EPILOGUE
PART 1
Now, addressing this business of Orange Stadium. Where does Sarina stand on Orange Mascot? Lots of people say she makes much more of him than he deserves.
Well, to that Sarina says. Why not? He is the face that is all and all good as far as Sports Mascots. Some might even say he stands alone. Sarina gave up trying to watch other sports teams as soon as she met Orange Mascot.
The story really begins when Sarina got back to town after visiting Orange Stadium some months ago. She was spending a week or so there, as she generally did during Hoops Season, but had to break short the visit to come back to get a new Valet.
They sent Soldier Sam.
Sarina will always remember the morning he came. It so happened that the night before she had been present at a rather cheery little supper, and was feeling pretty rocky. On top of this she was trying to read a book Orange Mascot had given her.
You see, Orange Mascot was particularly interested on boosting Sarina up a bit nearer his own plane of Hoops event making. She was a girl with a wonderful profile, but also steeped in serious purpose.
Sarina can't give you a better idea of the way things stood than by telling you that the book Orange Mascot had given her given her read was called "Orange you Glad You are a Cuse Fan?" and that when Sarina opened it at random she struck a page beginning:--
Orange Mascot was so Exhausted after executing the Hoops Mission he decided to run over to eat at his favourite restaurant that served Orange Soda, as well as Orange Gluten-Free Pizza.
Perfectly understandable no doubt; but not the sort of thing to spring on Sarina the morning after such a party..
Sarina was doing her best to skim through this bright little volume when the bell rang. Sarina crawled off the sofa and opened the door. A kind of tragic sort of respectful Soldier Sam was standing on the porch.
"I was sent by the Orange Agency, Sarina," Soldier Sam said. "I was given to understand that you required a valet."
Sarina would have preferred someone completely opposite of Solider Sam; but she told him to stagger in, and he floated noiselessly through the doorway. That impressed Sarina from the start. Solider Sam didn't seem to have any trouble walking at all. He just streamed in. He had a sympathetic face, as if he, too, knew what it was to party so hard the night before.
"Excuse me, Sarina," Soldier Sam said kindly.
Then he seemed to flicker, and wasn't there any longer. Sarina heard him moving about in the kitchen, and presently he came back with a glass of Orange Juice on a tray.
"If you would drink this, Sarina," Soldier Sam said. “It is a little preparation of my own invention. A lot of people have told me they have found it extremely invigorating after a late evening."
Sarina would have clutched at anything that looked like a life-line that morning and tried it out. For a moment Sarina felt as if the drink was running through her mouth with a lighted torch, and then everything seemed suddenly to get all right. The sun shone in through the window; birds twittered in the tree-tops; and, generally speaking, hope dawned once more.
"You're the Best!" Sarina said, as soon as she could say anything.
Sarina perceived clearly that Orange Stadium was one of the world's wonders, the sort no world should be without.
"Thank you, Sarina. My name is Solider Sam."
"You can start in at once?" asked Sarina.
"Immediately, Sarina” Solder Sam replied.
"Because I'm due over at Orange Stadium soon."
"Very good, Sarina." Solider Sam looked past her at the mantelpiece. "That is an excellent likeness of Orange Mascot, Sarina.
Solider Sam couldn't tell Sarina anything she didn't know about Orange Mascot.
Sarina had known Orange Mascot ever since she was a kid, and at this point in the proceedings there was another ring at the front door. Soldier Sam shimmered out and came back with a telegram. Sarina opened it. It ran:
Return immediately. Extremely urgent. Catch first train.
Always Yours,
Orange Mascot
Orange Mascot knew Sarina was going to visit Orange Stadium later in the week anyway; so why the hurry call?
Something must have happened, of course; but Sarina couldn't see what on earth it could be.
"Soldier Sam," Sarina said, "We will be going down to the Orange Stadium to visit Orange Mascot presently. Can you manage it?"
"Certainly, Sarina." assured Soldier Sam.
"You can get your packing done and all that?" asked Sarina.
