Part Three - Ben’s Story #2
“Joseph's dad overthrew him. I was coming up the sidewalk. I dodged the ball as it whizzed past my head. Trying to be helpful, I reached down, picked up the ball, and threw it back to Mr. Brad. In that minute, my life changed. Mr. Brad coached Joseph’s baseball team.
He was so impressed with my arm that he invited me to join his team.
It took some convincing, but eventually, my mom let me join the team.
Almost overnight, I lost interest in everything but baseball. "
"Okay," said Harvey as he continued to make notes and record the interview, "so baseball becomes your focus. Did that continue once you moved to Searcy?"
"Oh yes, it only got more intense. I played on traveling teams and then pitched for the Lions.
We won three state championships. We did have an awesome coach.
Coach Davis and I are still close. I greatly respect him.
I also played in college until I almost blew out my rotator cuff in my junior year.
I was lucky. I did not have to have surgery, but my playing days are over.
That was a hard pill to swallow. Crazy thing, my dad had the same issue in college.
Sometimes it feels like we are so connected on so many levels even though I didn't even know he existed the first half of my life. "
"Well, before we dive too deeply into your high school and college years, let's go back to when you met your dad."
"Okay, what do you want to know?"
"What do you remember about the first time you met him?"
"Hum, let's see. The first time I met Dad was actually at a baseball game.
I saw him talking with my mom by the stands.
I could tell that Mom was acting weird, even from the dugout.
Even though it took some convincing to get her to let me play baseball, she was my biggest fan once I started playing.
Normally, she would be the loudest mom in the stands.
I got a double, and she did not even notice.
Once I got on base, I looked up and saw her arguing with a guy in a suit.
Since everyone else was dressed in jeans and sports gear, the guy stood out. "
"Did you meet him that day?"
"Yes, I did. After the game, my mom introduced him to me. She said he was an old friend from Arkansas. Honestly, I had forgotten my mom was even from Arkansas."
"What was that first meeting like?"
"Well, truthfully, what I remember most is that we all went for pizza afterward with the whole team. My dad slipped me a twenty to play video games. I think he just wanted to spend time with my mom.”
“When we left, I expected to go home with Joe and his dad.
I was shocked when this big town car pulled up.
My dad pulled my mom off to the side. The next thing I knew, we were driving uptown to see the view from his hotel suite.
When we got there, Dad took us out on one of the balconies to look at the city.
It was so beautiful. Dad pointed out various constellations and asked me about baseball and school. "
"Did he tell you he was your dad during that first visit?"
"Oh no. I did not find that out until much later."
"Well, what happened after that?"
"Well, we ended up watching a movie about baseball. I fell asleep on the couch. The next thing I remembered was waking up there the next morning. I got up and went looking for my mom. She was asleep in the second bedroom in the suite. My dad was already up and talking on the phone. When he saw me, he ended the call, handed me the room service menu, and told me to order anything I wanted.”
Giving an eleven-year-old boy free rein to order anything he wants to eat is a ridiculously bad idea.
I think I ordered everything on the breakfast menu except the English muffins.
Even then, I hated English muffins. Dad and I were working through our breakfast smorgasbord when Mom entered the living area.
Dad told us he had to return to work for a few days but would be back on Saturday for Mom. I think she had to come back to Arkansas for something. I did not care because I was staying at Joe's all weekend.
"Did you see him when he came to take your mom to Arkansas?"
"Maybe for like a minute. But, honestly, I was so excited to have two days to play video games; that was about all I was focused on.”
"So when did you see him next?" asked Harvey, trying to ensure he kept the relationship timeline accurate.
"When my mom came back, she was different.
She told me we were going to North Carolina for several weeks.
She switched me to homeschooling. I started seeing my dad on weekends.
He would fly over to see us. He had rented a house for all of us on Caswell Beach.
We spent the next several months there. Anyway, the first night we were there, Mom and Dad sat me down and told me that Bennett was my biological dad.
They also told me he was a senator, and we had to keep it all quiet. "
"How did you feel learning Bennett was your dad?"
"Well, I was fine with that. I had already lost two dads, one to illness and one to love.
Uncle Jack was still in my life, but not like he had been when I was younger.
However, I was pissed as hell that I had to move and leave my school, Joe, and baseball.
I think I made my mother's life a living hell during those months.
Imagine a kid thinking his life is over because he has to move to the beach.
I would love it now. But then, I was pretty awful.
I must remember to apologize to my mom when I see her later. "
"Did they tell you he was a senator or that he was being considered as a possible cabinet secretary after the presidential election?"
"They talked about him being a senator and that we had to keep everything secret. I don't remember them mentioning the other part about the election. I remember wondering why he lived in DC if he was from Arkansas."
"Did they tell you that he was married?"
"No, they definitely did not."
"Why do you think they left that part out?"
"Probably because I was just a kid and would not have been able to understand it, much less process it. Honestly, I had enough to process finding out I had a new dad and having to move."
"You said you all three spent a lot of time together. Do you know if your dad and mom had become a couple by then?"
"You know, I don't think so. Until after my dad's divorce from Taylor, I never saw my parents kiss. Lordy, after that, I could not get them to stop kissing. That is how I ended up with two little sisters I never saw coming."
"So you were all together, but you don't think your parents were romantically involved?"
"Correct. Looking back, I can see that the feelings they had for each other were obvious, but no, I don't think they were together, together, if you know what I mean. Ewww. This is so gross. I mean, those are my parents, dude. Can we talk about something else?"
"Sure," said Harvey, nodding. He got it. No one ever wanted to think about their parents and sex in the same sentence. Changing directions, he asked, "How did your life change after the press discovered what was happening in July 2012?"
"Well, Mom and I came to Searcy for a visit.
We were staying in a condo in River Oaks.
I remember we had gone out for snow cones after my first-ever golf lesson at the Country Club.
There was an award-winning golf pro who gave lessons, Bruce Baxley.
He and Dad had been friends for years. Dad arranged for me to have a lesson from him.
I remember it was a lot of fun but so hot.
I had to carry my bag and not being accustomed to the heat, I thought I was going to die.
When we came back to the condo, a news crew drove up in a van. A reporter jumped out and started asking Mom and me a ton of questions about my dad, mom, and Aunt Taylor. At the time, I had no idea who Taylor was. Mom hustled me into the house as quickly as possible."
"What did you say to the reporters?"
"I was so stunned by it all that I don't think I said anything. Dad and Mom had made it pretty clear that I was not to talk about who my dad was. Once back in the house, we closed the blinds and sequestered ourselves there for the rest of the day. The news crew camped out on the street all day. Mom told me not to turn on any lights as it started getting dark. I was sitting in my room playing my cello. I remember my mom coming into my room and telling me to get my stuff and to quietly go to the car. I remember being scared when we had to drive through the horde of reporters, all yelling questions at us as we drove away. The whole experience left me terrified.”
"As we drove through the night, I remember asking Mom where we were going.
She said we were going someplace where no one would find us.
I also remember asking her who Taylor was.
When she said my dad's wife, I understood why we had to keep everything quiet.
It was such a shock. By this point, my dad had become my hero.
In an instant, I lost all respect for him. I realized why he had kept us hidden."
"You and your dad have a great relationship now. What happened to change how you felt about him?"
"Time. Maturity and learning all the facts.
I realize now that my parents were dealing with a lot.
To my dad's credit, even though my mom kept me hidden from him for years, he never blamed her for that or tried to use that against her.
I don't know if I would be so forgiving if someone kept my child from me. "
"Okay, so let's get back to your story. You and your mom are driving through the night. Where did you go, and what happened next?"