Something for Nothing: Chapter 33, "A Flight to Remember"
Baker was at the Albany airport waiting for his flight to Salt Lake City.??His visit to Sandgate was an emotional journey into his past.??He rekindled old relationships, made some new friends, and tried to better understand the current demons which may have been the cause of his “psychotic episode” at the Voyager Inn in Aliceville, Alabama.??He was out of the Vermont woods, but not yet out of the woods regarding what had caused that episode. He was concerned it would happen again.??And again.??The only person who could help him was psychologist Dr. Lisa Hollister who knew of his Vietnam mission in 1969, and who told him years later after his return, that he may suffer some delayed PTSD symptoms, and to contact her if this occurred.??She was a friend, and had always liked and supported Baker. Unfortunately, Hollister passed away several years ago at the age of 89.??It was Lisa Hollister who convinced Baker to write about his experience, which he did, and it turned into?‘Sunset Playland’.??
(Author’s note: This Thomas Baker series novel is based on the ‘Sunset Playland’ and ‘Sweet Land of Liberty’ character as seen in the “Activity” section on this LinkedIn web page.??This is a work of fiction based on true events, and contains opinion commentary.??Any similarities to actual persons, places, or events is coincidental, and within the context of the author’s discretion.)?
Waiting at the gate for his flight, Baker was on the phone to George Lotus explaining Ray Hennessy to him, and Hennessy’s call to Lotus about the wild idea of Baker running for President of the United States.??“George ... Hennessy is a little overenthusiastic about this idea.??In fact, Hennessy is overenthusiastic about most things.??I don’t know where he came up with this crazy scheme.”??Lotus said, “It may not be that crazy, Tommy.??I can see it. Hennessy may be on to something.”??George had good instincts, his timing was impeccable, and his sense of right and wrong was indisputable.?
Baker’s boarding call was announced and he told Lotus he needed to go. “George,??thank you for your confidence, but this is something I’ve never thought about.??You know me.??You know I hate politics, politicians, and everything associated with injustice, mendacity, and greed.??Just like you do.??And that power base is where it all begins.”??Lotus responded, “Exactly, Tommy.??That’s the point.??Hennessy sees it.??I see it too.??You wouldn’t.??You’re too damn honest for your own good.??But maybe that’s just what this country needs right now ... some honesty.”??Baker said, “I have no experience with any of this.??I’m an old man.??Over the hill.??Out of gas.??I’m not sure I could take that abuse.??My maritime training consultancy business is all but dead.??(Lotus knew little of Baker’s “extracurricular activities” since?‘Sunset Playland’) ... I just want to go home.??I have to go now, George ... last boarding call.”??Lotus said, “Okay.??But let’s talk again.”??Baker said, “Okay, but if Ray Hennessy calls you again, tell him I said he’s nuts, and an asshole.??He won’t mind, I tell him that all the time.??He’ll know you spoke with me.”?
The flight to Salt Lake City was uneventful until Baker used the restroom.??When he came out of the restroom at the front of the plane, he noticed something very unusual.??The plane was empty.??It had been a full flight.??Every seat was vacant.??It was more than eerie, it was frightening.??There were no flight attendants.??The cockpit door at the front of the plane was open and there were no pilots inside.?
In a controlled panic, Baker returned to his seat.??He knew this must be another psychotic episode like the one at the motel in Aliceville, but still, he was freaked out.??He knew, he hoped, that if he would just ride it out, things would return to normal in a few minutes ... he might even finally get to meet the Beatles.??He sat back, closed his eyes and tried to sleep, opening one eye every few minutes to check on things.?
Welcome to Baker’s nightmare.?
He must have drifted off for, he didn’t know how long, a minute, an hour ... but when he opened his eyes the nightmare hit a new level of intensity.??The plane was full again.??The seats were filled with bloody and broken soldiers in combat fatigues and gear.??Baker was in an isle seat.??The guy next to him, in the middle seat, had no face.??It was burned beyond recognition.??From under his helmet, hollow eye sockets peered out at Baker.??The guy across the aisle, in no better shape, leaned over to Baker and said in a low raspy voice, “We’re the dead soldiers returning from Vietnam.??We want to visit the memorial in Washington D.C.??Is this flight going there?”??It was Lieutenant Collins (See?‘Sunset Playland’).?
It was all Baker could take.??Lisa Hollister must have been right about a delayed PTSD reaction to Baker’s experience over there.??A deadly cocktail combination of guilt, remorse, fear, anxiety, and betrayal.??Baker jumped up from his seat and headed for the restroom, just like he did at the motel in Aliceville, hoping that when he came out everything would be normal again ... and at the very least the Beatles would be sitting in his row.??He splashed cold water on his face, looked at himself in the mirror, and tried to get a grip.?
