Thursday, May 15, 2014

Review of chicago bears clothing for men::What football wear #22? - What's Your Question?







Review of chicago bears clothing for men::What football wear #22? - What's Your Question?








               The               plane               to               Kennedy               was               nearly               full               when               Kathryn               boarded.

She'd               never               been               out               of               town               much,               let               alone               making               a               life               changing               trip               to               New               York               City.

She               left               the               great               experiment               known               as               High               School,               determined               to               make               her               mark               in               the               fashion               world.

She               had               one               friend               in               New               York,               Rick.

Off               Kathryn               went               in               an               airplane               full               of               strangers,               charging               forward               in               her               life               among               faceless               passengers.

Her               journey               would               certainly               rid               her               of               cruel               memories               of               being               molested               as               a               youngster,               and               being               raped,               savaged               while               walking               home               from               school.

Bastards.

She               desperately               wanted               to               escape               jarring               memories               of               forced               sex,               at               the               same               time               emboldened,               knowing               she               would               from               here               forward,               be               in               charge               of               sex.

Kathryn's               upbringing               discouraged               her               from               ever               seeking               counseling               to               help               her               deal               with               these               angry               crimes,               her               family               terrified               she               would               be               perceived               as               "crazy".

The               poor               soul               was               left,               with               no               support               from               loved               ones,               even               unsure               which               of               her               family               she               could               trust,               to               deal               with               inner               rage               in               her               own,               crude               way.

She               let               snippets               of               events               out               to               confidantes               through               the               course               of               her               life,               never               divulging               the               entire               story               of               either               atrocity               for               fear               of               unleashing               long               buried               grief.

Kathryn               was               certain               now               that               moving               to               New               York               would               help               bury               the               past,               even               if               she               couldn't               literally               bury               the               sons-of-bitches               that               forever               clouded               her               dreams.
               Kathryn               took               a               cab               from               Kennedy               to               Rick's               condo               in               Brooklyn.

He               was               the               only               person               Kathryn               knew               in               New               York,               and               he               offered               a               place               to               crash               until               she               settled               into               her               new               surroundings.

Kathryn               was               the               sort               to               appreciate               first               impressions,               and               ingrain               them.

She               was               struck               by               the               raw               energy               and               people               as               she               pointedly               paid               attention               to               her               surroundings               on               the               long               taxi               ride.

Persistent               horn               honking               and               wailing               sirens               engulfed               her               senses,               and               she               knew               she               wasn't               in               Kansas               anymore.

By               the               time               the               cab               pulled               up               to               the               condo,               she               had               sensed               enough               excitement               to               already               consider               her               decision               to               come               a               success.

Rick               was               eagerly               waiting               as               Kathryn               paid               the               cabbie,               retrieved               her               bags,               and               they               went               inside.

She               was               relieved               to               be               settled               momentarily               as               she               breathed               in               the               enormity               of               the               moment.

The               two               friends               reminisced,               and               Kathryn,               tired               after               traveling               all               day,               thanked               Rick               for               his               hospitality               and               went               to               bed.
               1709               E.4thSt.

in               Brooklyn               was               about               a               10               minute               bicycle               ride               from               Coney               Island,               and               it               was               now               home.

Kathryn               was               fortunate               to               find               a               suitable               apartment               within               two               weeks               of               her               arrival               in               New               York.

Coupled               with               her               new               job               as               the               buyer               for               Village               Arts,               she               was               well               on               her               way               to               achieving               a               measure               of               success               here               in               the               big               city               she               would               never               have               dreamed               of               in               the               dreary,               god               forsaken               midwest.

The               loft               style               apartment               and               job               suited               Kathryn's               artistic               nature               and               created               positive               energy               she               used               to               kick               start               her               new               life.

She               worked               long               hours               and               opened               her               mind               to               new,               creative               ideas               when               it               came               to               things               such               as               decorating               her               apartment,               and               clothing               she               wore.

The               City               was               hip,               social               light               years               ahead               of               her               past               home,               and               she               was               anxious               to               embrace               the               cool               energy               pervasive               in               the               air.

Her               wardrobe               evolved               from               Jeans               and               sneakers               to               stylish               blouses               with               longish,               bohemian               style               skirts               with               heels               or               sandals.

Though               rent               was               more               than               what               she               was               accustomed               to,               it               was               rent               controlled,               so               if               she               stayed,               she               was               assured               of               stable               living               costs,               whereas               back               home,               the               building               owners               saw               fit               to               raise               rent               every               time               the               wind               blew               wrongly.
               Opportunities               abounded               for               Kathryn,               she               now               felt               comfortable               in               virtually               any               artistic               endeavor,               and               she               followed               her               chic               clothing               tastes               to               fashion.

She               wasn't               bound               any               longer               by               the               sight               of               men               roaming               midwestern               streets               as               if               they               had               just               emerged               from               a               duck               blind               or               deer               stand.

Style               was               the               name               of               the               game               here,               and               though               Brooklyn               was               regarded               sometimes               as               Manhattans               poor               cousin,               the               vibrancy               of               the               entire               city               permeated               every               storefront,               every               home.

Kathryn               became               suddenly               aware               that               she               felt               as               though               she               belonged               here               instantly,               that               Rockford               was               no               longer               home,               and               she               liked               it               that               way.
               Kathryn               began               to               dabble               in               Martial               Arts;               it               would               be               a               good               idea               to               know               a               little               self-defense.

