Ted & Me by Dan Gutman Page B

world.”
    â€œ!@#$%!”
    â€œBut none of this has to happen,” I told him. “That’s why I’m here. The FBI sent me to warn the president about Pearl Harbor. If our government knows about the attack in advance, they’ll be ready. They could stop it. It would save lives.”
    â€œSo why are you telling me ?” Ted asked.
    â€œThe FBI gave me your baseball card,” I told him. “They thought you would be the best person to help me.”
    â€œI’m just a ballplayer,” Ted said. “I don’t know anything about war.”
    I took a deep breath.
    â€œThat’s the other reason why I’m here,” I told Ted. “I need to warn you about something. You’re going to miss four-and-a-half years of baseball.”
    â€œWhy?” He looked alarmed.
    â€œYou’ll be in the marines,” I said.
    â€œYou’re out of your mind,” Ted said. “Me?”
    â€œAfter the attack on Pearl Harbor,” I told him, “millions of Americans are going to enlist. Regular guys, celebrities, and baseball players too. And because you’ll be in the military, you won’t be playing ball, of course.”
    â€œBut I’m just 23!” Ted protested. “This is my time.”
    â€œI know,” I told him. “You’re gonna miss the prime of your career.”
    There was a look of panic on Ted’s face. Baseballwas everything to him. He looked at the date at the top of the article about Pearl Harbor.
    â€œToday is September 28th,” he said. “This attack is going to be on December 7th.”
    â€œIt’s ten weeks from now,” I told him. “We need to talk to the president.”
    Ted thought it over for a moment.
    â€œWell, I’m gonna take care of this right now ,” he said.
    He picked up the phone off the wall and dialed some numbers. He waited impatiently for a few seconds, and then an operator answered at the other end of the line.
    â€œGet me the White House!” Ted barked.
    There was a pause. I could only hear Ted’s half of the conversation.
    â€œYes, the White House in Washington!” Ted shouted. “What other White House is there?”
    Pause.
    â€œI need to speak to the president!”
    Pause.
    â€œI’m Ted !@#$%! Williams, that’s who!”
    Pause.
    â€œThe Ted Williams who just hit .406!” he yelled. “And I need to speak to President Roosevelt, sweetheart. So make the connection. Right now !”
    Pause. Ted was not a patient man.
    â€œThis is a matter of national importance, you little !@#$%!” he hollered. “So get the president on the line or I’m going to !@#$%! your !@#$%! Do youhear me? What’s your name? I want to talk to your supervisor!”
    Pause. Click. Ted put the phone receiver back in its cradle.
    â€œWhat did she say?” I asked.
    â€œShe said, ‘Get lost, creep.’”
    It didn’t look like this was going to work out. I would have to think of another plan.
    But suddenly Ted jumped up from the bench and began gathering the things from his locker. He stuffed them into a suitcase with a sense of purpose. Still in uniform, he picked up the suitcase and headed for the door.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” I asked him.
    â€œCome with me,” he said.
    â€œWhy?” I protested. “Where?”
    â€œYou and me, Junior,” Ted said, “we’re going to Washington.”

13
On the Road
    B Y THE TIME T ED AND I LEFT S HIBE P ARK, IT WAS COMPLETELY dark outside. There were only a few people on the street. The fans that had been waiting for Ted were gone.
    It was too late to set out for Washington. Ted said we would get an early start the next morning. I thanked him over and over again for helping me; but he brushed it aside, saying he had a friend he wanted to visit on the way to Washington, anyway. We took a cab back to the hotel, and Ted said I could order dinner from room