Chapter Three
'Tony's life in San Francisco'
Tony's life in San Francisco between the ages of thirteen and twenty five were some of the most enjoyable years he would have to look back on in his old age. After that weekend spent with his Uncle Will, things slowly started fitting into place and his life became much happier and started to take on new meaning for him. He felt like a caterpillar-turned butterfly who had developed its wings of freedom.
The most important thing he discovered was about his birth. This was told to him 'in confidence' by Uncle Will and was to prove the single fact about his life that helped him to change it. Tony was asked by his Uncle Will never to reveal this secret to his siblings. Indeed, Uncle Will only told him, on the strict proviso that Tony swore on oath to maintain the family secret from his siblings as long as they lived.
The most important thing he discovered was about his birth. This was told to him 'in confidence' by Uncle Will and was to prove the single fact about his life that helped him to change it. Tony was asked by his Uncle Will never to reveal this secret to his siblings. Indeed, Uncle Will only told him, on the strict proviso that Tony swore on oath to maintain the family secret from his siblings as long as they lived.
Tony soon settled down at 'St Ignatius', especially after his Aunt Nadine arranged to get him into the school orchestra as well as arranging for private tuition for him from a dear friend who once trained with Yehudi Menuhin. Tony learned that the great violinist had first performed solo at the age of seven years in 'The San Francisco Symphony' in 1923 and had helped to establish 'The Nueva School' in the area of Hillsborough, California in the mid-60s. This was a school to promote gifted musicians.
Once the other pupils at the school learned that his smallness in size did not disturb Tony in any way whatsoever anymore, they stopped concentrating on it and referring to it. Tony had learned that bullying could only work when the person being bullied is prepared to become a 'victim' within the process. Besides, his musical accomplishment on the violin made him too valuable an asset to the school orchestra to risk his loss. Both teachers and pupils alike believed the possibility that they could have another violin maestro on their hands!
In Tony's fifteenth year of life, something very strange started to happen to him. It was hardly discernible at first, but he had started to grow a few inches and put on a bit of weight. This sudden spurt in growth corresponded with his joining a weight-lifting gym that his Uncle Will had recommended. His uncle had said it would help him build up a bit of vital body muscle. Initially, Tony found the weights exceptionally heavy to lift, but his perserverance eventually paid off.
Over the next five years, Tony started to engage in all of those sporting activities that truly tested his ability in keeping cool under the severest of pressure and which opened him to the experience of his highest fear level imaginable. He began by performing BMX bike stunts before progressing to motorbike scrambling and free-running activities, which involved risking life and limb. By the age of eighteen, Tony's time was divided into three; work, practising his violin music and engaging in all manner of dangerous sporting activities, such as mountain climbing, parachuting, base-jumping, hang gliding, high diving and ski jumping. He even surfed in shark-infested waters and rode the highest of waves.
Although he still loved playing his violin, Tony found his preferences in musical taste changing and he also found his daily hours of practice very onerous. Gradually, the young man, fuelled by a full tank of testosterone, became more and more interested in the opposite sex. By his twenty first year of life, Tony Walsh had grown into a handsome specimen of a young man of average height and better than average body physique! In his childhood, he had been forced to jump to the tune of bullies, but now, only he determined when he jumped and 'how high'.
Whether Tony was viewed with his shirt on or off, he was an Adonis of a man to behold and not surprisingly he attracted the admiring attention of females both far and wide. His uncle and aunt quickly noticed that their nephew seemed to go for one type of woman only. It didn't seem to matter how beautiful the women who liked him were. Unless they were natural redheads, Tony wasn't interested in even trying to get to know them. His Aunt Nadine once remarked to her husband, "That nephew of yours would turn down Marilyn Monroe, just because she wasn't a natural redhead!"
However many beautiful red-haired women Tony found himself initially attracted to though, he never found that vital spark present in his contact with the females he dated.
A year earlier, Tony had decided that although he was an extremely talented violinist, he wasn't quite good enough to be an orchestral professional as he didn't have the temperament to do all the hours of practice required to be a classical musician. Besides, he had developed a liking for much of the popular music of the day and wanted to explore this avenue and widen his repertoire. He considered himself enough of a fiddler to introduce the sound of the violin to the masses, besides making a few hundred extra dollars weekly playing in a tavern in down-town San Francisco. So he left the classical orchestra that he played in. He even left the lovely redhead Sara, who played violin in the orchestra also and with whom, his aunt and uncle hoped that he might one day settle down with and marry.