In               spite               of               her               warm               feelings               for               the               city,               she               knew               of               the               ugliness               that               could               happen               at               any               time.

After               becoming               a               bit               experienced,               she               wished               she               had               known               some               karate               when               she               was               younger,               she               would               have               given               those               asshole               boys               a               shot               in               the               nether               regions               that               would               have               rendered               them               incapable               of               using               their               penis's               forever.
               Disenchanted               with               Catholicism,               Kathryn               began               to               pursue               Eckankar               as               a               spiritual               alternative.

The               art               world               practically               begged               for               a               spiritual               component,               and               Kathryn's               awareness               of               her               soul               and               spirit               were               important               to               her.

She               was               attracted               by               Eckankars               belief               in               the               self-discovery               of               soul,               and               the               belief               in               reincarnation.

She               had               long               felt               she               was               reborn,               that               she               had               worked               toiled               in               slave-like               conditions               in               a               cocoa               field               in               what               is               now               the               Ivory               Coast.

Kathryn               also               knew               she               was               destined               to               find               her               love               in               this               life,               her               soulmate,               but               hadn't               found               him               or               her               yet.

She               hadn't               discounted               the               idea               of               a               lesbian               relationship,               though               she               doubted               it.

There               was               nothing               wrong               with               Kathryn's               libido,               her               sex-drive               overwhelming               at               times,               all               the               while               dismissive               until               she               felt               that               the               right               person               had               come               along.

At               23,               she               was               young               and               very               attractive,               she               knew               it,               and               knew               she               wouldn't               have               any               trouble               finding               a               date.

Though               their               friendship               was               platonic               up               to               this               point,               she               and               Rick               seemed               to               have               a               little               chemistry;               maybe               her               Mr.

Right               was               right               under               her               nose.

And               Rick               DID               seem               interested               in               Kathryn.

She               was               determined               to               put               her               tortured               past               behind               her               and               renew               her               love               for               whomever               her               destined               lover               was               on               its'               own               merits.

But               the               New               York               experience               was               engrossing,               and               she               had               little               time               as               it               was               to               pursue               any               romantic               interest.

The               thought,               though,               did               leave               her               feeling               a               bit               lonely               for               the               first               time               since               she               had               arrived.
               Trying               to               fill               a               few               extra               hours               of               time               each               week,               Kathryn               enrolled               at               the               Versace               School               for               Fashion.

Her               classes               were               filled               with               gay               and               lesbian               students               as               she               supposed               would               be               the               case,               she               found               her               classes               daunting               in               the               sense               she               had               always               perceived               gays               as               being               uber-talented               in               artistic               vocations.

She               wasn't               xenophobic,               simply               following               the               lessons               from               childhood               that               manifested               themselves               here.

She               hadn't               realized               until               living               in               New               York               just               how               puritanical               the               social               views               surrounding               her               youth               were.

She               likened               it               to               the               way               her               childhood               friends               and               acquaintances               viewed               the               Amish.

If               nothing               else,               Eck               had               further               opened               her               vision               to               spiritual               alternatives               to               the               rigid               dogma               of               Roman               Catholicism,               and               she               felt               at               home.

Kathryn               was               aware               of               the               belief               that               many               thought               Eck               was               cult-like,               appropriately               concerned               given               the               massacre               in               Jonestown               a               few               years               ago.

Even               if               she               wasn't               faithful               following               it's'               tenets,               it               shaped               her               spiritually               for               years.
               Kathryn               visited               Rockford               after               having               been               in               New               York               for               3               years.

Family               had               been               persistent               trying               to               get               her               to               return               for               holidays               and               such,               and               she               finally               acceded               at               Christmas               of               1988.

She               made               plans               with               her               store               for               the               time               off,               surprised               to               get               the               time               off               around               the               holiday.

Back               in               Rockford,               she               stayed               with               mom               at               the               small               Cape               Cod               house               where               childhood               dealt               some               crushing               blows.

Beulah,               Kathryn's               mother,               remarried               after               divorcing               for               the               2nd               time,               had               lived               in               the               quaint               home               on               the               west               side               of               town               since               marrying               her               1st               husband.

26               years               later,               not               much               had               changed               physically               in               the               home,               the               emotional               energy,               however,               had               evolved               enormously.

The               emotional               scars               associated               with               sexual               abuse               returned               doubly               when               Kathryn               returned.

She               had               been               touched               in               the               worst               ways               in               this               house,               and               the               memories               were               painful.

She               assumed               logically,               and               correctly,               that               hers               were               not               the               only               painful               memories               here.

Her               sisters               Katia               and               Beth,               5               and               8               years               younger               respectively               had               their               own               issues               with               their               father,               and               no               one               was               sad               to               see               him               leave               for               good.

There               is               a               special               place               in               hell               for               men               like               that.
               While               home               for               Christmas,               Kathryn               ran               into               Skip               at               one               of               the               family               holiday               celebrations.

He               was               Kathryn's               age,               and               a               family               friend.

There               was               chemistry               between               them,               and               Skip               invited               her               to               spend               the               night               at               his               ramshackle,               threadbare               apartment.

Kathryn               thought               he               may               be               her               destined               man,               though               she               did               harbor               doubt.

It               seemed               like               he               drank               a               lot               and               the               rumors               among               the               family               about               his               drug               use               were               rampant.

She               gave               it               a               chance               however,               thinking               perhaps               her               interpretation               of               her               destiny               was               skewed.

