Ruminations

Casey At The Bat
by Ernest L. Thayer

The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day,
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.

And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair.
The rest clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human ***.
They thought, “if only Casey could but get a whack at that.
We’d put up even money now, with Casey at the bat.”

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake;
and the former was a hoodoo, while the latter was a cake.

So upon that stricken multitude, grim melancholy sat;
for there seemed but little chance of Casey getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all.
And Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball.

And when the dust had lifted,
and men saw what had occurred,
there was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
it rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;

it pounded through on the mountain and recoiled upon the flat;
for Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey’s manner as he stepped into his place,
there was pride in Casey’s bearing and a smile lit Casey’s face.

And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
no stranger in the crowd could doubt t’was Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt.
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.

Then, while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
defiance flashed in Casey’s eye, a sneer curled Casey’s lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
and Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.

Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped —
“That ain’t my style,” said Casey.

“Strike one!” the umpire said.
From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
like the beating of the storm waves on a stern and distant shore.

“Kill him! Kill the umpire!” shouted someone on the stand,
and it’s likely they’d have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity, great Casey’s visage shone,
he stilled the rising tumult, he bade the game go on.

He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the dun sphere flew,
but Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, “Strike two!”

“Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered “Fraud!”
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.

They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
and they knew that Casey wouldn’t let that ball go by again.

The sneer has fled from Casey’s lip, the teeth are clenched in hate.
He pounds, with cruel violence, his bat upon the plate.

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
and now the air is shattered by the force of Casey’s blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright.
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light.
And, somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout,

but there is no joy in Mudville —
mighty Casey has struck out.

Well, Spring Training starts for pitchers and catchers in February… But the fans of the Marlins, Cubs, Yankees and Red Sox may all yet feel the same as we do here in the Bay Area. Some will just have to wait longer than others.

That said… It’s been a busy morning around La Casa Colton.

We’re rounding up the cat (okay, so he’s not that much of a challenge as 16 pound orange lumps go…) and getting ready for a long weekend in Honolulu. You may recall that back in February, I mentioned that Michele spent one night there as part of a travel agent fam (familiarization) tour. They rewarded her with vouchers for four free nights, and we’re going to take advantage of them this weekend.

For me, this is a first. So, I have all of the Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts ready to go. Loaded up on sunscreen, got a big hat for the sun and even a comfy pair of sandals. I’m intending to get in my share of walking about after the plane ride from San Francisco.

If all goes according to plan, the taxi will roll up here in a few minutes so we can drop Cruiser for his weekend adventure (including a flea dip and grooming a.k.a. the bath), and head off to the BART train from Dublin-Pleasanton to the San Francisco Airport. And as much as I’ll try to keep it to one bag, I know Michele will do otherwise. Just the books she’ll bring along will take up another suitcase… So, not to be out done, I have the laptop bag full up with the trusty iBook, cell phone and the latest addition, the 10-gig iPod.

So far, the plans call for the usual tourist things. Pearl Harbor, the Polynesian Cultural Center, tourist shopping, eating and drinking and just walking along the beach in Waikiki. I’m taking advantage by visiting the only railroad attraction on the island of Oahu with a ride on the Hawaiian Railway Society’s line from Ewa Beach. It’s roughly a ninety-minute ride up and back along the Leeward Coast of the island on a 7-mile section of the former Oahu Railway & Land Company line. And as if that were not enough, I’m making a special visit to ride on (and do my white jacket bit) aboard their private railroad business car. I’ll have pictures and info to share next week.

So… It’s a bit of a shock to find myself headed for the major tourist destination west of Anaheim. Undoubtedly, I’ll enjoy the weather and all the sights. Even the five-hour plane ride isn’t as much of a burden as it could be. With all the toys along, I won’t be bored. That is, if I don’t end up sleeping, much as I did crossing the Atlantic.

The iPod is loaded up with a few select CD’s worth of Hawaiian music (among the 6 gig so far out of 10), including Arthur Lyman and Bing Crosby. Yes, there is more of the authentic music as well.

Much as when I went back to Germany after forty odd years, this first visit to Hawaii is something new, interesting and exciting.

For many folks, that once-in-a-lifetime visit to a Disney theme park is the same way. As an Annual Passholder and spoiled tourist, I know I tend to be a bit jaded of things from time to time. Things we take for granted may (and do) strike those first-timers (I hate the phrase “virgins” — that’s something else, okay?) in a totally different way. For example, how about just entering Disneyland? Taking that hard- earned ticket in hand, stride up to the entry gate and show your person to the nice security folks and on to the turnstile. You hand over that ticket to a (hopefully) smiling Cast Member who scans it and after it’s verified as authentic and validated, hands it back to you. There’s a magical tinkle in the air and you walk through the gate finally inside.

Odds are, if it is your first visit, you gravitate towards the large floral Mickey on the berm below the Main Street Station of the (Santa Fe &) Disneyland Railroad. Smile pretty for your own, or one of the Cast Members camera’s. You’re finally here!

But it may not really strike you until you walk under the railroad and into Town Square. I’ve seen more folks just stop and stare right here.

And I’ve had that feeling myself returning after an extended absence from the Park. It’s that comfortable feeling of finding an old friend right where you left them, ready to take up as if you never left.

In that sense, I can understand why folks like Al get so riled up about the place from time to time. Wouldn’t it be great if every visit you made to Disneyland could evoke those same emotions as if was that first visit all over again? I can’t speak for anyone else, but there are some things in the place that do have emotional triggers for me. They are all event specific, and rather personal. Some relate to friends; some sadly now gone, others not seen for many a moon. Others can be traced to family members, and some are just the tingle of the moment being brought back to life in a special way.

I’ll share one that I can’t explain. No idea why it effects me as it does. It’s that first note of the soundtrack for “Fantasmic”. That one long sustained note just raises the hair on the back of my neck and makes my eyes water. It works when I hear it at home from the CD, but even more so at the Park, live and in person.

I’d wager a Disneyland Mint Julep that somehow it was designed to do that. Heck, even if I’m wrong, someone had to have thought of it for a reason. (Okay, so even not hearing it, I’m emotional about it right now.)

Here’s hoping there is something from your visits to any of the Disney parks that does the same for you. And likewise, here’s hoping that something from the Hawaii visit does it for me, too!

Last chance! Still a place or two left on the Private Railroad Car Excursion from Oakland to Bakersfield and back Roger’s got running for Saturday, October 18. $195 per person includes an all-day buffet and beverages. If you’ve wanted to see what this is all about, here is a great chance to find out for yourself!

So now that it is done with this column, he’s off to add the “Fantasmic” soundtrack and some other Disney discs to the trusty iPod. Next week, tales from the Islands…

As always, Roger’s not above shilling for the house. A nice contribution to Amazon Honor System Paybox is always appreciated. Help pay for one of his fruity rum drinks this weekend while you’re at it!