There was obviously something missing, but he couldn't precisely pinpoint what it was. He approached his Uncle Will and had a 'man to man' talk about his failure to find a woman that was right for him.
A year earlier, Tony had decided that although he was an extremely talented violinist, he wasn't quite good enough to be an orchestral professional as he didn't have the temperament to do all the hours of practice required to be a classical musician. Besides, he had developed a liking for much of the popular music of the day and wanted to explore this avenue and widen his repertoire. He considered himself enough of a fiddler to introduce the sound of the violin to the masses, besides making a few hundred extra dollars weekly playing in a tavern in down-town San Francisco. So he left the classical orchestra that he played in. He even left the lovely redhead Sara, who played violin in the orchestra also and with whom, his aunt and uncle hoped that he might one day settle down with and marry.
There was obviously something missing, but he couldn't precisely pinpoint what it was. He approached his Uncle Will and had a 'man to man' talk about his failure to find a woman that was right for him.
Approaching his Uncle Will one evening, Tony said, "I know that you are a behavioural counsellor and not a marriage counsellor, but I was wondering if you could give me some of your wise advice about this 'relationship problem'."
"And what problem is this you speak of, Tony? A chap with your looks should have no problems to speak of when it comes to finding a woman," his uncle replied.
"It's not finding them that's the problem," said Tony. "I seem well able to find them by the bucket load. No; it's keeping them or rather......it's finding the right one to keep that's the problem. It's as if there is only one pebble on the beach that will satisfy me and I haven't come across it yet and, I'm starting to think that I never will!"
After a long chat, it became apparent to Uncle Tony that none of the girls whom his handsome nephew was ever likely to meet in San Francisco would ever prove suitable in his eyes for a long-term relationship, so he told him as much.
"And why do say that?" Tony inquired.
"And what problem is this you speak of, Tony? A chap with your looks should have no problems to speak of when it comes to finding a woman," his uncle replied.
"It's not finding them that's the problem," said Tony. "I seem well able to find them by the bucket load. No; it's keeping them or rather......it's finding the right one to keep that's the problem. It's as if there is only one pebble on the beach that will satisfy me and I haven't come across it yet and, I'm starting to think that I never will!"
After a long chat, it became apparent to Uncle Tony that none of the girls whom his handsome nephew was ever likely to meet in San Francisco would ever prove suitable in his eyes for a long-term relationship, so he told him as much.
"And why do say that?" Tony inquired.
"If the boats down at Fisherman's Wharf only cast their nets shallow instead of going out to sea, then in all likelihood, they'd also come back to harbour empty-handed," Uncle Will said.
"Take these girls I know you have been out with over the past few years; every one of them a beauty in her own right. There's only one thing missing from each of them, my Boyo."
"Take these girls I know you have been out with over the past few years; every one of them a beauty in her own right. There's only one thing missing from each of them, my Boyo."
"And what would that be?" a curious nephew asked.
Uncle Will asked to be excused a moment as he went into Tony's bedroom and returned a few minutes later carrying a photograph that his nephew had kept at the side of his bed ever since his arrival in America many years ago. Passing Tony the framed photograph he simply said with a wry smile, "Because none of them are Mary Foggerty!"
"What has Mary Foggerty got to do with this?" a puzzled-looking Tony asked his uncle.
"Since the very first week that you arrived here eleven years ago, my Boyo, there hasn't been one single day between you getting out of and going back to bed when you haven't once mentioned the name of Mary Foggerty! There hasn't been one day or night when her photograph likeness in a basin hasn't graced your bedside cabinet. Now, you don't have to be much of a detective to know that you left Portlaw carrying a torch for her that has burned in your memory ever since. Put simply, she has remained an old flame who has never been extinguished in your mind. Even puppy love can grow to dog you in adulthood, my Boyo!"
"But...... Mary Foggerty will be a nun by now, so how can she possibly be influencing me still all those years after last seeing her?" Tony posed the question, adding, "We were only thirteen."