Besides,               she               was               only               here               for               10               days,               and               she               was               lonely.

Her               dalliance               with               Rick               was               short               and               sweet.

They               only               went               out               a               few               times,               and               nothing               serious               developed.

She               had               a               few               other               first               dates,               but               that               was               all               since               she               had               moved.

So               she               figured               what               the               hell,               what's               the               worst               that               could               happen?
               Kathryn               loved               working               at               the               art               store.

Working               there               whet               her               artistic               streak,               she               also               got               to               know               several               influential               clients.

She               had               refined               her               talent               attending               schools,               and               had               become               an               accomplished               abstract               painter.

She               felt               as               though               she               had               found               her               passion,               and               it               was               art.

Gallery               operators               occasionally               inquired               whether               she               may               be               interested               in               a               show.

Katherine               didn't               think               the               time               was               right.

She               didn't               feel               her               talent               was               show-worthy,               besides               she               had               her               hands               full               with               work,               she               had               found               her               place               in               the               New               York               art               world,               and               she               was               flattered               to               be               noticed.
               Skip               corresponded               from               time               to               time,               keeping               his               iron               in               the               fire               so               to               speak               in               terms               of               their               social               life.

800               miles               was               a               sizable               void               to               manipulate,               and               boys               being               boys,               he               was               anxious               to               spend               more               time               with               Kathryn.

For               her               part,               Kathryn               thought               their               tryst               had               served               its'               purpose,               though               she               thought               about               Skippy,               and               was               definitely               curious               about               how               their               relationship               may               play               out.

She               was               satisfied               for               the               time               being               though,               trying               to               maneuver               about               a               long-distance               romance.
               A               chilly               Brooklyn               January               day,               business               as               usual.

Kathryn               hadn't               been               feeling               well,               and               scheduled               an               appointment               with               her               doctor               for               this               afternoon.

She               left               work               after               lunch,               closing               the               shop               early.

Gwen,               the               manager               of               Village               Art,               said               it               would               be               fine               to               close               for               a               couple               of               hours,               and               she               would               return               later               to               re-open.

Kathryn               didn't               want               to               be               rushed,               between               nausea               and               New               York               traffic,               she               couldn't               be               counted               on               to               be               back               at               a               particular               time.

She               made               it               to               her               one               o'clock               appointment               just               under               the               wire,               and               retreated               to               the               lab               for               the               usual               litany               of               blood               and               urine               tests.

The               traffic               had               been               heavy,               and               the               leaden               gray               skies               threatened               snow,               so               she               was               grateful               to               Gwen               for               giving               her               the               rest               of               the               day               off.

Forty-Five               minutes               later,               Kathryn               arrived               back               home,               and               vomited               everything               she               had               eaten               all               day.
               "I'm               WHAT???"               Kathryn's               voice               was               shrieky               and               marbly               as               she               replied               to               Dr.

Greens'               nurse.

"It               looks               like               you're               about               to               become               a               proud               mom.

You're               pregnant.

Congratulations."               Kathryn               knew               there               was               no               sense               in               protesting               or               asking               for               explanation.

She               meekly               replied               "Thank               You"               and               ended               the               call.

Was               it               only               yesterday               she               had               her               plan               for               life               all               lined               up?

She               had               just               had               head               shots               taken               in               preparation               for               a               soap               opera               audition,               and               had               a               client               say               that               he               would               grease               the               skids               for               a               modeling               gig,               and               now'"pregnant.

Kathryn               hadn't               given               the               thought               of               having               children               much               thought,               much               less               getting               married.

Married?

Shit,               she               was               going               to               have               to               call               Skippy.

What               a               stupid               name               for               a               grown               man.

His               mother               must               have               been               delusional               when               naming               him.

She               was               a               matronly               women,               forever               ensconced               in               the               50s,               and               thought               the               name               fit               with               her               addled               vision               of               one               big               happy               family.

Lord,               she               couldn't               have               chosen               Chip               or               Henry               or               Mack               or               something               a               little               more               manly.

Kathryn               guessed               Skip               wouldn't               be               too               happy               receiving               the               news.

She               was               certainly               none               too               happy               delivering               it.
               "YOU'RE               WHAT?'               His               voice               was               angry               and               panicked.

"It's               not               my               kid."               Skippy's               slurred               speech               detracted               a               little               from               the               message               he               was               receiving,               but               his               response               was               enough               to               enrage               Kathryn.

She               hadn't               been               intimate               with               any               other               man,               and               resented               his               implication               that               she               must               have               been.

Additionally,               what               kind               of               man               doesn't               want               to               take               ownership               of               his               own               son?

After               pondering               her               circumstance               overnight,               Kathryn               came               to               terms               with               the               idea               of               being               called               Mom,               and               she               began               to               embrace               it.

Maternal               instinct               was               gaining               a               toehold               within               her,               and               regardless               of               Skippys               protestations,               she               would               be               ready               for               motherhood               by               the               time               her               child               was               ready               to               face               the               world.

If               destiny               were               to               consign               Kathryn               and               baby               to               single               parenthood,               she               was               ready               for               the               daunting               challenge.

Skippy               presented               every               alternative               theory               he               could               muster               in               his               besotted               state,               concocting               nefarious               conspiratorial               plans               to               cramp               his               style.

Kathryn               asked               herself               what               had               ever               compelled               her               to               spend               even               an               evening               with               this               jerk,               let               alone               entertain               the               notion               that               he               was               the               one.

