Quid Pro Quo

In The Godfather (1972), Bonasera, the undertaker, goes to Don Corleone on the day of his daughter's wedding.  Bonasera's daughter had been brutally assaulted and the criminal justice system failed him.  So, this was his plan B.

Once Bonasera shows the required respect to the Godfather and asked for his friendship, Don Corleone was willing to provide the justice he was looking for.  He arranged for the young men responsible for the assault to be assaulted as well.

And then Don Corleone uttered this famous line, "One day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me."  To me, this is as expected.  I do something for you; you do something for me.

There you have Quid pro quo, an agreement for a reciprocal exchange of goods or services.

In As Good As It Gets (1997), Melvin, an author, is obsessed with a waitress (Carol) at the restaurant where he eats almost all his meals.  When she can't come to work because her son is very ill, he uses his influence with his publishing house editor to arrange for the medical services of her husband to treat the waitress's son.  The waitress then returns to work.

Carol is extremely grateful for Melvin's act of kindness.  However, when Melvin asks that Carol accompany Melvin and his gay friend on a trip from New York to Baltimore, she initially turns him down.

Carol is aghast that Melvin believes she owes him because of what he did for her.  He responds with, "Is there any other way to see it?"

I agree.  If somebody does you a favor or a kindness, then how can you resist repaying such favor or kindness when requested?  

Several years ago, our neighbors, Vitor and Marli, did an extreme act of kindness for us, unasked for and completely unexpected.  We will be forever in their debt, not out of obligation, but out of gratitude.

Twelve O'Clock High

In The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), Fred Derry (Dana Andrews) was a former bombardier in the US Army Air Corps responsible for accurately dropping bombs on targets in Nazi Germany during World War II.

In Twelve O'Clock High (1949), the story of the 918th US Army Air Corps is told in a flashback to 1942 when it faced a crisis in its command.  

Twelve O'Clock High stars Gregory Peck, Dean Jagger, Millard Mitchell and Gary Merrill.  It was nominated for four Academy Awards:  Best Picture (won by All the King's Men), Best Actor (Peck, but won by Broderick Crawford for All the King's Men), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (won by Jagger) and Best Sound Recording.

Group Commander Colonel Davenport (Merrill) has become over-protective of his men and is unwilling to discipline them, even for costly mistakes. Davenport is relieved of command by his superior, Major General Pritchard (Mitchell).  

Brigadier General Savage (Peck) is asked to take over.  Major Stovall (Jagger) stays on as his administrative assistant.

Savage takes a harsh approach to restoring the group's discipline and morale.  Unlike Davenport, he puts the mission as of primary importance, the safety of his men secondary.

A very key scene takes place when Savage makes an introductory speech to his flight group members.  "Our obligation is to this group...loyalty to the group, not an individual...I have heard we have suffered from hard luck...Well, I don't believe in hard luck.  Some have asked what are we fighting for?  We are in a shooting war...we have got to fight and some of us are going to die...fear is normal...stop worrying about it...forget about going home...consider yourself already dead...once you accept that idea, it won't be so tough."

The air battle scenes (about 10 minutes) near the end of the film were photographed in actual combat during WWII by members of the United States Army Air Corp and the German Luftwaffe.  You can't get more realism than that. 

Yearbook, Chapter 4

The following Friday would be the last high school dance before graduation.  Bubbles accepted my invitation to go there as my date.

Since our late night at Rudy's, we had spent more time together.  I drove her to school a couple of times.  We sat with each other at lunch time in the school cafeteria.

She was much easier to get along with than my ex-girlfriend.  We laughed a lot and never had a fight.

On Friday night I picked her up in my father's car and drove to the school.  It was more crowded than usual.  Most avoided dancing the first few songs, waiting for friends to arrive.

We got in the mood when Chubby Checker and the Twist was played.  It was fun dancing to that.

Bubbles asked if was okay if she left me for some minutes to gab with a couple of her girl friends.  I looked for one of my friends.

As I was wandering about on the crowded gym floor, I ran into the one person I didn't want to see, my ex.  We exchanged glances and she finally broke the ice.

"Where's your friend Bubbles?  Has she already dumped you?"

"No!  She'll be back soon.  How are you?"

"Much better these days.  Wanna dance?"