Uncle Will asked to be excused a moment as he went into Tony's bedroom and returned a few minutes later carrying a photograph that his nephew had kept at the side of his bed ever since his arrival in America many years ago. Passing Tony the framed photograph he simply said with a wry smile, "Because none of them are Mary Foggerty!"
"What has Mary Foggerty got to do with this?" a puzzled-looking Tony asked his uncle.
"Since the very first week that you arrived here eleven years ago, my Boyo, there hasn't been one single day between you getting out of and going back to bed when you haven't once mentioned the name of Mary Foggerty! There hasn't been one day or night when her photograph likeness in a basin hasn't graced your bedside cabinet. Now, you don't have to be much of a detective to know that you left Portlaw carrying a torch for her that has burned in your memory ever since. Put simply, she has remained an old flame who has never been extinguished in your mind. Even puppy love can grow to dog you in adulthood, my Boyo!"
"But...... Mary Foggerty will be a nun by now, so how can she possibly be influencing me still all those years after last seeing her?" Tony posed the question, adding, "We were only thirteen."
I honestly don't know and can't tell you, but I know that she is influencing you, every bit as much as if she was stood here in front of you now!" Uncle Will remarked.
"I remember the very first time I met your Aunt Nadine. She wouldn't even give me a second glance, and although she was 2,500 miles away from San Francisco and her family were Jewish, I just couldn't get her out of my head. She was living in New York at the time, and at great embarrassment and considerable expense to my purse, I kept going back twice a year; just on the off-chance that she would view me more favourably each time we met. Once lit, my torch for her never extinguished itself and it took more than four years and over $10,000 before she agreed to marry me."
"What made her change her mind?" Tony asked. "What swung it for you?
"I remember the very first time I met your Aunt Nadine. She wouldn't even give me a second glance, and although she was 2,500 miles away from San Francisco and her family were Jewish, I just couldn't get her out of my head. She was living in New York at the time, and at great embarrassment and considerable expense to my purse, I kept going back twice a year; just on the off-chance that she would view me more favourably each time we met. Once lit, my torch for her never extinguished itself and it took more than four years and over $10,000 before she agreed to marry me."
"What made her change her mind?" Tony asked. "What swung it for you?
"A good old fashioned bit of female jealousy eventually swung it my way," Uncle Will replied. "I arranged for her to catch me in the middle of a somewhat private moment with two sexed-starved blonde twins fighting over my body. From that moment on, she never let me out of her sight again and we were wed within the year; and in a Catholic Church! If there is one thing that women can't stand, Tony, it's female competition. They'll even abandon their religion before giving up the race for their man to another woman of determined mind!"
Over the following year, Tony would take his violin down to a nice quiet part of the beach he had found and he would practise to the background sound of the waves. Even though he no longer played in an orchestra and didn't practise six hours daily any more, he still needed to keep competent enough to bring him in some extra earnings. For the past two years, Tony had worked in a music store in the centre of San Francisco. He enjoyed his work and it fitted both his requirements and the interests of his employer to allow him to play his violin in the store during normal working hours.
In order to arrive at his secret beach spot, Tony would inevitably have to pass a bevy of beauties who sunbathed and swam in the San Francisco sea. Yet, despite their obvious beauty of face and body, none held any sex appeal for Tony.
In order to arrive at his secret beach spot, Tony would inevitably have to pass a bevy of beauties who sunbathed and swam in the San Francisco sea. Yet, despite their obvious beauty of face and body, none held any sex appeal for Tony.
On a Wednesday afternoon, the store would close for stocktaking and he would be allowed half a day off, in exchange for working half a day extra on a Saturday. Tony had long made it a habit of his to visit his favourite place on the beach every Wednesday afternoon, where he would practise his routine for the tavern for the coming Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
As Tony made his way to the part of the beach where he liked to rehearse, he saw a female laying in the sand. She had been sunbathing and had fallen asleep. His eyes were instantly drawn to the colour of her hair; it being a flaming red and the pile of clothes beside her, which covered up a long, thin case. Tony momentarily stared at her attractive body and passed quietly by without disturbing her.
As Tony made his way to the part of the beach where he liked to rehearse, he saw a female laying in the sand. She had been sunbathing and had fallen asleep. His eyes were instantly drawn to the colour of her hair; it being a flaming red and the pile of clothes beside her, which covered up a long, thin case. Tony momentarily stared at her attractive body and passed quietly by without disturbing her.