She               hung               up               on               him               after               telling               him               to               never               contact               her               again,               and               called               the               OB-GYN               her               doctor               had               referred               her               to.

Then               she               ran               to               the               bathroom               and               threw               up.
               By               New               York               standards,               the               summer               had               been               brutally               hot;               several               daytime               high               temperatures               were               in               the               100's.

By               the               time               autumn               approached,               it               had               cooled               somewhat,               and               by               the               third               week               of               September,               60               degree               temperatures               were               common.

Kathryn               had               begun               labor               pains               the               night               before,               and               when               they               became               more               frequent,               she               called               her               friend               Cath               from               down               the               street               and               told               her               it               was               time.

She               had               befriended               Cath               not               long               after               arriving               in               New               York,               they               became               fast               friends.

Cath               had               taken               Lamaze               classes               with               Kathryn,               and               Kathryn               was               thankful               for               her               friend,               that               Cath               cared               enough               for               her               to               help               thru               her               pregnancy               and               birth.

The               two               friends               got               a               cab,               and               motored               to               Lutheran               Medical               Center.

Kathryn               gave               birth               six               hours               later               to               her               beautiful               son               Henry,               and               she               was               right               where               she               wanted               to               be.

Kathryn's               sentimental               aura               wrapped               itself               around               her               for               a               moment               as               she               considered               the               notion               of               Henry               having               his               father               there,               to               witness               the               miracle               of               birth,               to               bond               instantly               with               his               son               the               traditional               way               fathers'               did.

Not               one               to               allow               herself               too               much               reflection,               the               feeling               soon               passed.

She               held               Henry               in               her               arms,               looked               into               his               dark               eyes,               and               smiled.
               Henry               was               7               months               old,               and               Kathryn               had               attended               to               his               every               need               twenty               four               hours               a               day,               each               day               during               that               crucial               time.

She               had               managed               her               time               well               during               Henry's               first               month,               thereby               eluding               the               perils               associated               with               new               motherhood.

Kathryn               never               suffered               post-partum               depression,               or               any               other               malady               associated               with               raising               your               first               born.

She               was               thoughtful,               diligent,               and               fully               embraced               the               challenges               as               they               presented.

Kathryn               however,               was               due               a               night               out.

She               loved,               obsessed               over               Henry,               but               Cath,               who               had               been               a               great               help               to               her               friend,               was               insistent               that               Kathryn               take               some               Kathryn               time.

Cath               would               stay               with               Henry,               there               were               no               worries.

Kathryn               trusted               her               friend               implicitly,               and               was               comfortable               leaving               Henry               with               her.

On               this               Wednesday,               they               decided               together               that               Friday               would               be               the               night.

Kathryn               was               a               Chicago               Cubs               baseball               fan,               and               here               in               New               York               had               virtually               no               opportunity               to               follow               them               on               television               or               radio,               but               it               so               happened               the               New               York               Mets               were               entertaining               the               Cubs               in               a               3               game               weekend               series               at               Shea               Stadium.
               Malachi               Roman               had               worked               at               the               Post               Office               for               7               1/2               years               without               going               on               a               vacation.

Oh,               he               had               time               off,               valued               it               in               fact,               but               had               never               had               a               "real"               vacation.

For               the               first               time,               he               was               able               to               get               vacation               time               around               Memorial               Day,               the               unofficial               beginning               of               summer.

Winter               had               come               and               gone               once               again,               but               this               1987               season               seemed               to               wear               on               longer               than               previous               years.

Mack,               his               nickname               since               childhood,               sensed               that               would               continue               to               be               the               case               as               long               as               he               was               delivering               the               mail.

Day               after               cold               and               snowy               day               spent               traipsing               through               the               Haight               Village               section               on               the               near               east               side               of               Rockford.

The               work               days               began               at               6               a.m.

Office               time               filled               his               morning               sorting               the               mail               and               otherwise               preparing               for               the               long               walk               ahead               each               day.

An               ordinary               day               without               occupants,               the               ad               fliers               delivered               to               all               homes               called               that               because               of               "Occupant,               123               Any               St."               They               made               his               day               at               least               an               hour               longer               than               normal               because               most               of               the               addresses               on               his               route               didn't               receive               mail               daily,               due               to               the               depressed               nature               of               the               area               where               his               route               was.

Architectural               Digest               wasn't               a               big               subscription               draw               in               the               neighborhood.

So               the               day               on               the               street               began               around               9               a.m.,               and               he               would               leave               the               old               South               Main               office               and               walk               across               the               Chestnut               Bridge               to               the               first               stop               on               the               route.
               Today               was               a               good               day.

It               was               Mack's               turn               to               choose               his               vacation               time               for               the               next               year,               and               he               was               going               to               escape               the               god-forsaken,               dirty               gray               post               winter               of               Rockford,               Illinois.

His               preferences               were               a               Mexico               resort,               or               New               York               and               New               England.

Mack               didn't               have               to               decide               just               yet,               the               first               order               of               business               was               to               select               the               4               weeks               he               was               allotted               for               vacation.

Seeing               the               updated               chart,               Memorial               Day               week               was               open,               along               with               the               week               after,               and               he               chose               those               weeks.

That               would               be               when               he               would               break               the               shackles               of               this               town,               and               get               out               for               the               first               time               since               he               had               been               discharged               and               flew               back               from               West               Germany.
               He               had               been               divorced               over               the               previous               winter,               and               coupled               with               the               difficult               work               conditions,               it               had               been               taxing,               physically               and               emotionally.

