Wednesday's game was at eight o'clock. The day had been sunny, warm and humid, and when I went outside at 6:30, the air was still thick. I left for the game at 7:15, and the wind started to kick up. The sky to the west and north was ominous, filled with dark clouds that shrouded the last rays of the sunset. I was pleading with Mother Nature to hold off on the rain until 9. We'd be done by then.
At the ball park, the wind was blowing steadily in from right field at about 15 miles an hour. It was getting downright chilly, and all I had on was a t-shirt and shorts. We got under way, and the rain was holding off, just like I'd hoped. The wind, however, made it hard to pitch and hard to get a good ball out of the infield. We played three innings, and the opposing team was up 3-1. The rain started about that time, and what a cold rain it was. Did I mention that I was woefully underdressed? My glasses got wet, my shirt got wet. Monkey, sitting in the stands under a borrowed umbrella, got wet. The Deadliners started hitting (the wind died down with the coming of the rain), and we took the lead 5-3. The other team came back and tied the score in the bottom of the inning, and then asked the ump if we could call the game a tie. The ump said no.
In the top of the seventh, the Deadliners finally broke out and scored five to take a 10-5 lead. All we needed to do was hold them down and we could end the wet, cold misery of this final game and finish the season undefeated. We got one out, they put runners on, we got the second out, they scored two. It was 10-7. They had two runners on; the tying run was at the plate. It was tense, we were wet. I couldn't see through my rain-spattered glasses. And we got the last out. We were undefeated! But better than that, we could go find a nice warm bar and dry out (so to speak). It was phenomenal.
Yesterday came and went, busily. Alright, not that busily. After work my colleague, JT, and Monkey and I went over to Booche's for a burger and some adult beverages. Monkey left around 8:30, but Coach B was on his way to join us, so I stayed. Eventually, Reverend Wayne and Mrs. Coomers showed up, another schoolie, BK, rolled in later, and various other folks from around town happened to drop by, too. Next thing you know, it's 11:00, and our hero needs to go to work in just a few hours. Well, long story short, I managed to have a great time and still be on top of my game today. Positive reinforcement of negative behaviors...Strindberg was only half right!
And so, it is Friday! The Monkey and I are doing our annual endangered species walk/run tomorrow. I may walk. I may run. It will be a game-time decision. The morning run/walk will be followed by the most unbelievable array of Americana the world has ever seen: The Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival. I'll be getting me some homemade apple butter and corn relish, for sure. I hear the pies are pretty good, too. The weather will be perfect. It is finally (since Wednesday) crisp and autumnal around here.
And with the mention of the corn relish and such, I have nearly completed the thread of the week. What foodstuffs will we discuss tomorrow? Only time will tell.
No comments:
Post a Comment