"Without any difficulty, Sarina“. Soldier Sam sounded confident.
"All right, then," Sarina said.
"Yes, you can be sure of that Solider Sam said."
And then Soldier Sam went away to collect his kit, while Sarina started in again on "Why Orange Mascot exercises to Stay in Shape" and took a stab at a chapter headed "Using the Orange Express Lane to Prep for Orange Hoop Games is a State of Mind onto Itself.”
Most of the way down in the train that afternoon, Sarina was wondering what could be up at the other end. Sarina simply couldn't guess what happened.
Was Orange Mascot in Trouble? He wouldn't have let anything crazy go on in his house. He wasn’t a real Party Animal He was just finishing writing a History of Orange Hoops or something, which he had been working on for several years, and didn't stir much from the library.
He was rather a good instance of the sort to in the past, throw caution to the wind and not have a care in the world. You would never have thought it to look at him now.
"Sarina, you remember asking me, when you left, to make myself pleasant to the Orange Mascot? Solider Sam asked Sarina.
"Yes, of course. Sarina replied."
The idea being, of course, that at the time Sarina was more or less dependent on Orange Mascot so her choice of Valet Services probably wouldn’t happen without his approval. And though Sarina knew he wouldn't have any objection to Soldier Sam, Sarina didn’t want to take any chances; so she told Solider Sam to make an effort to fascinate Orange Mascot.
"You told me it would please him particularly if I would read some of his History of Orange Hoops." Soldier Sam confirmed.
"Wasn't he pleased?" asked Sarina
"He was delighted. He just finished writing the thing I read nearly all of it right away. I have never had such a shock in my life, Soldier Sam commented. The book is an outrage. It is impossible. It is horrible!"
"C’mon, it couldn’t have been as bad as all that." Sarina responded.
"It is not a History of Orange Hoops at all. Orange Mascot has written his personal perspective! He calls them 'Recollections of a Too Busy Life'!"
Sarina began to understand. As Sarina knew, Orange Mascot had been somewhat on the rough side at times, and it began to look as if he might have turned out something that would grab the headlines if he had started recollecting his long life.
"If half of what he has written is true," said Soldier Sam, "Orange Mascot’s time he spent year-round in years past must have been perfectly appalling. The moment I began to read he plunged straight into a most scandalous story of how he was thrown out of a music hall.
"Why?" asked Sarina
"I decline to tell you why." replied Solider Sam
It must have been something pretty bad. It must have taken a lot to make them chuck people out of music halls, said Sarina.
"Orange Mascot specifically states he had drank a full 1.75L of Bourbon before beginning the evening," Solider Sam went on. "The book is full of stories like that.
"Oh, well, I shouldn't worry, Sarina said No publisher will print the book if it's as bad as all that."
"On the contrary, Sarina. Orange Mascot told me that all negotiations are settled and they have agreed to send a copy out with every single Orange Hoops Ticket this year. It will be an immediate publication. They make a special thing of that sort of book. They published Santa’s North Pole Memories the minute he finished it.
"Well when I tell you that Santa’s North Pole Memories are simply not to be compared with Orange Mascot’s Recollections, you will understand what I am saying. The many exploits of his best friend appear in nearly every story in the book! I am horrified at the things he did!”
"What's to be done?" asked Sarina.
"The manuscript must be intercepted before it reaches the Orange Stadium Distribution Center, and destroyed!"
Sarina thought this sounded rather sporting.
"How are you going to do it?" Sarina inquired.
"How can I do it, replied Solider Sam ? Didn't I tell you the parcel goes off the day before the Orange Game? I have a pre-arranged social obligation and won’t be back until later on. You must do it. “
"What!" Sarina reacted with shock.
Solider Sam gave Sarina a look.
"Do you mean to say you refuse to help me, Sarina?"
"No; but--I say!" Sarina couldn’t find the right words.
"It's quite simple, Sarina" Soldier Sam was insistent.
"But even if I--What I mean is--Of course, anything I can do--but--if you know what I mean----" said Sarina
"You say you want to me to be your Valet, Sarina?"