Meanwhile, as Baker struggled with his demons somewhere over Nebraska, 40,000 feet below, and off to the south about 1,000 miles in a border town near Brownsville, Texas at a place called The OK Corral Bar & Grill, Ray Hennessy and Cindy MacNamara were shooting it out with Tony?Karmazinas, Bobby Bozworth, and company in a joint sting operation with local law enforcement.??The CIA’s participation was kept quiet.??The bar had been the domestic terrorists’ hangout and they were stupid, or arrogant enough to continue to go back there allowing themselves to be caught with their pants down.?
When Baker’s plane landed in Salt Lake City, intact with all the original passengers onboard, Ilene was waiting for him at the airport.??She had bad news.??MacNamara was killed in the shoot-out and Hennessy was severely wounded.??Baker called Hennessy immediately.??The call went to his voicemail.??He called Hennessy’s wife, Pat, in Denver. She was waiting for an update and had no current information on her husband other than he was in a Brownsville hospital in critical condition.??She was on her way there, and told Baker she’d keep him posted.??She asked Baker to pray for him.?
Tony Karmazinas and Bobby Bozworth were killed along with several of their “comrades”.??As it turned out, there was a definite Russian connection to this particular domestic terrorist cell operating in the United States.??New cells would continue to crop up, terrorism would continue both on a large and small scale, debased and frustrated Americans would continue to bite the hand that feeds them and invite foreign conspirators to join in the fight ... which they would be happy to do.??It was a set pattern, and now a never-ending cycle.??The former President ‘Goldfinger’ opened up the floodgates to this internal right wing insanity creating a stronger left wing counter-insanity ... and now his political minions, his like-minded allies and rich friend, and his citizen supporters, which was half of America, were dragging America down the rabbit hole.??The lunatic fringe was running America ... the inmates are running the asylum!??
To borrow a quote from?‘Ghostbusters’?... America was?“headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.??Old Testament, real wrath of God type stuff.??Fire and brimstone coming down from the sky ... rivers and seas boiling ... 40 years of darkness, earthquakes, volcanos! ... The dead rising from the grave, human sacrifice! ... Dogs and cats living together! ... Mass hysteria!” ...?Yada, yada, yada?...?God help America!?...?
But this isn’t where this story is going.?
CNN was reporting the Brownsville incident on the TV monitors at the airport as Baker and Ilene watched in anxious anticipation, waiting to hear any news about Hennessy.??He was heartbroken about Cindy MacNamara.??Devastated.??It was the last straw for Baker.?
Ilene did her best to sound positive and make things better, as she always did, but Baker was distraught.??He feared more psychotic episodes, which he was now sure were triggered by traumatic events.??Lisa Hollister must have been right about the delayed reaction ... but delayed 50 years!??He remembered having nightmares in the El Paso hospital when he was recovering from his knife wound from Jamie Lee Bozworth at that same OK Corral bar last year.??The psychotic episode and his hallucinations at the Voyager Inn must have been triggered by the shooting of CIA agent Morgan Wilkins aka Lindsey from the diner, and the subsequent shoot-out in the prison parking lot with Cindy MacNamara and the Russian agents.??And today, although he wasn’t consciously aware of what was happening on the ground in Texas, somehow his subconscious, sixth sense mind registered the trauma and caused the episode on the plane.??Thomas Baker was on shaky ground.??Everywhere he looked he could swear he saw he Beatles.??He told Ilene that he thought Ringo was flying the plane!?
Before they drove home to Logan, Baker wanted to see his daughters, Libby, in Salt Lake City and Shelby, in Park City about a half hour away near the ski resorts, through the canyon and in the mountains east of Salt Lake.??They always had a calming affect on him, and he hadn’t seen them in a while.??Libby was a vice president for an educational curriculum software company and her husband Jason was a partner in a high tech software security company.??Shelby was a Kundalini Yoga Instructor & Energy Healer.??And although that was a mouthful, Baker swore by Shelby’s abilities and power after she miraculously healed his back issues that no doctor could.??She was a miracle-worker.??She definitely had something existential going for her there ... something special.?
Baker’s third daughter, Corigan, the middle daughter, lived in Ventura, California with her husband, Pat.??Cori had a degree in Archaeology from the University of Utah and had worked in that field ... she worked summers on forest fire fighting crews in Utah, Idaho and California ... she eventually went into real estate and had done well.??Cori’s husband, Pat, was a film and video director, and she was moving more toward that field helping him as Pat’s business and career progressed.?
