Take Me Out to the Ball Game

“I merely do what I can and make myself available,” David says in his customary pastoral cadence. Just like a Shadow to shun the spotlight, the limelight, or to refuse to bask in the compliments of others. “If that is appreciated then I am happy.”

Something settles in David as he considers, the leather of the stool creaking with the movement. “I never thought that I would be one of the old men by the sea, dispensing wisdom. Especially when I first moved here, nearly two years ago.”

"Modesty eh? That too is the trait of a good leader," said with a knowing smile.

Suddenly DSavid took on a tone of reflection. "Well I have found that when it comes to those who live a long time, we aren't as timeless as some would believe. Change happens, whether we are open to it or not. Change in the times and change in those around us. The fact you are still here says more about you than anyone else's absence speaks about them. Because like all humans, those who adapt are the ones who survive. It is the survival of the fittest of course and your transformation into old man by the sea certainly shows you're surviving," Marco said with a shrug. As with all things, life constantly evolves, just like a conversation.

Marco's observations nearly sound almost Dragon-like in their tone and tenor. It misses something, David realizes, as he replays what the Carthian says. The Dragon wonders if he is right in that Marco really holds a nonchalant demeanor towards change or, if he plays at being so blasé. “Change,” the Grand Wyrm repeats half to himself as he decides to test the Myrmidon.

“So, to you, Change is just something that just occurs? A sort of...” Delicate fingers search the air for the right word, “unseen hand? A passive event?” Thoughts move back to Alvin Toffler's novel. The Future Shocked masses and the spiritual continuance, the now Present Shocked.

Marco turned his head up to the television ever so slightly and watched David from the corner of his eye. As David spoke he listened intently, then turned his face enough so that their eyes could meet again. "Actually, I believe we must guide the hand of change. We must act to create the change we desire. If left unchecked, the status quo will stay just that. But the thing is, change can happen with or without me, because even if I am not actively pursuing change, someone else very likely is. Saying it another way, if I don't direct fate, someone else will for me. Like I said, it is survival of the fittest, and you are the one who made yourself the fittest," he said, smiling faintly.

For those of the Ordo Dracul, everything is a test. A test given and a test taken. David intends to test the Kindred who sits with him. Simply put, to David the Movement seem to have their Change dictated to by the whims and folly of Kine, rather than the other way around. Even the Movement of Minneapolis seem so close to understanding Change but fall so far.

“Even the so-called fittest, make mistakes,” David states plainly. Nothing is permanent. Not he, not Marco, not even Margie's presence at the bar.

“I study Change and Causality,” reveals the Grand Wyrm as he glances back at the television screens. This, perhaps, is why David hasn't hooked readily to Marco's rhetoric. “The phrase 'survival of the fittest' isn't really used any longer – Natural Selection is more about reproduction than it is simple survival.” Obviously, only by very specific circumstances do Kindred 'reproduce.' “As it turns out the the term 'fittest' has been a bit … misunderstood. Social Darwinists co-opted it, hiding behind it to excuse slash and burn business practices.”

David waves away the thought and looks back to Marco, “Change happens, you are right. Denying it, is like denying the Earth is round. Cause and effect always must balance one another and that is what I find fascinating.” Change is not just necessary.

"That is certainly true," he said, nodding along to David's statement. "I guess I've always been a fan of the term for it's pop culture connections. I think of it like your profession for example, there must be stark differences between what you know to be true about your job and what the public believes you do. Well I must admit, sometimes I shy on the side of using the popular versions of concepts as a way to shortcut across understanding. I should know by now that you are not the kind to shortcut ideas with," he added with a look as if apologizing for underestimating David.


Putting up an open palm Marco said, "I give way to your understands of change. I just feel that change, in one way or another, is inevitable, so I try and be on the side of the one making the change. Now if I understand correctly, in your other job you study change in relation to us, correct?" He said it in such a way as to imply that he was not talking about mankind.

David's expression darkens when Marco mentions the public belief of what he does. It strikes a chord, like a hammer against the strains of dimly lit memories. “The public, as an entity, rarely gets things right; nor does it try to, despite evidence to the contrary.” A sullen remark for a gloomy group of memories.

Craning his neck, David watches Margie take care of customers before he pours a bit of his beer down a nearby sink. It maintains the illusion.

“No.” The Shadow answers as he sets what's left of his beer down by his elbow, “I study all Change and Causality. It wouldn't do me any good to narrow it down that far.” All Changes hold lessons to take, the falling dominoes and the flapping of a butterfly's wings hold equally important teachings. Briefly, David wonders if the Philadelphians have let slip a little too much about what the Order does in their pragmatism. “Besides,” David remarks, “Change does not occur in a vacuum.”

Marco noticed the change in expression in regards to the public's opinion but he didn't say anything. Clearly it was a sore subject. Instead he focused back on topic of change.

"That certainly makes sense. Sometimes I imagine change like a Rube Goldberg machine. Little pieces connected haphazardly that all work toward some end result. You can't usually tell what will happen from up close and sometimes you don't even know what the result will be when you look at the whole situation. I think the idea that small things can lead to vast changes is very fascinating, because you're right, it definitely doesn't happen in a vacuum."

Listening to Marco, David's left hand rises and forms a fist that comes to rest against his lips. His darkened expression fades as time marches ever onward. No longer is David the alienated boy and isolated man thrown aside by the public's willful ignorance.

He has transcended that condition.

“In sport,” David postulates, “a team makes a change to their line-up. That team begins to win. As a result, attendance of games goes up which forces a need for a new park. The old park is torn down and a new one erected in its place. The Economy of the area around that park sees a renaissance.” A beat as the Shadow then asks, “When did that Change begin?”

Marco thought for a moment over the Shadow's riddle. "There could be two answers from my perspective. One could be that the change started when the team felt they needed that first upgrade. They didn't change their line-up on a whim, there was a reason they chose to pick up a new player or switch out someone on the bench. That I think is most likely the start of the change." His beer was still sitting near full and noticed that the man next to him had just finished his. When he got up to use the rest room, and when no one else was watching, Marco switched their glasses so that it appeared that the man had gotten a new glass and Marco had finished his own.

He turned back, acting like nothing had happened and said, "on the other hand, it could be argued that there is an endless stream of changes and actions that cause every future change and action. Say they lost what they considered an easy game which is what caused the change in line up, was there some action the other team took to win the upset? And what caused their change. But if we're just looking at your scenario and not arguing for the latter endless option, than I believe it started with, in my extended example, the hypothetical upset win."