Des said nothing to that. The man was carrying on both sides of the argument all by himself. Hell, it was an argument with himself.
“But I also think it’s foolhardy to believe that the future can be stopped,” he went on as they made their way across the meadow, the pings growing steadily louder. “There are twice as many people living in the U.S. right now as there were when the baby boomers were born. We have to put them somewhere, don’t we? Unlike a lot of people, I don’t believe in standing on the sidelines complaining. Wherever we’ve worked-Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, Boston-we’ve devised revolutionary, low-impact development for the future. I believe in the future. I believe in cities that live in harmony with mass transit. And I believe in villages. That’s why we’ve put down roots in Dorset. What we have here is a rare and endangered thing-a genuine community. And we have to fight to hold on to that.”
Des nodded, thinking just how baffled the old-timers must be by this high-profile human dynamo with his deep pockets and his bulldozers.
“You’re probably thinking that I’m nothing more than a kinder, gentler asshole. But I believe in what we’re doing. I’m excited. Is there anything wrong with that?”
Des shrugged her shoulders, wondering why Bruce Leanse felt he needed to justify himself to her. Was he just naturally defensive about his chosen, politically incorrect career? Or was this an advanced case of Soul Man Syndrome-a liberal who was desperate for a black person’s approval?
“Do you rock-climb, trooper?”
“Uh, no, I never have.”
“Oh, you’ve absolutely got to. It’s outrageous. A total high. Greatest physical rush there is.” Bruce paused, grinning at her wolfishly. “Aside from you-know-what…”
Ah, so that was it-the Brat wanted him some of her form.
“Tell you what-I’ll take you out some Saturday morning and we’ll-”
“I’m afraid my sked’s pretty crowded right now.”
“Sure, sure. How about a run? Do you run? God, you must. Nobody’s got a butt like yours without doing roadwork.”
Des came to a stop and said, “Okay, I have to tell you that I’m not real comfortable with the direction this conversation is taking, Mr. Leanse.”
“I’m just looking for a workout partner,” he gulped, retreating hastily. “That’s all I meant. I’m not looking for trouble. Really, I’m not.”
“Good. Neither am I.”
The breeze coming off of the river was getting chillier. The weatherman had predicted the first frost of the season that night. Des resumed walking, shivering slightly. Beyond the cedars there was a mown stretch of lawn where a baseball diamond had been marked off, complete with bases, a pitcher’s mound and a batting cage. On the mound a pitching machine was disgorging fastballs. And at the plate, little Ben Leanse, her DARE essay winner, was flailing away at them with an aluminum bat that seemed as big as he was. With the oversized batting helmet that was planted on his huge head, the little fellow looked like one of those bobble-headed dolls they sold at ballparks.
A muscular, sunburned man in a short-sleeved polo shirt stood behind the cage with his big arms crossed watching him swing… Ping… As Ben feebly fouled off one pitch… Ping… As he popped up another behind first base, barely getting around on it.
… Ping… Des recognized this man at once-it was her third-floor mattress king from the Frederick House. A video camera was set up next to him on a tripod, filming the boy.
“Step into it, Big Ben!” he called out encouragingly. “Atta boy! Good job!”
“We’ve hired a batting tutor to help Ben up his game a notch,” Bruce explained. “He’s desperate to make the Little League team next spring.” Bruce clapped his hands together and called out, “Way to go, guy!”
“I stink, Dad,” Ben gurgled at him glumly. He had on a fleece jersey with the words DOUGHTY’S ALL-STARS emblazoned across his chest. “I totally suck.”
“No way-you’re making real progress.” Bruce seemed ill at ease around his boy, his manner forced. “Am I right, Dirk?”
At first, Dirk had nothing but a cold glare for Bruce Leanse. Des immediately wondered what that was about. Then Dirk ran a big hand over his weathered face and said, “We’re doing real good. Just got to strengthen those wrists of yours over the winter, Big Ben. Right now, they’re like cooked spaghetti.”
“Okay, Coach,” the little boy responded solemnly.
“I’ll go see if I can hurry Babette along,” Bruce said to Des. Clearly, the Brat was not anxious to stick around. In fact, he couldn’t hurry back to the house fast enough.
Des stayed put. “Nice to see you again, Ben,” she said to him warmly.
“Hello, trooper. Coach Doughty, this is Trooper Mitry.”
“Make it Dirk,” he said to her. “Pleased to meet you. Let’s take some more cuts, Ben.”
Des joined him behind the cage as the boy flailed away at more mechanical pitches… Plink… Des guessed that Dirk was in his early thirties. He was a solid six feet tall with broad, hulking shoulders and a massive chest. He held himself with the physical ease of an athlete in prime condition… Plink… Still, she noticed, his eyes had a defeated, beaten-down cast to them.
“We’re both at the Frederick House, if I’m not mistaken,” she said to him.
“That’s right.” His eyes stayed on the boy at the plate. “The Leanses have been nice enough to put me up there while I’m working with Ben. I’m all over the Northeast right now. Just spent two weeks in Nashua, New Hampshire. Soon as it turns a little colder, I’ll follow the sun down to Florida for the baseball camps… Move those hips, Big Ben! Pull ’em through the strike zone!… Actually, I grew up around here. I’m headquartered in Toledo, Ohio now. Married a Toledo girl.” And yet, he wore no wedding ring. Some people didn’t like to wear rings. Still, it made her wonder. “Ever been there?”
“No, I haven’t,” she said.
“It’s not a bad place. Not as nice as Dorset, but not bad. And, hey, I’m still getting paid to do what I love.”
“Dirk played in the show!” Ben exclaimed proudly.
“I’m impressed,” Des said.
Dirk grimaced slightly. “All I had was a cup of coffee with the Detroit Tigers. But around here, that makes me a hometown hero… Less top hand, Ben!… I still hold all the hitting records at Dorset High and American Legion Post 103. Fun to be back, actually. It gives me a chance to catch up with old friends.”
And possibly hump one of them night after night, Des reflected. It sounded as if Dirk was on the road a lot. If there was one thing she’d learned from her experience with Brandon, it was this: Men who spend a lot of time away from home do not wish to be home.
“The Tigers paid me a seven-figure signing bonus right out of high school,” Dirk recalled in a tight, controlled voice. “I was going to be their catcher of the future. I was the complete package. I could hit for average. Hit for power. Had a gun for an arm. Ran the hundred in ten flat.”… Plink… “Well, the bonus disappeared right away-my first wife cleaned me out but good.”
“And the dream?” Des asked. “What happened to the dream?”
He showed her the two ugly surgical scars on the inside of his right elbow. “My first winter home from rookie ball I was in a car that hit a patch of black ice and rolled into a ditch. Couldn’t throw a baseball for two years. And that was just the beginning. I had two procedures on my right knee, another on my left. Spent half of my career on the disabled list and the other half on the waiver wire.”
… Plink…“I also had me a bit of a nightlife problem. No longer. I’ve been clean and sober for four years… Good one, Ben! Now you’re in the zone!” He fell silent, breathing slowly in and out. “I finished up with a hundred twenty-seven Major League at bats, trooper. My lifetime average is two forty-four, with four dingers. You can look it up. I also played two seasons in Japan for the Yokohama Bay Stars before the Tigers took me back and shipped me down to Toledo. Spent three more seasons there until they released me. That’s when I knew it was over. Knew it in my heart. But what the hell, I chased the dream for twelve years. And now I’m actually doing some good. I had a high school girl down in Vero Beach last winter who was real close to getting herself a college softball scholarship. Working with me for two weeks put her over the top. That’s a satisfying feeling, helping a kid who can’t afford college earn herself a four-year ride.”
