Chapter 1: Pop In

Well, it’s now Jun 20, 2019. I’m 68y. But in my Old Body, I would be only 63.Huh?

Yep, I used to live in another body. OK, it’s a long story, and for another time. Basically, I died this very same year, 2019. After, I popped into this bodyand I’ve had an incredible life.

In my old body, my name was Ralf Lipshitz and I was living in Seattle. I had an okay life, but I always felt like I should have done more. I was never married nor had any kids. I had a few nice relationships over the years, but they were mostly in my 20’s and 30’s.

Anyway, the best I could figure out (later), was that I DIED. Don Wrinkles-the-Pug, was on my lap, as I wrote in my journal, in front of my Fireplace. I...

POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFF

All of a sudden, I was dizzy and my vision was blurred. I heard voices, I felt someone shaking me. When I was became conscious, I found that I was crumpled up on the ground with a lot of people around me. They asked if I was all right. I mumbled, “I guess, but I have a splitting headache?”

I was told that I was bleeding from a gash on the back of my head. I was told to just relax and someone would soon wrap my head with bandages to stop the bleeding.

When that was completed, I was helped to my feet to a tremendous roar. It seemed like thousands of people were clapping and cheering. I looked around. I was stunned, as I was on the grass field of a large ballpark somewhere.

Wait, I knew this place! I was in the outfield of Wrigley Field! I could tell, because the Red-Brick-Walls were covered with English Ivy. Only Wrigley has that, all other stadiums were smart enough to cover their walls with padding. Oh no, not the Chicago Cubs. Tradition, you see.

A cart was brought out and I was soon driven off the field. The cheering and standing ovation continued until we drove under the stands. They took me to the Cub’s Clubhouse(Locker Room).

It took a while, but I was finally examined by the Cubs’ trainer. He asked me the usual questions, like who I was, the day of the week, etc. I was clueless on how to respond though. I told him so. He said I must have a concussion, which was causing me some amnesia.

I thought this had to be a dream, but everything seemed so real. I had to find out what the hell was going on, so I asked my own questions. I knew I was at Wrigley Field in Chicago, but how did I get here? More important, who WAS I? And WHEN was this? Something was telling me that I was in the past. Like around 1970! Ernie Banks was there. So were Ron Santo, Randy Huntley etc. Well, here is what I was told. My name was Tommy “Pug” Anderson, and I was 18yo. The date was Sunday, Aug 3, 1969!

To cut to the chase, I went from having a so-so life in my old body, to being a Chicago Cub pro baseball player in my new body, Pug(or I guess me) had just played in his(my) first game in the “Bigs.” He(I) had caught out number three, in the top of the 9^th inning.That resulted in the Cubs winning the game.

They told me that Pug was the Cubs’ new “Up and Coming Player.” He had turned 18 in June. Since spring training, he’d been with the Tacoma Cubs, which was the Chicago Cub’s AAA Minor League Club. Pug had been “Called Up” to the parent club a couple days ago. Today had been his first time playing in a game though. He had “ridden the bench” until today. In the bottom of the 8^th inning, he had been brought in to Pinch-Hit for Ken Holtzman, the starting pitcher. Pug just missed hitting a homer, but the ball was caught just short of the wall, on the warning track. That was out number 3, in the bottom of the 8th.

For the top of the 9^th inning, Pug was kept in the game, replacing Don Young in Center Field. The Cubs were playing the San Diego Padres, and the Cubs were winning 4-3. Then “IT” happened. The bases were loaded with two outs and the count was full. The batter hit a long fly ball that was to Pug’s right. He jumped high in the air to make the catch. Unfortunately, as he caught the ball, his head hit the ivy-covered red brick wall, and ivy ain’t much of a cushion. At that point, something must have killed the “Old Pug,” because a split second later, Me, Myself and I, “Popped-In.”

I was confused, and when I finally realized what had happened, I went through a million thoughts and emotions. Hell, I knew the past, but until I was told, I didn’t know the present.

Hey, hold that thought. I KNEW THE PAST! I’d have to explore those possibilities, to see if I might be able to use some of my memories, as Ralf, to make some money. But first I had to figure out how to survive as Pug.

All of a sudden, a commotion came from the door to the clubhouse. When I looked up, I saw a “Drop Dead Gorgeous” girl pushing her way through the crowd to get to me. She was 5’9” and slim, with long, wavy, blond hair. She wore a Cubs t-shirt and low cut, “hip-hugger” bell-bottom jeans. Her face and smile were like a cherub. Also, she had a twinkle in her eyes even though I saw that she was upset. Wow! She was perfect! To me, she looked like a young Kate Hudson from the film “Almost Famous.”

It turned out she was Pug’s girlfriend and her name was Ali Lang. She was 17yo. Hey, chill out with your judgements. Sure, I had just been 63yo as Ralf, but I was now in an 18yo body as Pug. Oh well, “When in Rome!”

Everything I would encounter from here on out would be new to me, so I could re-invent my life. I now had an 18yo athlete’s body, with perfect eyesight, hearing & a full head of hair. Those had been declining in the old me for years. I could feel that my skin was tauter and more flexible. too.

Damn, I was gonna take advantage of this miracle, I would do everything in my power to share everything with this goddess that was wrapping me in her arms! As Ralf, I could only dream of attracting a woman like Ali.

She said she was worried about me. She had been sitting behind the Cub’s bench when I hit the wall. It took her awhile, but she finally convinced a guard that Pug really was her Boyfriend. After that she was allowed in to see me.

After an hour or so, Ali was told to take me to the emergency room so some tests could be done. The trainer was concerned and wanted a doctor to check me out. I was surprised that they were so casual about a concussion. But in 1969, it was almost the “Stone Ages,” as far as sports medicine, compared to 2019, when I died as Ralf.

Ali drove us in Pug’s 1966 Ford Mustang GT Convertible. It was candy apple red, with a blackt top and red interior. When I saw it, I thought Sweet! I told her that I had always wanted a Mustang convertible. She looked at me weird, but then realized my amnesia must be real.

Since the Cubs only played day games back then, we got to the ER around 5pm. Being a Cubbie had its good points though, as I was seen right away.

The doctors couldn’t find too much wrong with me. I possibly had a concussion and of course, the nasty gash on the back of my head. They stitched me up and then bandaged my head again. I was told that the gash would leave a nice scar. I’d have it for the rest of THIS life.

I laughed to myself when I looked in a mirror. I looked like “Massive Head Wound Harry” from Saturday Night Live with my head bandaged up the way it was. I still could tell that I had blond hair and a crew cut. Crew cut? Not very “Cool” in the summer of ‘69. But hey, the “New Me” was a stud-puppy! I was 6’3” and “Ripped.” I had muscles everywhere and “Abs of Steel.” I thought that I would immediately stop cutting my hair and grow a beard! I had usually had a beard as Ralf. Mostly I hated to shave every day!