The               divorce               was               his               second,               and               it               began               to               occur               to               Mack               he               wasn't               the               marrying               kind.

Robin               was               a               snob,               but               he               knew               that               going               in               and               thought               he               could               live               with               it.

Additionally,               he               was               drinking               heavily,               and               smoking               a               little               pot.

After               only               a               year               and               a               half               being               married,               it               was               easy               to               see               the               couple               wouldn't               endure               two               years,               mind               you               til               death               do               us               part.

His               first               failure               was               even               faster,               the               result               of               returning               from               the               honeymoon,               to               find               out               his               wife               Lynn               was               sleeping               with               her               parents'               next               door               neighbor,               she               was               19,               and               he               was               55.

Isn't               that               referred               to               as               a               May-December               affair?

Anyway,               Mack               wasn't               about               to               linger               in               this               mess               any               longer               than               necessary,               and               the               divorce               was               final               within               2               months               of               the               wedding.

Fortunately,               no               children               were               born               of               either               union,               though               Mack               wanted               children.

He               knew               though,               that               now               wasn't               the               time.

He               had               things               he               wanted               to               do               and               see               before               being               grounded               by               the               responsibilities               of               being               a               father.

He               was               certain               there               was               pure,               divine               love               meant               for               him.

It               was               a               nearly               unexplainable               feeling,               but               Mack               was               sure               of               its               existence.

And               Mack               was               nothing               if               not               patient.
               Mack               decided               to               go               to               New               York               City               for               vacation,               he               was               curious               about               the               people               and               the               energy               there.

Friends               had               described               their               impressions               of               New               York,               and               while               a               relaxing               beach               vacation               sounded               great               and               good               for               the               soul,               Mack               would               go               to               New               York.

He               was               interested               in               new               experiences,               plus               his               love               of               live               music               could               be               quenched               there.

He               was               anxious               to               check               out               the               storied               clubs               that               had               produced               legends               such               as               Dylan               and               the               Ramones.

Mack               was               grateful               he               had               the               opportunity               and               the               means               to               explore               and               experience               things               others               could               only               hope               to.

His               interests               ranged               from               most               music               genres               to               fanatic               sports               fan.

The               major               Chicago               teams               counted               Mack               as               a               fan,               especially               the               Cubs               and               Bears.

The               Bulls               were               also               approaching               championship               caliber               with               Michael               Jordan               climbing               the               ranks               on               his               way               to               being               the               greatest               NBA               player               ever.

Mack               had               been               to               Chicago               Stadium               twice               to               see               Jordan               and               the               Bulls               play,               first               when               Jordan               was               a               rookie               and               you               could               still               buy               a               cheap               seat               and               sneak               into               the               better               ones.

Later               on               Jordan               had               established               himself               as               a               superstar,               the               Stadium               sold               out               every               game,               and               you               needed               a               co-signer               to               get               tickets.

But               the               Cubs               and               Bears               were               his               first               loves.

Mack               knew               all               the               players               past               and               present.

And               coincidentally,               the               Cubs               would               be               in               New               York               to               play               the               Mets               when               he               would               be               there.

The               Mets               were               arch-enemies               to               Cub               fans               after               the               historic               late               season               swoon               in               1969,               the               year               Mack               fell               in               love               with               baseball,               fell               in               love               with               the               Cubs,               and               the               year               the               Cubs               squandered               a               seven               and               a               half               game               lead               in               August,               to               lose               the               newly               created               Eastern               Division               to               those               bastard               Mets.

New               York               should               feel               fortunate               Mack               decided               to               even               vacation               there,               he               would               never               go               to               San               Diego               after               the               stinking               Padres               unceremoniously               dispatched               the               Cubs               in               1984,               depriving               the               team               and               fans               of               their               richly               deserved               National               League               Pennant,               and               trip               to               the               World               Series.
               May               23,               1987               was               a               typically               crappy               day               weather-wise               near               Chicago.

As               Mack               rode               the               shuttle               bus               on               the               way               to               O'Hare               Airport               for               his               flight               to               New               York,               the               temperature               was               cold,               only               about               50               degrees.

The               New               York               forecast               called               for               a               high               temperature               of               79               degrees               that               day,               and               the               warmth               engulfed               him               as               he               rode               to               the               airport.

Though               he               preferred               HOT               weather,               90               or               higher,               80               would               feel               like               desert               heat               compared               to               what               had               gripped               Rockford               for               what               seemed               like               forever.

Three               short               hours,               he               would               be               there.

Arriving               at               O'Hare,               Mack               proceeded               quickly               through               a               cursory               security               check,               and               headed               to               the               gate.

Half               full               flights               were               common               into               large               cities,               particularly               those               with               multiple               airports,               so               Mack               was               hopeful               of               getting               a               row               to               himself               on               the               737,               and               once               aboard,               found               he               was               right.
               Mack               enjoyed               travelling               alone,               unencumbered               by               the               lazy               pace               of               travel               partners               whose               agendas               were               different               from               his.

Alone               was               best,               he               could               move               at               his               own               pace,               free               of               concern               for               who               he               was               with,               how               fast               they               were               moving,               and               he               could               move               about               as               he               pleased.

A               Times               Square               hotel               waited,               and               he               was               anxious               to               arrive.