"No, I don't think so.  I'm here with Bubbles."

"You could do better."

"I'm happier now than before."

"Fuck you!"

And she stormed off.  I turned and continued looking for my buddy.  And then there was Bubbles, standing alone with tears swelling up in her eyes.

"I saw you talking to your ex.  What's going on?"

"Nothing.  We just ran into each other.  I'm happier with you and I told her so."

A big smile grew on her face.

"Are you sure, Bennie?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."  

Regrets 1

 In December 1962, my best friend from high school, Frank Ruggio, and I embarked on a weekend trip from Oswego to Syracuse to New York City.  Our goal, which we achieved, was to attend three  professional sporting events within about 24 hours.

However, during our trip we had extra time on our hands to do other things.  Frank wanted to do some things I did not agree to do that in retrospect I wish I had.  It is one of my regrets in life.

On Saturday night in Syracuse, after an NBA basketball game, we had some time to kill before our bus left for New York City (at 2:30 AM).  Frank wanted to go to a porno movie house near the bus station, something not available in our home town.

I, on the other hand, coming from a prudish background, declined to go with Frank.  Instead, I spent some time getting autographs from some of the basketball players, but mostly I just hung around the bus station.

My going to the porno movie house with Frank would have proven advantageous since his watch stopped and he almost missed the last bus to New York City.  My watch didn't stop.  

Furthermore, my going to the porno movie house would have been an educational experience for a very naive teenager such as what I was.

When we arrived in New York City, Frank, being a good Catholic, wanted to go to a mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral.  I, on the other hand, coming from a Jewish home where I learned to fear the Catholic religion, declined to go with Frank and instead hung around the bus station again.  

Instead of experiencing a beautiful church, I was almost picked up by an stranger.  Luckily, I knew better.  Since then, I have been in St. Patrick's Cathedral several times with my Catholic wife.

What a contrast that Frank chose and I declined:  a porno movie house and a Catholic church.  The bottom line was I should have gone with Frank both times.

___________

Next post will be in two weeks, on July 28th.

Jaws

Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the 1974 novel by Peter Benchley. It stars Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw.  Also, lets not forget Susan Backlinie, who played a memorable character and who recently passed away.

Jaws won three Academy Awards: Best Film Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound.  It was also nominated for Best Picture, losing to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

On a nine million dollar budget, Jaws took in $476 million at the box office.  It was the prototypical summer blockbuster.  

I remember having a difficult time finding a parking space when we went to the theater when Jaws was first released in cinemas that June.  Everybody wanted to see it.

In a New England beach town, a young woman (Backlinie) goes for a late-night swim (in the nude) during a beach party. An unseen shark attacks and pulls her underwater. Her remains are found washed up on the beach the next morning.

Soon after. a young boy is killed by perhaps the same shark at a crowded beach. A bounty is placed on the killer.  Quint (Shaw), an eccentric and roughened local shark hunter, offers his services for $10,000.

Consulting oceanographer Matt Hooper (Dreyfuss) examines the first girl's remains, confirming that an abnormally large shark had killed her.

The local police chief (Scheider) plus Quint and Hooper go out on a small boat to destroy the man-eating shark.

Instead of many sightings of the shark, Spielberg effectively uses its theme music to convey its presence and impending doom.   

One night on the boat, Quint and Hooper drunkenly exchange stories about their assorted body scars. One of Quint's is a removed tattoo, and he reveals that he is a survivor of the Japanese attack on the USS Indianapolis, (which carried the atomic bomb to the Tinian Naval Base in July 1945) during which many US sailors, after the ship was sunk, were killed by sharks. 

When the police chief  first sees the large shark, he utters the famous line, "We're gonna need a bigger boat."  The battle between the three men and the shark continues to a conclusion with casualties on both sides.  

  

Yearbook, Chapter 3

On Friday night, I picked up Bubbles at her home in my father's car.  We drove to the movies and I parked in the adjacent lot.

We saw Bye Bye Birdie starring Ann-Margret and Bobby Rydell, portraying two high school sweethearts.  Before the show, I bought us a big bag of salty popcorn and a large coke with two straws.

It was hard to take my eyes off Ann-Margret, but Bubbles was sitting close by on my right.  At a discreet moment, I put my right arm around her shoulders.  She held my right hand with her left.