"Yes, of course; but still----" said Sarina
"I will never be your valet if those Recollections are published."
"But, Soldier Sam!" said Sarina
"I mean it. You may look on it as a test, Sarina. If you have the resource and courage to carry this thing through, I will take it as evidence that you are the real deal. If you don‘t do it, I will know that the agency was right when they advised me strongly not to be your valet.
It will be perfectly simple for you to intercept the manuscript, Sarina. It only requires a little resolution."
"But suppose Orange Mascot catches me at it? He'd cut me off!." Sarina replied.
"If you care more for Orange Mascot than for me, Sarina----"
"No, no! Rather not!" said Sarina
"Very well, then. The parcel containing the manuscript will, of course, be placed on the hall table for the delivery guy to take to the Orange Stadium Distribution Center. All you have to do is to take it away and destroy it. Then Orange Mascot will think it has been lost in the post."
It sounded like a questionable plan to Sarina.
"Hasn't he got a copy of it?" Sarina asked.
"No; it has not been typed, said Solider Sam. “He is sending the manuscript just as he wrote it."
"But he could write it over again." Sarina responded.
"As if he would have the energy!" Soldier Sam said.
"But----" Sarina hesitated.
"If you are going to do nothing but make ridiculous objections, Sarina----"
"I was only pointing things out." Sarina said
"Well, don't! Once and for all, will you do me this quite simple act of kindness?" asked Soldier Sam.
The way he put it gave Sarina an idea.
"Why don’t you do it, Solider Sam? Keep it a Valet type of thing, kind of, don't you know."
The idea didn't seem to strike Soldier Sam.
"I will do nothing of the kind, Sarina. I wonder you can't appreciate the compliment I am paying you--trusting you like this."
"Oh, I see that all right, but what I mean is, You would do it so much better than I would, Solider Sam. It’s clear by now that you are up to all sorts of dodges, good at taking cover and what not.
"Sarina, will you or will you not do this perfectly simple thing for me? If not, say so now, and let us end this business of pretending that you give a flying fuck about me."
"Oh, all right," Sarina said. "All right! All right! All right!"
Sarina had agreed to Stop Orange Mascot’s Insubordination. Would she be successful?
We will find out the answer to that question at the next Orange Hoops Game!
“The EXCLUSIVE Live Interview with Orange Mascot!!”
Sarina stood in the recording booth, took a deep breath and looked down at the Orange legal pad with her handwritten notes on it. Sarina was getting ready to record the introduction to a program entitled: “The Truth Behind Orange Mascot Legend”
It had been Sarina’s idea. The show would feature her interviewing Orange Mascot just before the Big Game, getting to know the real character behind the myth.
Television stations seemed interested in Sarina’s pitch at first. However, when she told them who she would like to have as her first guest, Orange Mascot, she was out of luck at station after station.
None of them believed it could be possible since no reporter had ever interviewed Orange Mascot, so how could Sarina? But Sarina never stopped believing in her project.
There was an audience for this, Sarina knew it. But, the more she got rejected, the more uncertain she became. Eventually, a local Orange television station, Orange Stadium Broadcasting Company, or OSBC, had just started broadcasting, and were looking for program ideas. Sarina went along fully expecting to be disappointed, again, but the idea caught their interest.
“Soldier Sam!” Sarina shouted, bringing him back to the recording booth. “Earth to Soldier Sam! Are we recording this or would you rather do it live?”
“It’s for sure going to be LIVE, Sarina!” Let's do a pre-record to play before you go on stage to meet Orange Mascot.” Soldier Sam decided.
Sarina replied “OK, this is going to be called “Orange Mascot’s Reality: The Truth Behind The Legend”, introduction, take one.” Sarina was really unsure how this would go but once she started to speak, the doubts evaporated.
“Every Game, a mythical creature delivers prizes and jumps from the Free Throw Line for a spectacular Slam Dunk for the pleasure of everyone at the Game. I am talking, of course, about Orange Mascot.” Sarina began.
