Showing posts with label Belle Isle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Belle Isle. Show all posts

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Boys of Summer book Entry #71

100% proceeds go to the Michael J Fox Foundation. 

AT BELLE ISLAND (Detroit, MI)

Robert and Dan sit at a picnic table eating pizza. As Robert talks, Dan just continues to eat and eat...

RC:
We’re here at Belle Island and this is our first game back from the All-star break. Dad came in second in the derby to Miguel Tejada. I’m proud of you, Dad.

DC:
Which derby?

RC:
Exactly. So we’re going to see the Tigers this afternoon and we had a little something set up with the local Parkinson’s group, but...we’re rather alone. And it’s a bummer. The thing I’ve been hearing constantly, which I’ve got to say, frankly, I’m just tired of hearing, is “Oh, God, if we’d only known about it ahead of time.” And I’m not blaming the people that are saying that. It’s just, I’m tired of hearing it because people are saying what a wonderful thing they could do (to support us) IF...it’s almost worse than no response at all because now it’s like...we’re out the money, we’re out the community experience, we’re out the film experience. And it’s a bummer because we’re providing this great thing, you know? And somewhere on the communication lines on what people are supposed to be doing and what they are actually doing, things are breaking down.

There is a long pause as Robert takes a breath. He looks to his dad for follow up.

DC:
The pizza’s good.

RC:
But the pizza’s good. We do have tickets to a game tonight -- it is sold out. We should have a pretty good chance of ditching the extra tickets that we bought for a group that apparently isn’t here.

Robert sinks his head into his hands and moans in disgust. After a moment he looks up to his dad.

RC:
How’s that pizza?

DC:
It’s good and there’s plenty of it, so come on over. We’d love to share it with you.

Unfortunately for Robert and Dan, this was not a live feed. The first anyone is hearing of this invitation may well be you, the reader right now. The pizza, once quite hot and tasty (thank you Domino’s), is now food for worms.

RC:
Thanks, Domino’s.

DC:
Thanks very much, Domino’s.
 

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Boys of Summer Book - Entry #70


July 12, 2004 - DAD
Toronto, ONT
Paulette is not feeling well for the second day, it turns out she has some sort of flu that will probably last another day.  Hopefully, none of the rest of us will come down with it. I’m going to take a break from my journal and enjoy my time with the Payzant’s. See you on July 15th.
July 13, 2004 - BOB
Toronto, ONT
Today -- la manana. I’m kicking back in to game time mode after the all-star break! I’m ready to take on the challenges of the second half and there are plenty:
*Money situation: tight. We have enough to get us through about two weeks, I think, right now. 
*Detroit: Up in the air. Tickets are supposed to be available, but no confirmation.
*Tailgate in Detroit: A local group says they have about a dozen people ready to join us at a place called Belle Island before the game. After that, we can all convoy over to Comerica. 
*Beyond Detroit...more than I care to get into right now...
July 15, 2004 - DAD
Detroit, MI
We are packed and on the road by 7 a.m. thanks largely to a production meeting Bob had last night. We take a little while to get out of town because we need gas and a stop at Kinko’s. Once under way, it takes about 3 to 3 1/2 hours to reach the border, which we pass through with a minimum delay.  
We spend 3–4 hours at Kinko’s in downtown Detroit, followed by a pizza party at Belle Isle Park. That was a disappointment because of the no shows. We later learned that the person in charge had a medical emergency involving his mother. We visited Tiger Stadium, the past home of the Tiger’s. Bob and I had seen the start of a game in 1990 at old Tiger Stadium. Then we were off to Comerica Park, the dazzling new home of the Tigers.  
Tigers are everywhere. They may have gone a little overboard for baseball traditionalists, but the fans seem to enjoy it. The Tigers are out slugged by the Yankees, who scored 5 runs – all homers. We spend the night at a fellow Parkinsonian’s home, John Trudeau.