Locomotive to the Past by George Schultz (iphone ebook reader .TXT) 📕

That had begun a tsunami of calls! Many from other media outlets! The receptionist—and then, the president—were both stunned, by the fact, that so many of his competitors had been listening! To Mr. Garback, the response was incredible! All of the communications respondees, wanted to know the station’s source—of the rapidly-spreading news! The station’s manager—Paul Horek—was, eventually, assigned to handle the never-ending tidal wave!

Mr. Horek had always been somewhat, of an enigma. The short, stocky, works-in-his-shirt-sleeves man had never warmed up, to the fact that Jason had taken over—as “afternoon/evening personality”, at the station.

When the slot had become open—so suddenly—the manager (who’d held that position, for almost four years) had suggested (had actually shilled for) a close friend of his, to do the show, It had upset him—more deeply than he’d ever let on—that the job had gone to “this stupid-assed unknown”.

Now, when it seemed that this “nonentity” was about to gain some measure of fame, Paul remained far from being happy! Especially so—once he’d wound up having to deal with the, at-times-overwhelming, feedback!

Immediately, Anthony Keene—the target of the graft probe—had gone on a rival radio station (one which was owned, by the newspaper) to deny the accusations!

Deny them—“completely”! “Unequivocally!” It was all—part of “an evil smear campaign”!

The paper, itself, had to pull the story—then, retool it, to reflect the “James Root” scoop! That meant that they’d had to scrap the entire Section One—from, literally, thousands of copies, of the early edition! The edition, which was about to be sent out—to flood all of the downtown news dealers! As well as the paper’s own, located-on-every-street-corner, news-racks!

Ramsay Cartright—the original, to-be, “news-breaker” was nowhere to be seen—or heard from!

Members of a state “task force”—who’d been involved, in the situation, at City Hall, for the better part of two months—descended upon Mr. Keene’s office that afternoon! And—minutes later—he was “carted off”.

After spending a long, “degrading”, night in jail—he was released, on bail, the following morning! Fat amount of consolation!

THIRTY FOUR

September 2, 1945: V-J Day!!! The official end—of World War II! V-E Day had, gloriously, come and gone, on May 7th—with the Allies victory, in Europe! A mere four months later, Japan would also—finally—surrender! So—as more than one deep-thinking philosopher had put it—1945 turned out to be a “helluva year”! Indeed it was!

President Franklin Roosevelt (who had been reelected, so recently—to serve an unprecedented fourth term, in November, of 1944) had passed away—on April 12th, 1945! Sadly, he had been denied the opportunity to live to see (and to celebrate) the complete (and widely celebrated, by everyone else) demolition of Adolph Hitler’s vaunted, “Master Race”, Third Reich!

President Harry Truman had presided over the ultimate Allied victories—in both theaters! He had sanctioned the bombing of Hiroshima, on August 6th—and then, of Nagasaki, on August 9th. It had been thought—when Mr. Truman had assumed the presidency—that victory, over the Japanese empire, would be, at least, a year away. The history-making nuclear bombings—had, certainly sped up that projected timetable!

1945 had also been a year to celebrate for Jason and Valerie Rutkowski! Among many other significant happenings—in their lives, that “helluva” year—October 1st, found the happy couple welcoming their third offspring! And their third daughter! Yet another entrant—into their, growing-tinier-by-the-moment, apartment. That “almost-shrine”, on Ohio Street!

The proud new papa had wanted to name the new arrival Amy. There had been two valid reasons. Both considerations—had come, from (who else?) Grandpa Piepczyk. The old man had—constantly—played a scratchy old 45rpm recording, by Ray Bolger—the “Tin Man” from The Wizard of Oz. Jason had, virtually, grown up—listening to the record.

In the late-forties, Mr. Bolger had—most successfully—played the title role, in Frank Loesser’s Broadway dazzler, Where’s Charley? His rendition—on Decca Records—of what could be considered the musical’s top song, Once In Love With Amy, had sold millions. The recording had been pure hoke—wherein Mr. Bolger had asked a vocal group, to sing along with him. It had long been one of Jason’s granddad’s favorite recordings—and he had played it, on an uncountable number of occasions, when the youngster had been, in the vicinity.

The second—and most heartfelt—reason, had to do with another Loesser musical. This one—from 1956. When The Most Happy Fella had been launched, on Broadway. It had seemed as though the only tunes, from the show—that were ever being played, on the Detroit radio stations—were two bouncy ditties. They were Big D—and Standing On The Corner (Watching All The Girls Go By). Both songs were enjoyable enough, for the, at-the-time, not-so-very-old man. But, as he’d explained (on many occasions)—to his grandson, they’d never really “done anything”, for him.

In 1958—after the show had closed, on Broadway, he’d had the chance to take Grandma Piepczyk, to see the remarkable Original Cast star—Robert Weede—in a Detroit, road show, production, of “Happy Fella”. And—to his lifelong regret—he did not “take advantage, of that golden opportunity”!

It would not be until Christmas, of 1959—when Grandma had bought Grandpa an LP album, of the Original Cast’s recordings—that the old man would discover the out-and-out treasure-trove, of absolutely-beautiful music, from the remarkable score! One of his all-time favorite songs turned out to be, My Heart Is So Full Of You!

Grandpa had also discovered—from that treasured LP—the monumental talent—of the remarkable Mr. Weede! From that moment on, he’d never forgiven himself—for not having taken advantage, of his one and only opportunity, to have witnessed “all this wonder”—in person, the previous year!

When, about 30 years later, a traveling company had—thankfully—put together another sparkling production, of the wondrous show, the Piepcyks had, gleefully, attended! In fact, they’d wound up, happily, taking in two performances!

“I almost got your grandmother to consent… to going to see a third one,” the old man had advised young Jason (also, on many occasions) “but, at the last minute, dammit, she bailed out on me”.

Part of the undiluted charm, of the show, had the main character—“Tony Esposito” (who’d been done, with a very heavy Italian dialect)—calling the leading lady (arbitrarily) “Rosabella”. At the very end, he—finally—asks her, her real name. She tells him that,