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The drive to Logan, about an hour and a half north of Salt Lake City, was pleasant.??Fall was in the air, the night was cool, traffic was light on I-15.??When they got to Brigham City, they drove through Sardine Canyon to Cache Valley and Logan.??It was always a joy to come out of the canyon, day or night, and see the panorama of Cache Valley open up in front of you. Home.??Safe.??Alex was glad to see him ... the cats Murray and Muzzy too.??
Logan had changed, however.??It wasn’t the sleepy college town it had been when Baker arrived in 1966.??The pastures, fields, and farmland were being eaten up by unscrupulous developers who had corrupt, irresponsible city and county government officials in their pockets.??It was the perfect storm of financially desperate second and third generation land owners cashing out the jewels to developers and money managers who had taken things into their own hands.??Tract housing developments were being approved by city and county planners by the hundreds, anywhere they could squeeze them in, outer and inner city, and Logan was starting to choke on their greed and duplicity.??There was no planning.??It was a free-for-all.??They argue that they are providing affordable housing for low income families.??The bottom line truth is that they are making money hand over fist, and getting substantial tax write-offs.??Small town Wheeler-dealers and self-interest politicians who could care less about low income families, or the established neighborhoods they were destroying.??The safety and wellbeing of longtime local residents was not even a consideration.??What ever happened to a public official’s oath to “Protect and Serve”???Logan and Cache Valley were going the way of America, generally.??To the dogs ... down the rabbit hole ... sold down the river.??Follow the money.??Always follow the money.?
Baker’s thoughts of moving back to Sandgate, Vermont were becoming more pronounced, now with a sense of urgency.??
Baker wanted to relax at home for a while.??But he couldn’t relax.??Hennessy’s condition was upgraded from critical to serious.??That was good news, but he was still not out of the woods.??While in Logan, Baker needed to visit his combined nemesis and mentor, Scott Baker, at the Sunshine Terrace Retirement Home ... and he wanted to visit his daughter Cori in Ventura.??However, he feared another psychotic episode, and he had no one to talk to about it except Ilene.??Shelby could probably help as well.??Actually, he could be in no better hands under the current circumstances.?
Baker had a fitful first night in Logan.??He couldn’t sleep.??He called his friend, Dr. Val Grantham the next morning and they had breakfast at Angie’s, a favorite local diner/restaurant.??They talked about their coronavirus pandemic adventure (See ‘Sweet Land of Liberty’) and caught up on local and national news.??Val agreed, “Things are definitely fucked up.”?
Baker went over to Sunshine Terrace to see the man who started this whole shebang for him, Scott Baker aka ... Scott Baker, if that was even his real name (See?‘Sunset Playland’). Baker had been told by Scott Baker’s grandson, who was a Secret Service agent at the White House, that his grandfather was in Logan at Sunshine Terrace.??This had been an extraordinary turn of events for Thomas Baker ... an unlikely scenario and a premonition to ... who knows what??
When Baker arrived at Sunshine Terrace that morning, he spoke with the Director, Kay Stephens.??She told him that ‘Mr. Baker’ suffered from a debilitating case of Alzheimer’s disease ... and that he had passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 96.??She questioned Baker about his relationship with Scott Baker.??He told her that he was just a friend.??The family members that were listed on the admittance registration documents turned out to be nonexistent.??Their contact information on file was a false address, and the contact phone number was “no longer in service.”??He was ultimately buried in the Logan cemetery.??None of this surprised Baker, but he wondered why Scott Baker’s grandson did not show up in any of this scenario.??Another mystery, another enigma that Baker felt he should just leave alone ...?“In the land of erased mistakes ... it never happened, we were never there.”
Ilene was home having coffee with her friend, Monna.??Baker sat and had a cup with them. Monna said, “Well, well, he returns home for a cameo appearance.??What an??exciting, adventurous life you must lead ... and mysterious too.”??Baker liked Monna.??He said, “I’ve been hanging out with the Beatles, Monna ... they asked about you.”??Monna knew better than to follow up on that.??They all laughed.?
Baker asked Ilene to come with him to visit daughter Cori in California.??She said her sisters were coming for the weekend and they had some things planned.??Ilene told him to go alone, to have a good visit, to swim in the Pacific Ocean, and to clear his head ... and, “If you get into trouble, like on the plane ... just think Beatles.”??“Think Beatles” had become a standing joke between them.??Actually, Ilene was very concerned about Baker’s hallucination episodes and had already put out feelers for some psychological help.?
Baker changed into his sweats and running shoes and rode his bike down to Logan High School’s football field where he had run laps around the track for most of his adult life.??It was one of his favorite things.??He did a couple miles, then went home to shower.??????????
Next stop on Baker’s sojourn odyssey ... Ventura, California.????????
John?Kushma is a communication consultant and lives in Logan, Utah
Some past articles and op-eds
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