All Aboard Andi's Dream Ch. 09

"There I was so distraught," said John. "I was dropping out of seminary and was lost, and I was in a room full of fighter pilots. And this beautiful red head came up to Paul, and they were making..." John looked around to see if anyone could hear him. "They were making BJ jokes."

"It was a great joke we used for newcomers," said Paul.

"Tell me, said Andi and Yi at the same time.

"Keep in mind that everything in the fighter pilot world is for proficiency. Most of the sorties they fly were for proficiency," said Paul. "At the club Melony would complain about something, anything and ask me to fix it, and I would say, 'I'm not in your squadron.' She'd say, 'What about all those blow jobs I gave you, what were they for?' and I would answer, 'proficiency.'"

Andi snorted in laughter, Macy pretended to be offended, and Yi, who knew all about 'proficiency' from her dad's coast guard training, howled in laughter. "I wish I knew about the proficiency thing first," said John.

"Pauvre Jean," said Macy as she kissed John. She knew how offended he was by dirty jokes and also how upset he was that he never understood them. "You should stay with Andi and Lucy to learn such things."

"I learned to like Melony pretty well, it's a shame she couldn't sing," said John, thinking back to playing the guitar on their parents' porch.

"Yeah, she was awful, but she loved to try."

When the twins returned from the creek, they scrambled up to the table and Andi sat down next to Paul as everyone else sat. Lunch was hotdogs and baked beans cooked on the portable gas grill they brought, plus potato salad and potato chips (crisps). After making sure the twins and Andi were fed, Paul sat down next to Andi and let a fart rip. She looked at him and was about to say something, but he said, "Pardon, just warming up for these baked beans."

As Andi laughed, the twins sang, "Beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you toot..." It was a beautiful day.

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Dr. Paul Jarecki stepped into Andi's VA Clinic and the receptionist recognized him right off. "Good morning Doctor Jarecki!"

"Good morning Nadine, what does Doctor Roberts' schedule look like for today?"

"She's got a light one, she was training a new physician's assistant but she called in sick."

"And Doctor Kocis' schedule?"

"Same as Doctor Andi, it's a quiet day today."

"Can you page them please? I need both of them right away. We have a proficiency meeting."

When Andi and Lucy stepped into the waiting room, Paul said. "Grab your things, we have a proficiency meeting downtown."

"Downtown?" Andi groaned. She hated going downtown. It's crowded, dark, and parking was so expensive and hard to find. Buffalo would be one of the great cities in the US, but only if someone found a place to park. She and Lucy grabbed their purses and hopped into the truck. Paul had the Ranger today, and he drove quickly into Williamsville then turned west on Main Street. "Where are we going?" Andi asked.

"My Alma Matter," said Paul and he soon arrived at the University of Buffalo, Main Street Campus. It was sunny and warm, perfect weather for playing hooky. "This is where I went to med school. I lived in mom and dad's house on North Long street in Williamsville and drove here to school every morning until I graduated and enlisted."

"We have a meeting here at UB?" asked Lucy.

"No, we're just parking here." Paul found a parking spot, then they got out, and he led them to a building that featured a long steep escalator that took them deep underground.

"Subway? Buffalo has a subway?" marveled Lucy.

"Kind of," said Paul and they got on the next train that arrived and headed downtown. Most of the way was underground, and as they rode along, Paul took off his business shirt and pulled out a baseball jersey from his backpack and put it on. By the time he got the matching ball cap on his head, the train emerged from the subway and became a streetcar.

"Where are we?" asked Andi.

"Theater district," said Paul. "Melony, and I saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels right there at Sheas Performing Arts Center. We brought John and his date."

"John had a date?" asked Andi.

"Yeah, the girls in Bishop Newman High School were all sure he was going to be a Jesuit priest so they were all over him. When he went protestant they still were hot for him, and he never noticed. Not a single one."

"I saw 'Blast' there a couple of years ago," said Lucy. "It was totally intense." Blast was a 100 piece drum corps performing indoors.

"What is going on?" demanded Andi, as Paul led them off the car.

Paul gestured to the edifice across the street, Sahlen's Field. "It's opening day! It's an American Icon!" he pulled three tickets out of his pocket and handed one each to Lucy and Andi. "We're playing hooky to watch the Buffalo Bisons play the Toledo Mudhens!"

"Toledo what?"

"The mudhens!" said Lucy with a huge smile. "They were Klinger's favorite team on M*A*S*H!"

"I need to get back to work," muttered Andi, as Paul pulled her to the entry gate.

"Come on, this is AMERICA!"

"AMERICA!" a few people in the crowd shouted.

"You people are crazy," said Andi.

"Of course!" said a happy-looking guy in line with them. "It's opening day!"

Soon they were in their seats. Andi had a big, ice cold NA beer and a giant Sahlen's hot dog and Lucy and Paul had the same, but with real ice cold Labatt's Blue beer. Soon, the teams stepped out onto the field and started to warm up. "Am I late?" asked Gus as he sat down next to Lucy.

"Right on time," she said, as she greeted Gus with a kiss.

"Pauvre Jean drives too slow," complained Macy as she and John sat down next to Paul. Soon it was time for the national anthem, and Andi was shocked to hear how loud the fans sang. All had their hands over their hearts except for the scattering of veterans like Paul and Gus, who gave a proper military salute. Being Opening Day, a flight of four C-130 cargo aircraft from the Air National Guard in Niagara Falls flew over the field in formation. The roar of their propellers shook the stadium. As they passed over the ball diamond, the #3 plane pulled up in a steep climb, and the announcer announced that the "the missing man formation" was for all those that died in service to their country. The cheer from the crowd was ear splitting.

During the anthem, Andi heard a sniff and turned, and behind them were Veronica von Köster and Josh Gravely. Next to them were Ayato and Julissa Tanaka. Josh, Ayato, and Julissa proudly saluting until the last note was finished.

"Hey kid," said Veronica as they sat down.

"You're in on this too?" asked Andi.

"It's Opening Day!" said Veronica. "And I never miss a Friday night game."

"Base Ball! Base Ball! Base Ball!" chanted the twins as Yi and Kenny took their seats in front of Paul and Andi. "Hi mommy!" said Madeline, and they sat down.

"I... I don't believe this," said Andi.

"It's Triple A Baseball, I couldn't say no to Yi," whispered Paul.

Andi watched in amazement as the game started. Minor League baseball in an NFL and NHL town, and the fans were crazy about it. Before she realized it, Andi was tracking the game along with Paul and Lucy and they taught her how to fill out a score card with their cryptic symbols. Sandy and Madeline occasionally climbed in her lap for a sip of NA beer (they love the stuff) and Andi felt the magic of the game wash over her. She cheered every hit and boo'd every bad call and all too soon she was singing her heart out.

Take me out to the ball game

Take me out to the crowd

Buy me some peanuts and crackerjack

I don't care if I never get back

Let me root, root, root for the home team

If they don't win, it's a shame

For it's one, two, three strikes

You're out at the old ballgame

Playing hooky from work to watch a baseball game! Andi was sure her trainee was in the crowd, too. For Andi, it was a perfect day, a perfect game and a perfect way to spend some time with her man, her lover, the father of her children, and her very best friend.