But, is the excitement felt by Orange Fans shared by Orange Mascot? Or is this only a job to him? Find out this, and more, tonight on “Orange Mascot: The Truth Behind The Legend.”
“Great, says Sarina, that's a wrap for now. Thank you Soldier Sam we’ll see you tonight for the live show.”
Sarina left the station feeling excited, she grabbed something to eat at a local pizzeria, took a walk to clear her head and tried not to think about the fact that in a few hours she would be hosting an unprecedented live television programme interviewing Orange Mascot!
“What if I mess this opportunity up?” Sarina said to herself. “OSBC had taken a big chance, allowing me to make this pilot. Sarina did not want to let the entire world down.
Sarina arrived at Orange Stadium still trying to believe this was actually happening. “What if Orange Mascot wasn't the nice guy everybody thought he was?” Orange Mascot had seemed a bit surprised at first, avoiding Sarina’s phone calls.
Only when she offered him an exclusive interview for the entire world to get to know the real Orange Mascot did he somewhat reluctantly agree.
But there was no time for Sarina to worry about these things now. Sarina went backstage while her pre-recorded introduction played through the speakers. A microphone was pinned to her lapel and then Sarina was hurried out on stage.
“3...2...1… And we’re live!”
“Good evening and welcome to Orange Mascot LIVE: The Truth Behind The Legend. I'm your host, Sarina, my guest for my first ever show, as you might have guessed from my introduction, is the one and only Orange Mascot, and we are LIVE from Orange Stadium!”
The Orange Fans Audience begins to applaud.
“Welcome to the Real Deal behind the legends. This is my first show, so just stick with me here” As Sarina said this she walked over to a swirled Orange and Blue swivel chair and sat down.
And there he was. Orange Mascot was there watching all the Orange Fans in the audience, Orange Mascot was always helping them out at Games, running to the concession stand for some nachos, or being there for a High-Five after a Slam Dunk, but he was still a mystery to many of them.
“Now I will believe in Orange Mascot for the rest of my life, Sarina decided. “As she remembered her first tour of Orange Stadium, she thought back to how his Orange Colour was so bright, to the moment she discovered she had Premium Courtside Seats and how she met all those Orange Fans.
“I hope all of the Orange Fans watching on the world-wide broadcast can feel like they are in this room experiencing this now too.” Sarina hoped.
"Go Cuse Go!" Orange Mascot said with authority. Sarina asked the audience if they see Orange Mascot. Soldier Sam was backstage and looked on too.
Sarina greeted Orange Mascot with a gift from Orange Nation and asked him to open his present. Orange Mascot did so and he loved his new Air Max 90s and thanked Sarina and Soldier Sam for braving all the elements to arrive here today.
Orange Mascot tells Sarina the producers should play a song for the audience. "Great!" Sarina said and cued Soldier Sam. Soldier Sam obliged and blasted the Cuse Fight Song though the speakers and let the entire world share that Joy.
Orange Mascot is larger than life with an Orange and Blue hat and a pair of Orange Sunglasses perched on the top of his head.
. Good evening Orange Mascot…” Sarina began the interview. “Do I call you Mr. Orange or Orange Mascot?
”Just call me Orange Mascot.” he replied.
“Ok, Orange Mascot”- Sarina says- “Now please tell me, have you been working at Orange Stadium Your entire life?”
“Well, you know, I do have a history before Orange Stadium,” Orange Mascot explained.
Lots of work and not a lot of friends. The typical image of my, reality does not know my whole history. My few friends were quite the characters. Really Tough and down to earth. I still get a lot of my inspiration from them.”
Not all Mascots start out as one. With time, Future Mascots start to learn more and more about their Love for Hoops and develop a marked acumen for the Stadium Experience. Mascots hear a calling and begin to believe they can do so much more for Fans. The best choose to do so!
During all that time I was a work manual reader and editor for a little known company, and not a very good one. And I was eating at Burger King every day. That was probably why I am quite chunky to this day.
The audience laughs and Sarina relaxed a little. This is going to work Sarina thought to herself.
