Read Online American Dreams by John Jakes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: John Jakes
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Sagas, Family, Motion Picture Actors and Actresses, Chicago (Ill.), German Americans
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curtain moved in an upstairs window. Fritzi waved her calfskin fielder's glove, a simpering smile on her face. 'Hello, Mrs. Baum, you old biddy.'
She wound up and delivered the hardball with a wild curve that took it over Carl's head. He stabbed his mitt up and neatly caught it. For someone bulky and clumsy, he could be surprisingly agile. 'Hey, you're hot so, creaky,' he said, grinning.
The sun felt wonderful on Fritzr's face. The thawing earth of the side yard smelled rich and warm. They fired the ball back and forth, developing a rhythm that echoed moments in their childhood.
The ball smacked into the gloves with a clean, hard sound. Carl threw one wild pitch; Fritzi went after it in a dive and slide that dirtied her skirt.
Brushing herself off, she bowed toward Mrs. Baum's window. If they arrested girls for unladylike behavior, their neighbor would be calling for Page 49
the Black Maria this minute. Fritzi's dinner-table impersonations of the nosy widow made even her father laugh.
'I'm thrilled you're going to Detroit, Carl.'
40
Dreamers
'Pop made a point of congratulating me last night. He's happy too.'
That unnerved her. Would the General feel the same about her decision to leave? Doubtful; she was female.
'I made up my mind in Baltimore, where I watched that Fiat,' he went on. "I hung out with the driver and his riding mechanic for three days. I paid for so much beer I thought I'd wind up in debtor's prison. Learned a lot, though. Decided I had to drive one of those cars. Then I decided I should know how to build them too.' The smack of the ball hitting leather came at shorter intervals. 'I'll get a job in an auto plant, or one of the machine shops like Dodge Brothers that supply parts. There are dozens, I've studied up at libraries. Detroit's a boomtown. What about you?
Haven't given up acting, have you?'
'Never.'
'I didn't expect to find you in Chicago now that Pop's back in harness.'
'I've overstayed. I'm planning to do something about that.'
'Tell me.'
Fritzi smacked the ball into her mitt, took a deep breath and threw.
'I'm going to try Broadway'
Carl thought about that a moment, then broke into a smile. 'Sure, it's the obvious place for someone as talented as you.'
'It's a secret until I tell Papa.'
'That won't be so easy, sis.'
'Tell me something I don't know,' she said with a rueful pucker of her mouth. But I have to go, Carl. If I don't, I'll regret it always.'
He kept tapping the ball into his glove as he asked, 'How do you feel about it? Are you scared?'
'Terrified. All the actors I've met say New York's a cold, heartless city.
But I'm unbelievably eager at the same time.'
Page 50
'When are you leaving?'
Fritzi felt a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature. 'Right after Christmas. I've told Mama. She doesn't like it, but she won't stand in the way. Papa's the obstacle. I've promised myself I'd tell him before the holiday. I dread it.'
Carl shot the ball over his shoulder onto the grass, put his brawny arm around her. 'I'm not too qualified to give advice, but I will anyway. You know Pop will probably rant. He's stuck in the past in some ways. Every woman needs a wedding ring and children, that kind of thing. Well, sure --
if it suits you. But I think you're kind of like me, Fritzi. A maverick - that's what they call wild steers in Texas, I read it in the Police Gazette. We both I
Obligatory Scene
41
, I
have different dreams. They're not like Pop's when he came to this coun try
a poor boy eager to make a fortune. We're living in an incredible new century. All the rules have changed. Did you see that little black car that putted by a while ago? Henry Ford introduced them this year, and he's already sold more than a thousand. I pity the fellow with a buggy whip factory, because all the rules.have changed. Including Pop's. So don't be talked or bullied out of your dream.' He pointed at the pale sky in the east.
'If your dream's there, sail out and find it.'
He
She wound up and delivered the hardball with a wild curve that took it over Carl's head. He stabbed his mitt up and neatly caught it. For someone bulky and clumsy, he could be surprisingly agile. 'Hey, you're hot so, creaky,' he said, grinning.
The sun felt wonderful on Fritzr's face. The thawing earth of the side yard smelled rich and warm. They fired the ball back and forth, developing a rhythm that echoed moments in their childhood.
The ball smacked into the gloves with a clean, hard sound. Carl threw one wild pitch; Fritzi went after it in a dive and slide that dirtied her skirt.
Brushing herself off, she bowed toward Mrs. Baum's window. If they arrested girls for unladylike behavior, their neighbor would be calling for Page 49
the Black Maria this minute. Fritzi's dinner-table impersonations of the nosy widow made even her father laugh.
'I'm thrilled you're going to Detroit, Carl.'
40
Dreamers
'Pop made a point of congratulating me last night. He's happy too.'
That unnerved her. Would the General feel the same about her decision to leave? Doubtful; she was female.
'I made up my mind in Baltimore, where I watched that Fiat,' he went on. "I hung out with the driver and his riding mechanic for three days. I paid for so much beer I thought I'd wind up in debtor's prison. Learned a lot, though. Decided I had to drive one of those cars. Then I decided I should know how to build them too.' The smack of the ball hitting leather came at shorter intervals. 'I'll get a job in an auto plant, or one of the machine shops like Dodge Brothers that supply parts. There are dozens, I've studied up at libraries. Detroit's a boomtown. What about you?
Haven't given up acting, have you?'
'Never.'
'I didn't expect to find you in Chicago now that Pop's back in harness.'
'I've overstayed. I'm planning to do something about that.'
'Tell me.'
Fritzi smacked the ball into her mitt, took a deep breath and threw.
'I'm going to try Broadway'
Carl thought about that a moment, then broke into a smile. 'Sure, it's the obvious place for someone as talented as you.'
'It's a secret until I tell Papa.'
'That won't be so easy, sis.'
'Tell me something I don't know,' she said with a rueful pucker of her mouth. But I have to go, Carl. If I don't, I'll regret it always.'
He kept tapping the ball into his glove as he asked, 'How do you feel about it? Are you scared?'
'Terrified. All the actors I've met say New York's a cold, heartless city.
But I'm unbelievably eager at the same time.'
Page 50
'When are you leaving?'
Fritzi felt a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature. 'Right after Christmas. I've told Mama. She doesn't like it, but she won't stand in the way. Papa's the obstacle. I've promised myself I'd tell him before the holiday. I dread it.'
Carl shot the ball over his shoulder onto the grass, put his brawny arm around her. 'I'm not too qualified to give advice, but I will anyway. You know Pop will probably rant. He's stuck in the past in some ways. Every woman needs a wedding ring and children, that kind of thing. Well, sure --
if it suits you. But I think you're kind of like me, Fritzi. A maverick - that's what they call wild steers in Texas, I read it in the Police Gazette. We both I
Obligatory Scene
41
, I
have different dreams. They're not like Pop's when he came to this coun try
a poor boy eager to make a fortune. We're living in an incredible new century. All the rules have changed. Did you see that little black car that putted by a while ago? Henry Ford introduced them this year, and he's already sold more than a thousand. I pity the fellow with a buggy whip factory, because all the rules.have changed. Including Pop's. So don't be talked or bullied out of your dream.' He pointed at the pale sky in the east.
'If your dream's there, sail out and find it.'
He
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