Work Text:
Tony Wyzek reached into his pocket for the paper with the address. He rarely ventured out of the Upper West Side. Just walking into another neighborhood of Manhattan was like stepping onto another planet, one in which thousands of people could look down from the tall buildings surrounding him.
Looking for the Empire State Building, he was able to get his bearings and proceeded down 52nd Street. He was poor, but he felt even poorer walking in the very heart of Manhattan. Ever since the Second World War, more of the world’s attention was coming here. Financial institutions and now the United Nations were being anchored here. It seemed like the rest of the city was being torn down to make way for the new. After all, international delegates couldn’t meet next to a black neighborhood making $1 an hour.
He checked the address and saw the storefront in front of him: “All-American Travel.” Tony had seen the advertisement in a paper and was intrigued. He and María had been married for just over a year and a half. Little Valentina was approaching six months; such an adorable child. They weren’t able to afford a honeymoon, though María didn’t mind the three nights at Coney Island. But, as a husband and now father, Tony felt he owed it to her to give her something truly memorable.
Stepping in the front door, Tony straightened his shirt to appear more presentable. That was before he noticed the staff. They were all women, and they were all in casual clothes and hairstyles. Some of them were talking with customers, others were simply chatting with each other.
He approached the receptionist. “Uh, Tony Wyzek. I have an appointment.”
She looked at her list for the day. “Ah, right on time, Mr. Wyzek! Have a seat. Pippa will be with you in a moment.”
After only sitting for a moment, Tony saw the office door open. A tall woman wearing a floral dress with wavy blonde hair entered. She had green-blue eyeshadow and red lipstick, and he could already get a sense she was very bubbly. She reached for his hand. “You must be Tony! Welcome, welcome!”
He nodded. “Good to be here.”
“I’m Pippa, and I’m here to make sure you get the best vacation possible. Come on in!”
Closing the door behind him, Tony immediately noticed the pictures that were hanging around the office. They showed Pippa posing along side a number of famous landmarks: Big Ben in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Colosseum in Rome. He took a closer look at one hanging in the corner, featuring a colorful onion-shaped building.
“Wait…is that the Kremlin?”
“St. Basil’s Cathedral, actually. The Kremlin is right next to it. But let me tell you, the Soviets are real sticklers for the rules. Don’t think Moscow is the best choice for you.” She took out a notepad and pen, which she clicked. “So, tell me, Tony: where do you want to go?”
It was a big question for Tony. Apart from the year he spent in Sing-Sing, he had never been outside New York. María had been on an airplane; he had only been on buses and subways. He had been expecting this since he decided to come here, but he had no idea how to answer it.
“Uh…” was all he managed to spit out.
Pippa smiled. “Will this be the first time you’ve travelled anywhere?” He nodded. “Well, there’s plenty of places in America to visit. By train, bus, or plane, you’re gonna have a fantastic time.” She reached into a drawer and pulled out a map of the United States. “So, how many are gonna be traveling?”
“It’s me, my wife, and our baby.”
She grinned. “Congratulations! Boy or girl?”
“A girl. Almost six months.”
“How wonderful! I think it’s important to get kids traveling as early as possible.” She took out a pen. “Now, what do you and your wife…”
“María.”
She grinned. “Aww, what a beautiful name! Now, what do you and María like to do?”
“Well, we go to church, we like walking, she likes pizza, she loves it when a new Disney film comes out…” He tried to think of more things when she clicked her pen and circled an area on the map.
“That is where you should go.”
Tony looked at it. Pippa had circled Los Angeles. “Hollywood?”
“Better than Hollywood. Disneyland.”
He was stunned. He had read about Walt Disney’s new theme park, seen his specials on TV, but to actually go there? “I’m sorry, I don’t think I can afford it.“
“Nonsense. Everyone in the world has the right to visit the happiest place on Earth. I have friends at American Airlines and TWA, so I can get you a great package. Flight, hotel, park admissions, all included.”
Tony paused. “So, how much?”