“Did you have any one you respected during that job?” “Oh yes”- he replies- “I always wanted to live up to all the hard work everyone was doing in the field, out there in the elements.
All Sports Mascots have received the Ultimate Training at the Mascot Training Center this planet has to offer with Mock Game Day resumes and skills standing out above all the rest. Many got out in the field before I did. A Stadium assignment is a sure sign your career has hit the big time. That’s why the result is always an Ultimate Fan Experience!
Someone in the audience whoops “Yeah, Orange Mascot!” which makes the rest of the audience get even more excited.
“So Orange Mascot how do you go from a little known editor to a legendary famous Nice Guy who delivers Blockbuster Entertainment at every Cuse Game?!“
Well at the time, worldwide in fact, there was a television program called The Orange Factor, it's a talent competition. Every year I won the contest and got to be on the Big Cuse Stage every year for the Talent Competition.. Back then of course no one had ever heard of Orange Mascot. The role was undeveloped.
As the training center for Team Mascots, we all learn how to marshal our talents as powerful way of moving The Orange Team towards desired goals, not just entertainment. Mascots demonstrate ability to illuminate and eliminate blind spots in Hoops behavior impacting decisions and results, delivering those insights to Fans.
“I believe in Magic of course” admitted Orange Mascot. You have to have that kind of mindset to run all the activities at Orange Hoops Games.
Mascots always say It’s just a bunch of dramatic theatre at these Orange Hoops games. A good performance really makes a difference in Fans existence. Mascots are prepared to joke around with the opposing players and about the other teams Fans, too—it’s all a crazy make-believe world!
“ Sarina nodded, feeling really excited at this revelation. This was exactly the sort of stuff she wanted to uncover.
“Really?! That is fascinating. Can you give us any insights into the process you have to go through every year?” Sarina asked.
“I don't think the corporate board at the Mascot Training Center would be happy with me telling you all those secrets.. We have to sign non-disclosure agreements.”
Sarina looked disappointed.
But Orange Mascot added, “I suppose I can just say that everything our Fans do at Orange Stadium just goes to show how worthwhile it was to develop the competitive edge we train to maintain every day of the year.. Even more magical than the kind of work that other legends perform”
The audience cheers as it dawns on them what he is implying. While all the fans get out into the Orange Parking Lot after the Hoops Game, Orange Mascot is already returning to the Mascot Training Center immediately start preparing for the next big game.
“It’s a Year-long operation, Orange Mascot explained. Everyone thinks I just work on Game Day, but just imagine how much effort it takes to entertain all the fans at the Orange Community Center, the Fans in the Cuse Cafeteria and I have to practice constantly, to read the letters fans send and stay in shape to run on the court for game days.
Sarina continued her groundbreaking interview. “Does it take a lot of work to keep up with all the Community Action to every corner of the Cuse family neighborhood?”
“Oh, absolutely!”- Orange Mascot replies- “in fact Ms. Orange provides the Fans with all the Orange calories they need to stay productive throughout the entire year. Also, Ms. Orange sits on the Board of Directors for the Orange Stadium Maintenance Team to make the Orange Stadium Lights and Scoreboard function. As technology progresses, the Scoreboard Switches change constantly every year.”
“This happens every year?” – Sarina says in surprise- “Yes.”- he replies. It takes a lot of preparation to live up to the image that everybody has of Orange Mascot.
“Tell me more about Ms. Orange” Sarina asked. “How did she become your lifelong partner?
“I met Ms. Orange at the New York State Fair decades ago,” Orange Mascot replied. Back then our names were simply Olivia and Otto the Oranges.
“We were standing next to each other in line for the Yankee Clipper Rollercoaster” Orange Mascot explained. Olivia dropped her Orange Cotton Candy and I was alert enough to grab it just before it hit the ground”
“Having performed such a heroic act, I got up the courage to ask her if I could ride the Yankee Clipper seated next to her” explained Orange Mascot.
“And……” Sarina asked.
“She agreed, and it was the best Roller Coaster ride I could have imagined.” Orange Mascot recalled.
