The Baseball Proposition

Narrated 'modern-fable' about baseball-IQ and spirits tied to a 'human' story about marriage or distance!

An homage about sports magic inspired very loosely by Mr. Destiny (Michael Caine), which I think you'll like, 

DISCLAIMER: I've no 'formal' ties to the Cubs-team cited in this work of sports-fanfiction and cast this only as an entertainment story (fictional/dramatized) about civilization-IQ distances. 

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My priceless trophy is my Kerry Wood rookie-card (Upper-Deck), and I carry it with me in my special Amazon briefcase when I go to Windy-City cards-trade shows and stores, to showcase why I love the modern market of baseball-cards which, in my estimate, is 'under-valued' in comparison to that 'golden-era' of baseball legends (Babe Ruth, Yogi Berra, Jackie Robinson, etc.).

My name's Amlan Satan ('Storm-Shadow' - cyber-alias!), and I'm a princely-inheritor of fortunes in the Windy-City and a Cubs fan. I work from home, making Christian websites/stories and collecting baseball-cards. I'm a divorcee and have 2 daughters and 1 son, and my son (Alek) is very young but loves the handheld baseball video-game toy I got him last Xmas. I've recently started dating, a U-Chicago linguist and baseball-fan and she's turned me onto sci-fi and Facebook-IQ.

When you go to Wrigley Field, all you feel is that warm 'light' of sportsmanship and general gathering of what makes this iconic Western/American sport so terrific and relaxing. It's a great game, and if you have good seats, you can enjoy what makes American baseball nearly uncanny, which is why it's made Facebook-pages and photo-albums.

I'm a Cubs fan and have been for some time and admired special players of the past (Ryne Sandberg, Mark Grace, Sammy Sosa, Rogers Hornsby). Wrigley Field is half the energy of Cubs-fanfare. This story really isn't about Wrigley but a special post-game (Cubs-Braves) 'encounter' I had at a pub with a media-figure who enticed me with a rather 'unique' and life-altering proposition! Follow along.

That day, on which this encounter took place after the Cubs game at Wrigley, I had my usual special 'magical' briefcase in which I had my special 'magical' Kerry Wood rookie-card with me. I took the briefcase with me inside the pub after the game that day and showed it to the attending bartender who was the media-man who'd been offering a one-day bartender visit/job entertainment for the customers/patrons.

My girlfriend Sandy thinks this story is bizarre, but I explained to her that I'd not be the wealthy prince I am were I not to experience such an adventure, and besides, I posted about it for Facebook-IQ, which I think drew some rather funny interests from other Cubs fans in the Windy-City (ha!).

BARTENDER (Media-Man): That's a 'terrific' briefcase, good man.
ME: Why, thanks; I'm actually a wealthy prince in this Windy-City, Mr. Hollywood!
BARTENDER: Have you seen the film Mr. Destiny, good man?
ME: Indeed; are you a Cubs fan, Mr. Hollywood?
BARTENDER: Indeed.
ME: Cool; check out what's inside my briefcase, Mr. Hollywood (Kerry Wood rookie-card).
BARTENDER: Wow!
ME: Yeah...thought I'd wander into the pub after the Cubs win today at Wrigley for some cocktail.
BARTENDER: Cool...I've a proposition for you, good man.
ME: What's that, Mr. Hollywood?
BARTENDER: Oh...this [holds up a sparkling glass baseball-pen toy in hand] --- why it's a lucky-charm!

ME: I have to have that...how much will you sell it for to me?
BARTENDER: I'll trade you my lucky Cubs-pen for your briefcase, good man.
ME: Oh...my briefcase...nah, that's too pricey even for a prince (like me).
BARTENDER: Gosh; I've a surprise with this proposition, good man.
ME: What's that, Mr. Hollywood?
BARTENDER: I'm an acquaintance of your ex-wife who suggested I'd visit this pub after the Cubs-game today!
ME: You know Linda?
BARTENDER: Indeed, good man; give me the briefcase in exchange for this Cubs lucky-pen toy; I'll arrange a lunch with Linda.
ME: I'm to meet Linda, what in a bistro after this pub-visit (you'll call her?) if I give you my briefcase?
BARTENDER: I'll keep the Kerry Wood card (collateral) when you return from lunch; you can tell the press I 'stole' it if I betray.
ME: I guess that sounds...promising; no catch.
BARTENDER: No catch!
ME: Alright...I'll do it, for you, Mr. Hollywood!

So I hopped onto the bus and to the Windy-City bistro to meet with Linda who got there or was just waiting there (maybe, she didn't say, I didn't ask!) I guess after 'Mr. Hollywood' called her and explained I was en-route. I was glad to see her I guess despite the fact we'd divorced after she left me for one of her coworkers. I forgave her, yeah, but I was 'curious' to discover what this Cubs-gameday meeting for bistro-lunch concerned. She told me when I met her there, that our son (Alek) would keep the Kerry Wood card from my briefcase if I agreed that our divorce was perfectly mutual and hence a sign for our mutual trust and hence our agreement for mutual custody-relations which would be good for Alek's spirits. I conceded for the proposition and got back on the bus and went to see Mr. Hollywood at the bistro (who'd keep the Kerry Wood card to give to Linda later for Alek!) to grab my briefcase from him!

MR. HOLLYWOOD: For your good deed today, good man, I've a present (extra-credits) for you --- this baseball-comic.

ME: Wow!

MR. HOLLYWOOD: What did you learn from your 'magical' encounter with ex-wife Linda, good man?
ME: Never trust anything that doesn't smell like baseball, Mr. Hollywood.

MR. HOLLYWOOD: Ha...excellence.

The lesson gained from this very unusual if 'pedestrian' fable was that baseball/Cubs fanfare brought me to a 'cool' resolution regarding my failed-marriage to Linda. It nevertheless added nothing to my love of Cubs games. In fact, nothing can change that --- baseball.

THE END

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"Money is everything" (Ecclesiastes)