done! David, you're smarter than that!“

David said nothing feeling the lightness of the room.

“I don't know what to say!”

Jackie leaned forward and said, “say anything you want, but if all you care about is hitting then you're missing out on the larger picture...legend!”

David waved him off and walked back to the table. He sat his head down on the cloth.

“Hey...join me in a duet. I play, you sing...you can sing? Pick the song!”

David nodded his head and pondered the idea. A melody came in his head.

“How about...Come Fly With Me...”

“Frank Sinatra...that bastard! Forget it!”

David laughed.

“Come on why not! Let's do it...for the great Jackie Robinson!”

Jackie laughed and said, “ok...for the great David Ortiz!”

Jackie tipped his head and started playing as David sang the very familiar lyrics of “Come Fly With Me, Come Fly Away Today...” in a scratchy baritone voice all the more charming with Jackie's playing. The air grew light with song as the sound blasted through the room.

“Not bad David...I like it!, “laughed Jackie.

David nodded back. The horns came in and then a full orchestra appeared right in back of Jackie Robinson.

“what's a great song without an orchestra, “laughed Jackie.

Now David belted out the song growing more confident by the moment.

“David!”

“David!”

“David!!!!”

David looked over and saw Terry Francona starring down at him. He was back in the dugout. The game was in progress. He looked around to ensure the dream was over!

“You OK?”
David smiled.

“Oh man Tito, couldn't you have waited a few more moments. I was hitting my stride!”

Tito smiled.

“Well...you were pretty good actually, “said Tito who gave a sincere smile who then snarled and said, “now get up there and hit!”

David laughed, walked over and picked up the bat. He heard “Come Fly With Me' playing at the park. It was all a dream but as he heard the crowds and starred into the eyes of everyone cheering him on, he understood the words of a man...a great man, and his piano.