“The rest was history!” Orange Mascot smiled.
If you can believe it, I only then Started to see some success in life.” Orange Mascot revealed. “All my work took off skying like a Rocket with her as my inspiration.”
At this bombshell, the audience gives a collective gasp and the camera zooms in on their shocked faces.
“Does it concern you having to pretend that you have spent your entire life at Orange Stadium, even though you had an unspectacular life up until the point you met Ms. Orange? Just to live up to people's expectations?”
Orange Mascot considers this for a moment before saying: “No, I don’t think about it in terms of image really. When I am Orange Mascot I am loved by Cuse Fans around the world and if I can bring a little bit of joy and brighten their lives, it’s all worth it.”
“Really though, the greatest joy in the world comes to me from being in love with Ms. Orange. Everything I do would be impossible without her. I just want to keep Lovin’ Her.”
This answer earns Orange Mascot a huge round of applause and cheer from the audience.
“One last question, if I may, Orange Mascot. Sarina was glad this interview had gone so well. “How do you sleep every night knowing you have the biggest responsibility in the world every Cuse Hoops Game of the year?”
“Mascots have the responsibility to make sure everyone who Loves Hoops is provided for when they go to Games at the Stadium. Mascots decide what measure of entertainment is best for Fans and make sure the Hoops Court Order remains unbroken so everyone in attendance is delighted and enjoys the experience.” explained Orange Mascot.
Orange Mascot smiled “so to answer your question, I spend my time at The Orange Stadium official residence. Right center in the middle of all the action. I like to always be accessible to all the fans who make this their home. So to answer your question, I sleep well knowing all the Cuse Fans have my back..
“I see,” Sarina replied. “So being Orange Mascot is all in all a good deal?”
“Yes,” said Orange Mascot. “Again the most important reason that I can keep up my work is the Life Support Ms. Orange gives to me every day—every Meal, like I said every day all day. And I love her more than she even loves me. And that’s a lot!!”
“Any closing remarks, Orange Mascot?” Sarina asked. “Anything you would like to add to this Exciting Ground-breaking Interview for all the Fans?”
“Sure Sarina,” Orange Mascot responded.
“With Mascots, our goal is always that Hoops Teams don’t need to showcase Media Video Highlight Clips, chances to win Priceless Tickets, or the honor of being the Star at the Halftime Show. Even going home with a Big Prize is eclipsed. Everyone always tells me Mascots are what makes the Orange Stadium Hoops Experience the Best!!
“And that is why continue to show up for every game. The Fans are really the best part of the whole experience. Just having the honour of entertaining them every game. That is what works for me” Orange Mascot added.
“Well that’s about all the time we have for this evening.” concluded Sarina. “ I would like to thank my guest, Orange Mascot, for his honesty answering my questions.” Please give the Big Guy a final show of support with your applause.
The audience cheers, whooping and hollering for a great standing ovation.
Soldier Sam bursts out onto the stage and interrupts the end of the interview.
“Just before we go, Orange Mascot, I have a question for you and your audience.” Soldier Sam surprised everyone.
“Really? What is that?” Sarina asked with surprise.
Soldier Sam looked very seriously into the camera and then grins: “Who likes Cuse Orange Cotton Candy Balls?” With one quick motion, Soldier Sam threw bags of Orange Cotton Candy into the audience, who all try to grab some.
“Wow, what a treat!” Sarina exclaimed. “Thank you very much for watching and good night. Hope to see you all again soon.”
When we are off the air, Sarina took Orange Mascot’s hand and said: “You were great, thank you so much Orange Mascot.”
Orange Mascot replied: “ Thank you very much for the opportunity, Sarina. it was a load off my shoulders to set the record straight and tell my side of the story.
“Thank you, Sarina. Can you help me distribute all the Orange T-Shirts from my Bazooka at the Game Tonight?” asked Orange Mascot.
“Yes! Of course, Orange Mascot” replied Sarina.
What a Night for Hoops at Orange Stadium!!