Malachi               Roman               was               in               New               York               City               for               the               first               time,               and               was               eager               to               begin               the               experience               he               sensed               would               be               life-changing.

The               hotel               was               a               converted               flop               house,               the               front               desk               occupying               the               bulk               of               the               lobby,               with               cubby               holes               behind               the               counter               holding               room               keys               and               messages.

The               building               itself               was               a               three               story               brick               with               no               elevators.

Mack               registered,               got               his               room               key,               and               hauled               himself               and               his               suitcase               up               a               narrow               dark               stairway               to               the               second               floor               room.

His               room               was               little               more               than               a               closet,               rather               spartan               he               thought               for               a               big               city               hotel,               but               he               needed               nothing               more.

A               double               bed               and               lamp               were               the               only               amenities,               along               with               a               small               bathroom               and               shower.

Mack               cleaned               up,               and               headed               out               to               Times               Square.

He               had               spent               a               lot               of               time               in               Chicago,               so               crowds               and               noise               were               not               intimidating,               and               knew               not               to               look               up               at               the               high               rise               buildings.

Doing               so               would               reveal               himself               as               a               tourist,               not               to               mention               a               rube.

He               was               determined               to,               for               at               least               a               week;               shed               the               shackles               of               midwest               hick               attitudes.

He               may               not               be               a               New               Yorker,               but               was               anxious               to               see               if               he               could               be.

The               Cub               game               was               a               highlight               of               the               trip,               but               that               wasn't               until               the               following               Friday,               so               Mack               had               a               week               to               leisurely               take               in               New               York,               its'               legend,               and               its'               people.

He               longed               for               a               cosmopolitan               environment;               he'd               long               wished               that               Rockford               didn't               suffer               such               an               inferiority               complex               as               Chicago's               little               sister               city,               Peoria               was               similar               size               and               had               a               much               more               urban               feel               to               it;               Rockford's               leaders               were               never               terribly               interested               in               advancing               a               cultural               agenda.

They               had               turned               away               from               the               opportunity               to               house               a               major               university,               Northern               Illinois,               and               had               the               incredibly               bad               judgment               to               have               I-90,               the               only               major               highway               serving               the               area,               skirt               the               extreme               east               side               of               town.

It's               always               had               a               backward               feeling               to               it,               and               would               stay               that               way               until               progressive               leadership               authored               a               more               exciting               vision.

Old               money               and               religious               conservatives               wouldn't               allow               that               to               happen.

It               was               difficult               for               a               man               of               Mack's               eclectic               taste               to               tolerate               this               lack               of               forward               thinking.

But               in               New               York,               he               could               enjoy               the               height               of               cultural               endeavor.
               Mack               enjoyed               the               obligatory               NYC               tours               to               the               Statue               of               Liberty,               Ellis               Island,               took               a               trip               on               the               Staten               Island               Ferry.

A               highlight               of               the               trip               was               visiting               Atlantic               Recording               Studios               where               Springsteen,               AC/DC,               The               Ramones               and               Talking               Heads               recorded.

His               appreciation               of               music               history               was               piqued               while               taking               the               tour,               and               he               wished               he               had               been               in               the               city               when               all               this               music               was               being               made.

He               knew               it               would               have               had               a               dramatic               influence               on               his               life.

Mack               took               a               day               to               explore               the               famous               sports               arenas               in               town,               Yankee               Stadium,               Madison               Square               Garden,               and               a               special               trip               to               drive               by               the               sites               where               the               Polo               Grounds               and               Ebbetts               Field               once               stood.

What               an               extraordinary,               historical               perspective               on               some               of               sports               greatest               moments.

He               was               fortunate               to               have               attended               many               baseball               games               at               Wrigley               Field,               and               even               went               to               Comiskey               Park               for               a               game,               though               he               wasn't               a               fan               of               the               White               Sox.

He               thought               of               traveling               across               the               Hudson               to               the               Meadowlands,               but               his               impression               of               the               stadium               was               that               of               an               antiseptic               experience,               and               didn't               enjoy               nearly               the               history               of               the               other               legendary               arenas               he               had               visited.

Shea               Stadium               where               the               Mets               played,               while               certainly               not               historic,               WAS               the               destination               he               looked               forward               to               next               for               the               game               against               his               beloved               Cubs               tomorrow               night,               May               29th.
               Mack               got               to               the               ballpark               about               an               hour               before               the               scheduled               7               p.m.

start.

It               was               a               hot               day,               and               as               dusk               approached,               the               humidity               hung               over               Shea               Stadium               like               a               fog               machine               at               a               concert.

After               the               brutal               Illinois               winter,               it               was               right               up               Mack's               alley.

The               stadium               lights               shone               brightly               down               onto               the               field,               illuminating               the               ball               diamond               and               fans               in               the               stands               as               if               it               were               high               noon.

Having               played               Pony               and               American               Legion               ball               under               the               lights,               Mack               knew               the               there               was               a               perceptible               difference               in               the               way               the               baseball               was               seen               at               night,               versus               day.

The               top               hemisphere               of               the               ball               was               illuminated,               giving               a               fielder               the               impression               of               a               ball               in               flight               similar               to               the               shape               of               a               grapefruit               sliced               in               half               on               its               axis.

Mack               settled               into               his               seat               in               the               lower               bowl               of               the               antiquated               ballpark.

It               didn't               seem               to               be               kept               up               well               for               a               stadium               only               about               25               years               old.

