Will Fame And Love Return
Elk Neck, Maryland
The Unexpected Phone Call
Saturday February 2, 2008
It was a mid winter Saturday in early February, the breaking news was that the Groundhog saw his shadow and was predicting 6 more weeks of winter.
Rick Randolph was preparing to get ready to report for spring training with the Baltimore Clippers in 2 weeks from today on Saturday February 16, 2008.
Rick was attempting to get himself not only physically, but also mentally ready for the upcoming baseball season, hoping that his level of play would be a definite improvement from the totally disastrous season from a year ago.
Rick’s cell phone started ringing, he looked down at the screen and the caller ID appearing was a suburban Philadelphia phone number, but it did not look familiar as it was not that of the Reynolds, Bill Falstaf, nor the Karras’s.
Waiting to see if there was a voicemail message, Rick heard a familiar voice, that of Judy Falstaf, who was calling to see how Rick was doing, but more importantly, expressing interest in the possibility of the two of them getting together.
This was the last thing that Rick had thought of in his mind, but it was not surprising, especially since at her parents New Years Eve party, Judy along with her loving smile had planted a kiss on Rick’s lips and wished him a very happy, prosperous and successful New Year.
Rick began to wonder how Judy Falstaf got his cell phone number, she would have to had gotten it from her dad, but, wouldn’t she have had to explain why she wanted it and was Bill Falstaf OK with it. In the years of being a ball player on Bill Falstaf’s teams in Philadelphia and Baltimore, Judy had been around a lot, since she was employed and worked for the teams in a public relations representative capacity.
With Rick being in a relationship and later married to Alicia Reynolds, Judy Falstaf was just a good friend, but it could have been a whole different story entirely had the situation been any other way.
Having been literally put through the ringer over Alicia’s desertion and infidelity, Rick thought to himself, I’m just not ready for this, it’s just best to tell her not at this moment and time, maybe later on after some time has passed by, but not right now.
Rick collected himself, then he dialed Judy’s phone number. The phone rang a few times, then Judy answered, saying hello. Rick spoke up, saying, “Hello Judy, I got your voicemail, it’s nice to hear from you”. Judy then spoke up saying, “I was hoping that I would hear back from you, I just wanted to let you know that I have been thinking about you a lot since the New Years Eve party at my parents house”.
Rick responded, “Yes that was a great party that your parents had, it was great and I had a good time”.
Judy said to Rick, “Yes it was, I am glad that you enjoyed being there, but I was really hoping to know if you were interested in getting together sometime and spend some time chatting, to see if it leads to something more than us just being friends. We’ve known each other for a while now, it’s not like we are strangers, plus we have a lot in common”.
Rick knew that Judy was correct about that point and said to Judy, “Yes, you are very right about that, we are have been friends for a while now, but you have to realize and remember just what I have been through these last 15 months, how draining it has been for me, how I’ am still trying not only to be able to get over Alicia deserting me and then my being assaulted and injured, it is a lot to mentally process and try to put it all behind and move onward”.
“Yes, I do, I understand very well where you are coming from on this” Judy said. “I had spoken to my dad about just this very subject in reference to you and that’s exactly how he expressed it”.
“Your dad is a brilliant and knowledgeable person of great wisdom” Rick responded.
Judy then said, “I just want to let you know that anytime you want someone to talk to and chat, all you have to do is call me”. Continuing, Judy said, “If and when you feel that you are ready for a new beginning in your life, I will be here for you, please don’t forget that, hopefully, one of these days my dad can swing a deal for you and you can come back to Philly and start a brand new beginning”.
Rick replied, “Thank you Judy, that is very sweet of you to consider me, I will definitely keep you in mind when that time does come around”.
“Thank you for your assurance, I will be very hopeful and will be looking forward for when that day happens” said Judy.
Rick then said, “Right now, spring training is coming up to begin the upcoming baseball season and being able to start out on the right foot”.
“Yes, dad is getting ready for the season to start also and is looking forward too for the baseball season to start and to pick up where he left off from last year”. Then Judy said, “And Rick, I will be praying for you”.
Rick then said, “Time for me to go, but I do promise that I will be in touch with you, and I want to let you know that I appreciate very much you calling me, you take care, and please let your dad know that I said hello”.
Judy said. “I definitely will do just that for you”.
After the phone call ended, Rick thought for a few moments, thinking to himself, that just maybe, things were starting to turn for the better and in his favor. Then Rick went back to his spring training preparations.