After searching out his favourite part of beach, Tony spread out his towel and began sorting out his belongings. He took the violin from its case and started to play. The notes from the instrument flew into the air as he started to play part of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor. Tony became quite carried away with his violin practice. When that classical piece was finished, Tony then changed the musical mood and started playing the jazz song of Louis Armstrong, 'What a Wonderful World', which was a favourite of his followers in the tavern where he played at weekends. He followed this rendition by the refrain of Acker Bilk's 'Stranger on the Shore'. The Acker Bilk tune was one of Tony's all-time favourites.
As Tony played 'Stranger on the Shore' on his violin, he started to imagine Acker Bilk accompanying him on the clarinet. Tony was so enraptured by the sound of the clarinet in his mind's eye that it felt like Acker Bilk was actually standing alongside him as he played. To Tony it was the type of afternoon dream that made this journey to the beach every Wednesday afternoon worth it.
As Tony played 'Stranger on the Shore' on his violin, he started to imagine Acker Bilk accompanying him on the clarinet. Tony was so enraptured by the sound of the clarinet in his mind's eye that it felt like Acker Bilk was actually standing alongside him as he played. To Tony it was the type of afternoon dream that made this journey to the beach every Wednesday afternoon worth it.
When he had finished playing his duet with Acker Bilk, he heard a voice from behind him. It was the gentle voice of a female. It was undoubtedly the voice of a female who possessed a touch of Irish brogue in her accent.
"Tony? Is that little Tony Walsh?" the voice asked sweetly. She held a clarinet in her left hand and had eye shadow in the colour of a rainbow. Tony looked at the image stood before him and blinked his eyes as though he was daydreaming.
"Tony? Is that little Tony Walsh?" the voice asked sweetly. She held a clarinet in her left hand and had eye shadow in the colour of a rainbow. Tony looked at the image stood before him and blinked his eyes as though he was daydreaming.
The image started to take focus and shape as Tony saw the red-haired female walking towards him. She held a clarinet in her hand, and Tony realised it to be the instrument which had accompanied him on the violin a few minutes earlier. As she got closer he looked at her for some recognition, but could hardly make out her likeness. The woman, beautiful as she was in her own individual way, had a face filled with freckles; freckles that were so prominent that it gave her the look of a thrush Goddess from some mysterious Planet of the Birds.
"It.............. it can't be!" Tony said as his eyes looked closer at the woman who approached him.
"I'm afraid it is, little Tony Walsh," the voice replied happily. "I'm afraid it is. How are you? By God, I've missed you, my Boyo!"
"Mary Foggerty! My God! Mary Foggerty. What a sight for sore Irish eyes!" Tony exclaimed in a tone of sheer happiness. "I thought you'd joined the convent of The Holy Sisters?"
The couple embraced with a touch that is rarely felt outside the bond of deepest happiness. For minutes, they stared into each other's eyes, before falling into embrace once again.
"I'm afraid it is, little Tony Walsh," the voice replied happily. "I'm afraid it is. How are you? By God, I've missed you, my Boyo!"
"Mary Foggerty! My God! Mary Foggerty. What a sight for sore Irish eyes!" Tony exclaimed in a tone of sheer happiness. "I thought you'd joined the convent of The Holy Sisters?"
The couple embraced with a touch that is rarely felt outside the bond of deepest happiness. For minutes, they stared into each other's eyes, before falling into embrace once again.
Tony and Mary talked over the next two hours and it was as if they had a lifetime of conversation to catch up with. As they walked back along the beach to collect their instruments and re-clothe, Mary could see when she looked up at Tony that he was now a good six inches taller than she was. Tony asked Mary where she was staying in San Francisco, she replied, "Oh, quite near your accommodation as it happens. In fact, to be more precise, you could say that we are next-door room guests. I'm being accommodated by your Uncle Will and Aunt Nadine."
On their way back to Uncle Will's and Aunt Nadine's house, Tony and Mary stopped off a the Eagle Cafe on Fisherman's Wharf. For over two hours, the couple talked, held hands across the table and looked into the eyes of the other. Tony learned that it had been the inquiries of his Uncle Will over the past ten months which had led to Mary being contacted. His uncle had apparently done all the detective work and had then left it in Mary's hands to decide whether she wanted to initiate contact with Tony.
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