It               was               pretty               cool               to               be               in               the               same               arena               where               the               Beatles               played               in               the               1960's.

The               historic               music               connection               hadn't               occurred               to               him               when               scheduling               the               game               or               even               when               thinking               about               it.

But               he               was               here               for               baseball               on               this               hot               muggy               night,               and               the               first               pitch               was               only               a               few               minutes               away.

Shea               was               a               big               ballpark,               it               held               about               57,000               for               baseball,               19,000               more               than               Wrigley.

It               was               little               more               than               half               full               tonight               though.

The               Cubs               were               awful               against               the               Mets               that               night,               but               Mack               was               having               fun               despite               the               score.
               Between               the               4thand               5th               inning,               Mack               went               for               a               hot               dog               and               soda.

He               found               the               concession               closest               to               his               seat               and               fell               into               line               behind               an               attractive               young               strawberry               blonde               woman.

The               line               was               only               4               deep,               so               it               wouldn't               take               too               long.

The               woman               in               front               of               him               was               completing               her               business               and               Mack               pulled               out               his               wallet               to               retrieve               a               twenty               dollar               bill.

The               young               lady               in               front               took               her               order,               and               turned               quickly               away               from               the               counter,               running               headlong               into               Mack               as               he               inched               forward               in               line.

Her               Coke               lurched               forward               from               its               container,               the               contents               emptying               onto               Mack's               shirt               and               shorts,               dripping               from               his               front               to               the               floor.

The               woman               gushed               apologetically               hurriedly               leaving               her               food               on               the               floor,               while               reaching               for               napkins               to               swab               Mack's               shirt,               but               being               careful               around               the               front               of               his               shorts.

Mack               was               laughing               at               the               girls'               klutziness,               and               assured               her               he               was               fine.

She               explained               she               hadn't               been               out               for               a               while,               being               a               new               mom,               and               her               social               grace               was               a               bit               rusty.

She               introduced               herself               as               Kathryn,               and               Mack               expressed               his               happiness               meeting               her               under               less               than               ideal               circumstances.

Mack               introduced               himself               as               Malachi               Roman,               Mack               for               short.

Kathryn               liked               his               unusual               first               name,               but               wondered               about               its'               origin.

Malachi               was               the               name               of               the               protagonist               in               a               Kurt               Vonnegut               book               "The               Sirens               of               Titan"               published               in               1959,               one               of               his               fathers               favorites.

He               took               on               Mack               as               a               nickname               to               avoid               certain               confusion               at               school               and               other               situations               where               he               would               need               to               be               identified,               though               he               liked               the               formal               version               of               his               name.

He               explained               to               Kathryn               he               was               in               New               York               on               vacation,               and               was               leaving               Sunday.

His               attraction               to               her               was               immediate,               the               connection               electric,               and               knew               their               serendipitous               meeting               would               profoundly               change               his               life.

He               knew               all               this               in               an               instant,               in               the               time               it               takes               a               beating               heart               to               race               at               twice               normal               pace.

His               breathing               was               shallow,               his               speech               clipped               from               the               absence               of               spit               to               lubricate               his               mouth.

Noticing               her               beautiful               smile               and               storytelling               expressions,               he               wondered               whether               similar               thoughts               rang               true               in               her               mind.

After               a               few               minutes               small               talking,               he               asked               if               they               might               spend               some               time               together               before               he               left.

He               gave               Kathryn               the               number               for               the               hotel,               and               asked               that               she               call               him               later               in               the               evening,               he               knew               she               wouldn't               give               him               her               phone               number               without               some               assurance               he               was               who               he               said               he               was.

Mack               understood,               and               the               certainty               of               her               call               led               him               back               to               the               hotel               immediately               after               the               game.
               Kathryn               raced               home               from               the               game               as               well,               hopeful               her               clumsy               misstep               would               lead               where               she               felt               in               her               very               soul               that               it               should.

She               quickly               explained               to               Cath               the               chance               meeting               she               had               at               the               game,               and               Cath               giggled               her               excitement.

She               hadn't               had               this               other               worldly               excitement               in               her               life,               ever.

The               only               time               close               was               the               first               time               she               held               Henry               in               her               arms               and               looked               into               his               eyes.

This               was               love               at               its               purest.

Kathryn               instinctively               knew               Mack               was               the               one,               please               let               the               hotel               phone               number               be               real.

She               called               the               number               and               the               front               desk               clerk               answered.

She               asked               for               Malachi               Roman,               and               for               the               first               time               in               her               life,               was               happy               to               be               put               on               hold.

Mack               answered,               and               they               talked               for               an               hour,               reflecting               on               the               comedy               of               their               meeting,               each               knowing               without               saying               so               their               fates               were               tied               together.

They               arranged               to               spend               the               day               together               tomorrow,               Saturday.

Cath               volunteered               to               help               with               Henry,               and               Kathryn               was               appreciative.

In               her               minds               eye,               she               wouldn't               need               the               help               at               all,               but               agreed               to               update               Cath               with               details.
               Mack               and               Kathryn               met               Saturday               morning               at               the               Black               and               Darker               coffee               shop               near               her               apartment               in               Brooklyn.

Henry               tagged               along;               he               was               now               7               months               old.

The               temperature               was               once               again               hot,               the               expected               high               for               the               day               above               90.

Henry               was               a               little               ornery               this               morning,               fussy               to               the               point               Kathryn               didn't               feel               all               that               comfortable               with               him               in               a               public               setting.

