Grandfather's Last Race

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GRANDFATHER’S LAST RACE?

Chapter One of

The Mystery of the Phantom of the Racetrack

By

William E. Spear

Two Plus Plus Productions LLC

Clinton, New Jersey

www.TwoPlusPlus.com

[email protected]



Grandfather’s Last Race? i

Summary

In October 1929, Benjamin O’Brien competed in the

Gastonbury Invitational Automobile Race. It was 25-miles

long and he was leading towards the end.

On the last lap, he crashed into the wall. Four other

drivers slammed into him. One car flipped over the wall and

rolled into Lake Gastonbury.

The comatose O’Brien was rushed to the hospital for tests

and treatment but his condition did not improve. October’s

chill dragged into December’s snow. On Christmas Eve, as

his family left his hospital room, they wondered if they

had seen Grandfather’s Last Race.

Main Characters

Benjamin O’Brien Racecar driver living in Gastonbury,

Ohio. Husband of Isabella, father of

Thomas, grandfather of Tommy and Clair.

Isabella O’Brien Benjamin’s wife and his pit crew chief.

She and Benjamin have traveled around

the country racing for over thirty

years.

Thomas and Lucy Son and Daughter-in-law of Benjamin and

Isabella. Parents of Tommy and Clair.

Lucy is expecting their third child.

Tommy Eldest child of Thomas and Lucy.

Clair Second child of Thomas and Lucy.



Grandfather’s Last Race? 1

The Public Address Announcer boomed his words to the

audience of 5,000:

“With one lap to go in the 1929 Gastonbury

Invitational Auto Race, O’Brien has a huge lead.”

For 99 laps on the cool October evening, Benjamin O’Brien

pushed his car – The Banshee – as hard as its pistons,

valves and tires would tolerate. Through corner after

corner, he slid his car sideways with motor roaring and

wheels spinning. In turn after turn, he outdueled the great

European driver, Baron Spagnolo, and a field of local

drivers. Lap by lap, The Banshee responded by gradually

distancing itself from the other six cars.

The Public Address Announcer voiced the impending moment:

“O’Brien slides sideways through the first turn

with fountains of dirt spraying up from behind

his rear tires. He eases The Banshee into the

second turn and barrels into the backstretch.

Nothing can keep him from winning this race.”

Just then, his right front tire blew out. The Banshee

lurched into the wall, rolled side over side, and tumbled




along the backstretch. It came to a stop and the audience

waited for signs of life. He waved to the crowd, feebly to

be sure, but he was moving and began climbing out of his

car. When he saw the six other drivers bearing down on him,

he stuffed himself back into his car and braced for impact.

The other drivers roared out of the second turn, four

across, with the Baron on the inside. When he saw O’Brien’s

car crumpled in the middle of the track, he veered across

the other drivers and slammed into the nose of The Banshee.

The Baron’s car ripped through the wall and tumbled down

the hill towards Lake Gastonbury.

Three of the other drivers braked furiously but crashed

into O’Brien. Smoke engulfed the track and hung in the cool

night air. The Public Address Announcer sorted the scene:

“An emergency crew is crowded around the drivers.

It’s hard to see exactly what is happening with

so many people on the track. They’ve stepped back

to allow the ambulance in. Oh, no, it cannot be.

Ladies and gentlemen, O’Brien is not moving. He

is laying face down in the middle of the track

and not moving.”




Benjamin O’Brien would not move for a long time.

~ ~

The ambulance carried O’Brien to the hospital amidst a

blaze of medical alarms and flashing lights. He was wheeled

into an examining area and subjected to tests on his brain,

spine, and heart. He neither spoke nor smiled. He neither

opened his eyes nor moved any part of his body. He simply

breathed.

And during the entire time, his wife, Isabella, was beside

him. She never let him out of her sight while the doctors

and nurses examined him.

After the tests were done, and with no conclusive results,

he was transferred into a room. Isabella sat in a chair

next to O’Brien’s bed. She leaned forward to see the

fullness of the features of his face. She was exhausted

from the day’s events and terrified by the condition of her

husband. She looked for a sign of consciousness but found

none. Slowly she sat back in her chair and promptly fell

asleep.




~ ~

Early the next morning, Thomas O’Brien, Benjamin and

Isabella’s son, silently entered the hospital room. His

wife, Lucy, who was expecting their third child,

accompanied him. They saw Isabella sprawled over the side

of the chair, quietly stepped out of the room, and down to

the hospital’s lobby to buy her a breakfast of coffee,

eggs, and toast.

As they gently woke her, she groggily protested that she

was only resting her eyes for a moment and couldn’t think

of eating anything. But she devoured the meal and Thomas

went back to the lobby for a second helping.

The two women sat beside O’Brien. His wife immediately next

to his bed and Lucy a foot behind her. Neither spoke until

Isabella asked how the yet-to-be-born baby was doing.

“Funny thing about this one,” Lucy said. “Hadn’t felt much

until last night. Suddenly, the child was kicking and

moving like he had somewhere to go.”

Isabella offered a half-hearted smile, a bit of a laugh,

and asked when the kicking had begun. Lucy said that as




best she could remember it was around ten o’clock. “That

was just after Benjamin’s crash,” said Mrs. O’Brien. Lucy

quickly added that she was certain that he’d be well soon.

“He’ll get better,” Mrs. O’Brien added. “Soon.”

~ ~

But October’s chill turned into November’s frost and then

December’s snow. Thomas and Lucy bought a small pine tree

for the hospital room. Their two children, Tommy and Clair,

decorated it with tinsel and ornaments and piled gifts all

around. Isabella strung holiday cards and well-wishes on

the walls. But no amount of Christmas cheer and sparkle

changed O’Brien’s condition.

During the same time, the Lucy’s belly continued to grow

and swell. On the afternoon of the day before Christmas,

Lucy, Thomas and the children were preparing to leave the

hospital room and go home. When Lucy stood to say goodbye,

she grabbed her side and gasped for air. Thomas caught her

and gently sat her down in a chair.




“Apparently,” she said as the pain subsided. “This one is

not ready to leave.” Everyone laughed and Isabella

encouraged them to leave quietly so the soon-to-be-born

baby wouldn’t know any better. Thomas, Lucy, and the kids

left offering Merry Christmas wishes. Isabella made Thomas

promise that Lucy would get a good night’s sleep.

~ ~

But Lucy did not get a good night’s sleep. Several hours

went by and she was not sleeping at all. Every time she

closed her eyes, she saw her father-in-law lying in the

hospital.

Near midnight, she slipped out of bed and into the kitchen

for a glass of water. When she lifted it to her lips, the

pain rammed into her again from the inside out. She dropped

the glass and called out loud, “Thomas!”

~ ~

Back in the hospital room, Isabella’s sleep was equally

fitful. Over and over she saw Benjamin’s car crash and

tumble on the racetrack. The ambulance ride – complete with




screaming sirens and flashing lights – repeated itself

endlessly.

The clock struck off the hours - eleven, twelve midnight

and an especially vivid image, then two, and three.

Finally, at three forty-seven she collapsed from

exhaustion.

A few hours later, just after seven, she woke up. Her

husband was gone.

# End of Chapter One #

Grandfather's Last Race

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