Kasparov does Disneyland.

Not long after the giant 'Gund' bear arrived at our tiny flat, Garry rang me up.
"Jennifer?" the recognizable voice said.
"Yes...?"
"I want to tell you.."
"Garry - I'm so sorry!" I interrupted. "I'm so sorry I left like that. It was really awful of me!"
A silence on the other end of the line.
"You KNOW I couldn't call you - or write to you! I don't have a number for you - or an address or anything!" I blathered on. (was he still really mad?)
More silence.
"I LOVE the bear! It's so amazing! So beautiful! MAX LOVES the bear! And your letter worked! I have been feeling TERRIBLY guilty! Just HORRIBLE!....just TERRIBLY guilty and... ashamed of myself, if you want to know the truth."
Silence.
"Are you still there?"
"I am here."
Now it was my turn to be quiet. I didn't know what to say.
"I was just calling you to let you know that I will be on television tomorrow night."
More silence from me. I was shocked. He sounded so SWEET! He wasn't scolding me, or ...anything!
"Just in case you would want to see it." Garry said. His voice was so different! Gentle as a kitten. Warm.
"Ok. " I finally said. "What is it? What ...what time,what channel?"
"David Letterman. Tomorrow night. Do you know that show?"
DID I KNOW THAT SHOW!!!!??????????
"Of COURSE I know that show! I love that show! That's great! What are you on for?"
"Well, for chess, naturally."

Garry didn't tell me anything more about it. He was shockingly humble about the whole thing - especially considering how he had seemed before. He didn't ever mention that he was playing a computer that loads of people had programmed TO BEAT HIM. And that it was a world news event. He was a VERY smart man. But, unlike some other VERY smart men - that only know how to do one thing - or, you know, operate within a certain bubble - he was smart OUTSIDE of his expertise. I mean, I knew that already. Because of the bear and the letter. I have been thinking about that bear. And I have come to the conclusion that it was the very BEST present I have ever received. And I have received some good ones. But that Bear accomplished his mission, stayed in my family for YEARS, beloved by myself and ALL of my children, and by golly - I do believe it was the best present I have ever received. Over diamonds, silk robes, tool boxes - even a dishwasher (Which I LOVE!)
But my POINT, really, is that I think Garry figured out what did NOT work with me very quickly, and changed his course. Many brilliant scientists and mathematicians are simply NOT capable of doing something like this.

Hilary and I watched Garry on David Letterman the next night, screaming with delight. Max came into the room, rubbing his hair, looking grumpy - like a grown up man, disturbed from his sleep.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Nothing, nothing. Go back to bed, honey!"
"That's the man who sent the BEAR!" Hil couldn't resist, pointing at our TV screen.
"Oh." said Max. "Why's he on TV?"
"Be-CAUSE,"I said, "he is one of the smartest men in the world, and he was smart enough to send YOU a great, big BEAR!" I replied."Now - go to bed!"

Two weeks later, Garry called and asked if he could take me on a second date. He was coming to LA, and he wanted to take Max and I to Disneyland. Talk about a 180! I told him I would love to go, and consequently, Max's first time going to Disneyland, was in a stretch limo with full on VIP passes, so that we didn't have to wait in line for anything. No WONDER this kid has turned out the way that he has.

My two biggest memories of that second date, were these:

1. Watching Garry Kasparov in the stretch limo with Max. It was the first time they were meeting, and I was COMPLETELY intrigued with how patient and full of good humor Garry was with such a little, rambunctious boy.He was wearing jeans this time. No suit to Disneyland. And I caught his eye a few times. His guard was down.He looked at me in a very different way.
"Wow, " I thought, "he IS twenty eight."

2. We went on 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. It was ALMOST - or I should say - REALLY my first time at Disneyland. The only time I had been before was with Noah Blake - but it was to see Pearl Bailey sing. And, although it WAS magical - really, really magical (I mean that) - we didn't go on any rides or anything.SO - it was my first time on 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. I loved it. It's still my favorite ride, after all these years. But MAX was very young - and he was SCARED!
He was sitting in between Garry and I, and I remember exactly what Garry did.
He put one hand on Max's chest, very firmly, and his other hand went to the side of Max's head.
"It's ok." Garry said."They are just dolls. Not real."
Max shook his head and whimpered. They looked pretty real to him.They were moving and talking and everything - AND it was really dark!
"No. It's ok. They are just dolls with mechanics. Like robots." Garry said. He looked at Max carefully."If you are too scared, just close your eyes. We will be back in the sunshine in three minutes."
Max looked at Garry, who nodded his head reassuringly, and then closed his eyes tight. Then Max pulled a classic kid move, pulling Garry's hand over so that it covered his ear.
Just as parents are so apt to do, my brain was halfway in Max's. I was so tuned in to his fears and happiness, and I thought, "That is exactly what I would want if I were a little kid. Garry's hand on his chest is making him feel like he won't fall out of the tram when it goes fast or down a hill."
I looked at Garry in the darkness of the 'Pirate' ride. And he looked at me. He looked happy. And suddenly I was very, very happy.

The only other thing about Disneyland was watching Garry in the 'Small World' ride. Ah! I am laughing now about this! It was kind of surreal to watch Garry Kasparov taking in the 1950's version of Disney's Russia in that ride. All of the countries are so funny - and must be SO ridiculous to the people who come there from all over the world and see their country represented in that bizarre canal ride! I looked at him to see what he would think about the 'Russian' dolls, and he just looked back at me and rolled his eyes.
I mean - WHAT would another country do if they were portraying the USA in doll/song form today? I mean, SERIOUSLY!? WHAT??? Guns? Fat people eating McDonalds? What is OUR stereo-type in the world? What do we HAVE that all of these amazing immigrants have not brought from some other place? I mean - WE have .....DISNEY! A brilliant European Jew, who brought European (and later other cultures) fairy tales to life!

But I am distracted.
Back to the story.

When we got back to the apartment, it was pretty late. I took Max up to Hil, while Garry waited for me in the limo. I came back down to say goodnight.

"Thank you for such an amazing day!" I said, meaning it.
"It was better than New York?" Garry asked me, playfully.
"I don't blame you if you are still mad about that."
"I was never really mad." Garry said. "Just hurt."
Oh! That killed me.
"I'm sorry." I whispered.
He pulled me onto his lap, and held me like a child. There was no more talking. Only kissing. He ran his strong hands over my shoulders, my arms, my back. Such strong hands for a chess player. As we fogged up the windows of the limo, at least ten things ran through my mind - but ultimately, my body won that battle, and my brain melted into liquid butter.

"May I see you tomorrow night?" Garry asked, finally.
"Yes."
"It might not be very fun for you." he said, as he kissed my ear and the nape of my neck.
"Uh, hu." I managed. I didn't care.
"I have a business dinner I must attend. But I would love it if you could be with me." he breathed into my hair.
I would have gone to Siberia with him at that moment.
"Yes! " I told him as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Yes. I want to be with you." I couldn't resist running my hands through his lovely, thick hair. "I want to be with you tomorrow night.I don't care where." I kissed him on his lips. "I'll be good." I kissed him again. "I promise."