She               had               always               thought               it               rude               for               parents               of               infants               to               foist               their               crying               children               upon               the               public               trying               to               enjoy               for               example,               a               movie,               an               airplane               trip,               or               coffee               at               the               Black               and               Darker.

The               couple               finished               their               coffee               and               went               for               a               walk               in               a               nearby               park.

Mack               pushed               Henry's               stroller               as               they               ambled               about               the               parks               concrete               trails,               there               was               an               odor               of               imminent               rain               in               the               air.

Other               families               and               a               few               joggers               also               frequented               the               park.

Mack               and               Kathryn               barely               noticed               any               other               traffic               as               they               talked               and               cooed               with               Henry.

Mack               told               her               he               was               here               from               Illinois,               not               far               from               Chicago,               and               had               worked               at               the               Post               Office               for               7               years.

Mack               always               described               Rockford's               location               as               "near               Chicago".

It               was               simpler               than               trying               to               describe               Rockford               to               the               uninitiated.

It               seemed               to               him               that               it               also               sounded               more               citified,               which               suited               him.

Kathryn               responded,               saying               that               she               came               to               New               York               from               Rockford               in               1983.

Mack               stared               in               stunned               silence.

Kathryn               worried               she               might               have               a               pimple               on               her               nose,               or               said               something               to               annoy               him               Mack               was               also               from               Rockford,               and               the               coincidence               was               ethereal.

They               talked               for               2               more               hours               before               Kathryn               had               to               return               home.

They               spoke               of               the               near               misses               over               the               years               where               they               narrowly               missed               each               other.

They               lived               in               a               parallel               universe               for               years,               naturally               unaware               of               the               other,               but               so               close               to               meeting               on               many               occasions.

They               were               the               same               age;               in               fact               their               birthdays               were               less               than               2               weeks               apart.

Both               attended               west               side               high               schools,               his               West               High,               hers               Auburn.

Both               schools               used               the               same               football               field               for               games,               so               their               paths               surely               crossed               there.

Both               enjoyed               partying               some               in               high               school,               and               they               had               common               friends.

And               in               a               coincidence               defiant               of               explanation,               Mack               was               Kathryn's               mailman               at               her               first               apartment               after               moving               from               her               home               in               1981.

Mack               jokingly               pointed               out               that               she               owed               2               years               of               Christmas               tips,               and               in               their               first               acknowledgement               of               a               sexual               chemistry,               she               suggested               that               if               the               two               continued               to               see               each               other,               even               long               distance,               she               could               make               it               up               to               him.
               By               now,               Mack               was               pushing               Henrys'               stroller,               and               walked               Kathryn               to               her               apartment.

She               noticed               while               walking               by,               that               the               curtain               on               Caths'               living               room               window               facing               E.

Fourth               St.

in               Brooklyn               New               York,               was               pulled               aside               and               Cath               was               smiling               from               inside.

They               looked               for               all               intents               and               purposes               like               a               happy               family               enjoying               a               Saturday               afternoon               stroll.

They               all               went               to               Kathryns'               apartment.

She               made               Mack               a               cup               of               instant               coffee,               they               talked               a               few               minutes               more,               and               Mack               asked               if               he               could               see               her               tomorrow               before               he               left.

It               suddenly               occurred               to               Kathryn               that               Mack               was               only               in               New               York               until               tomorrow.

She               became               misty               eyed               as               she               said               that               of               course               he               could.

He               gave               Henry               a               kiss               and               said               something               cooish               in               baby               talk.

They               walked               to               the               door,               and               embraced.

They               hugged               for               longer               than               a               hug               should               last,               separated,               when               Kathryn               whispered               "I               want               to               kiss               you".

She               leaned               up               to               his               lips,               and               he               to               hers,               their               lips               met,               and               kissed               for               the               first               time               as               fireworks               exploded               nearby               in               honor               of               Memorial               Day.

They               held               their               embrace               until               neither               could               comfortably               breathe.

They               gazed               into               one               anothers               eyes,               each               knowing               it               was               the               first               of               many               times               they               would               have               to               say               goodbye,               but               knew               it               would               never               be               for               long               or               forever.

Mack               returned               to               his               temporary               home,               his               heart               fluttering               and               his               mouth               whistling               as               he               enjoyed               the               taxi               ride               back               to               the               hotel.
               Sunday               morning               arrived               sooner               than               Mack               would               have               wanted,               sort               of               opposite               of               a               kids               Christmas               when               the               wait               for               Santa               is               interminable.

He               showered               quickly               and               called               Kathryn.

They               arranged               to               meet               in               an               hour               at               her               apartment,               and               she               would               take               him               to               the               airport.

Cath               would               watch               Henry,               Kathryn               had               already               made               the               arrangements               Mack               and               Kathryn               had               pondered               ways               to               continue               their               relationship               long               distance,               but               truthfully,               each               knew               it               would               work               out               on               its'               own.

Theirs               is               the               type               of               romance               that               transcends               miles               and               time.

Simply               standing               aside               was               the               best               way               to               carry               on.

Mack               arrived               at               Kathryns               where               they               talked               until               it               came               time               to               leave               for               Macks               five               p.m.

flight.

Once               they               arrived               at               Kennedy,               they               said               their               sad               goodbye,               and               Mack               disappeared               inside               the               terminal.

They               note               the               ease               with               which               they               interact,               as               though               they               had               known               each               other               for               three               years               instead               of               three               days.






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