After the show, I said, "How did ya like it?"

"I loved it.  Thanks for taking me!"

Then she leaned over and kissed me on my cheek.

I followed up with, "How 'bout we drive out to Rudy's (restaurant by the lake)?"

"Great idea, Bennie."

 At Rudy's, we each had a hot dog and a beer.  Then, we walked over to a more secluded area.  I showed off my skill at skipping rocks into the lake.

Finally, she said, "You know, I've had a crush on you for some time.

"I wish you'd have let me know."

"I did...in the yearbook."

"I mean before.  I'm kind of shy around girls."

"Before you had a girlfriend."

"Well, that's history.  We fought all the time."

"I think you're a swell guy.  I hope you ask me out again."

"I sure will...I think you're a very pretty girl."

She moved closer to me, put her arms around my neck and we started kissing on our lips.  It was heavenly.

I drove her home.  After I parked, we made out in the car.  I told her I'd call her the next day.  I slept very well that night.  I think she did, too.  

Willie Mays

On October 3, 1951 (I was six years-old), the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers were playing the third and final playoff game for the National League baseball championship at the Polo Grounds in upper Manhattan.  The Dodgers were leading 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Giants had runners at second and third with only one out.

Up to bat came Bobby Thomson.  On deck was Willie Mays, the twenty year-old rookie sensation from Alabama.  As the Giants were the favorite team of my thirteen year-old older brother Paul, they became my favorite, too.  Because of his growing reputation as a ballplayer, Mays became the hero of my youth.

Mays never had to come to bat because Thomson became the hero of the day (and for many days thereafter) when he hit a dramatic three-run home run to win the game and the championship.  Unfortunately, the Giants lost the 1951 World Series to the New York Yankees.

Early the next season, Mays was drafted into the United States Army.  He did not return to pro baseball until the 1954 season, when he led the Giants to another National League championship and another trip to the World Series, this time against the Cleveland Indians.

In the top of the eighth inning of the first game at the Polo Grounds, the score was tied 2-2.  The Indians had runners on first and second with no outs when the dangerous Vic Wertz came to bat.

Wertz hit a long fly ball to the deepest part of center field.  Mays running full speed caught the ball over his shoulder and threw the ball back to the infield to prevent any runs from scoring.

It was September 29, 1954 and I was home from school because of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah.  I watched the whole game by myself on our new black and white TV.

In the bottom of the tenth inning with the score still tied, Mays drew a walk and immediately stole second base.  The next batter was intentionally walked and pinch hitter Dusty Rhodes came to the plate.  He hit a three run home run to win the game.  The Giants swept the Indians, 4 games to none to win the World Series, the only one Mays would win.

In 1958, Willie Mays and the Giants moved to San Francisco.  As I lived in Oswego, it didn't affect me.  I stayed his and their number one fan.

In 1962, the Giants were again playing the Yankees in the World Series.  In the seventh and deciding game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the Yankees were leading 1-0.  

In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Giants had a runner on first base with two outs.  I again was watching the game on TV as I had rushed home from high school, arriving during the fifth inning.

The last chance for the Giants rested on the shoulders of Willie Mays.  I knew in my gut he would not make the final out.  I was right as he hit a double to right field sending the tying run to third base.  Unfortunately, the next batter hit a line drive to the second baseman to end the game and the World Series.

As I went to college in Philadelphia during the mid-1960s, I benefitted from having the Giants visit the city several times during the baseball season.  What a thrill it was for me to see Willie Mays in person.  Another time, I saw him hit one of his 660 career home runs over the roof in old Connie Mack Stadium.

On May 11, 1972, Mays was traded to the New York Mets for whom he played until his retirement at the end of the 1973 season at age forty-two.  I remember watching on a color TV his last base hit driving in the winning run in game two of the 1973 World Series against the Oakland A's.

During this period with the Mets, I had to decide whether I was a Giant fan or a Willie Mays fan.  I knew I was a Willie Mays fan.  After his retirement, I returned to the Giants.

This past Thursday, the Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals played a game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama where Willie Mays started his professional baseball career in 1948 with the Black Barons.  The Giants lost. 6-5.

Sadly, Willie Mays died this past Tuesday, June 18, at 93 years of age.  He will be missed, but never forgotten.