The world knows James T. Phalen as a Harvard-educated, well-heeled baby-boomer

banker/investor/lawyer—a one-time farm boy from rural Texas and one of the

wealthiest men in America. He is a Wall Street icon whose advice is sought by

Presidents. The world does not know that James Phalen, the youngest of three Phalen

children, is fighting personal demons as he struggles to come to grips with stilted

childhood memories. Jim finds himself at a place where fame and fortune are not

enough, and questions his whole being. What now?

Jim’s most painful regret is that he cannot recall a single playful moment spent with his

stern and rigid father, who, in most respects, was a model parent. He still remembers

the lasting sting of disappointment he felt as a child whenever his father chose to do

‘more important’ things. He is surprised that even at 41, such memories still weigh so

heavily upon him. “Surely, by now, such things would have long ago faded into the foggy

domain of lesser things.” They had not.

As a young boy, Jim Phalen ate, slept, and dreamed baseball. He fondly recalls his very

first Little League game and his stunning heroics that won the game for his beloved

‘Rosedale Dodgers.’ That lasting memory was also laced with regret that his father had

not been there.

That and other failures symbolized the absence of a deep heart and soul connection, so

vital to fathers and sons. It is an absence that cannot be filled. No amount of wealth and

fame can fill the emptiness. That is what Jim feels now. The pain has been masked by2

success, not erased.

Now, his father is seriously ill and only a shadow of the tall, proud man he once was.

Jim comes to realize that being a billionaire and having the material world on a silver

platter cannot provide him with memories of experiences he never had. He finds himself

longing for the joys of a simpler life and wondering just who James Theodore Phalen

really is.

Jim remembers the sweet, soft voice and intoxicating fragrance of the high school

sweetheart whom everyone thought he would marry. He daydreams of sauntering barefoot

with his siblings down a quiet, secluded country road, skipping stones on a crystal-blue

lake in the summer sun, and enjoying the company of long-ago friends. Jim wonders

about these friends and whatever happened to them over the years–years that passed so

quickly. In daydreams, he still sees their youthful faces and hears their distant voices.

Most importantly, his mind is awash with thoughts of the father he never really knew

and understood. And more and more, he hears the reverberating footsteps of time and

knows that life is slipping away a day at a time. He focuses on the new millennium with

a degree of foreboding and begins to audit his life. Jim is driven to seek a resolution. But

Is it too late?

One thing is certain: his life has reached a moment of decision. Then there is Alise, a

brilliant woman, successful author, and the love of his life–a girlfriend whose caring

and support have been and continue to be so vital to his life. How can he tell her that an

Irresistible force demanding he returns to his roots draws him in, insisting he confronts

his fears…his demons?

With his father near death and his mind swirling with stilted and unresolved memories

of him, Jim is forced to confront the truth about his childhood and how he views his

father. At forty-one years of age, he realizes that what matters most is the memories or

lack of memories. He lures us into his life–his world, where his billions and his successes

are not enough to guide him through the pain and conflict.3

What is the value of a child’s dream?

“Catch” is not just about baseball or fathers and sons; it is about life, family, love, and

time gone too soon. Its unique appeal is as a feature film and/or TV series focused on

the deeply personal issue of parent/child bonding (or absence thereof) during the vital

formative years.

The world knows “James T. Phalen” as a Harvard-educated, well-heeled baby-boomer

banker/investor/lawyer, a one-time farm boy from rural Texas, and one of the

wealthiest men in America. Presidents seek his advice.

What the world does not know is that James Phalen struggles with stilted childhood

memories; he finds fame and fortune are not enough. He is surprised that at 41, such

memories weigh so heavily upon him. “Surely, by now, such things would have long

ago faded into the foggy domain of lesser things.” They had not. With his father in

failing health, he leaves New York and catches “the last train home.”

“Catch” may be called bio-fiction. It mirrors the principal aspects of my life, which serve

as core inspiration.

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