Senior Year Box Set

The little shit threw me a knuckleball. I watched as it danced to the plate. The ball did this slight dip, like the start of a curveball, and then slid sideways. I was so entranced I let it get by me.

“Steerike three!”

It was so on! Both the catcher and umpire were chuckling as I walked back to the dugout with a look of disbelief on my face.

By the top of the seventh, Justin was done, and Moose had me come in for relief. Coach Herndon, our pitching coach, grabbed me before I walked to the mound.

“It’s all tied up at one-all. I don’t want you to do anything fancy. Just bring the heat and throw strikes.”

Once I had my marching orders, I went to the mound to warm up. Eastside substituted for their weak-hitting shortstop with a big kid who I suspected could hit with more authority. I liked that they were playing to win.

In the end, it didn’t matter. I was feeling good, and the Eastside batters found my fastball unhittable. I struck out the side.

Up first was Wolf, and I would follow him. The only other time I’d been up since the second, the kid and I had staged another battle, with him getting the better of me again. I wanted a chance at redemption.

Wolf stepped up to the plate, knowing that if we scored, the game was over. On the first pitch, the pitcher threw him an overhand changeup. Unlike mine, which had been high, Wolf’s ball was waist high and right down the center of the plate. The crack of the bat told me that he’d gotten all of it, and the pitcher knew it as well. I held my breath as their center fielder drifted back towards the fence. He made a leaping grab to rob Wolf of his glory but just missed it.

Our whole team realized we’d just dodged a bullet, and you could feel the relief as Wolf rounded the bases. We all met him at home plate, waited to make sure he touched the base, and then swarmed him.

We lined up to shake Eastside’s hands. I made a point to stop when I reached their pitcher.

“You had us today. I hope that when we play again, you’re on the mound. Next time, I plan to pay you back for striking me out twice.”

“I hate to tell you, but I have your number. You’ll be going down,” he predicted with a grin.

I just shook my head at the balls on the kid. We would see who had whose number.

◊◊◊

They’d arranged for our next games to be played at our high school field to handle the crowds. It was only a couple of blocks from the park, so the team walked.

I loaded the Gatorade into the car for Cassidy to drive over and joined my teammates. Moose and the rest of the coaching staff loaded up our gear into his car. That meant we had almost an hour to ourselves before our next game.

Johan, Tim, Wolf, and I walked to school together.

“Hear any good country songs lately?” Wolf asked Johan.

“There’s one called Like My Dog that’s pretty good,” Johan shared.

Wolf got his phone out and downloaded it. I shook my head. This time last year, Wolf was always teasing Johan about being a country hick, and Johan claimed Wolf had been sent to earth by Satan himself. Now they were sharing country songs? What the hell happened?

Wolf played it for us, and we all had smiles on our faces. It told the story about how a guy wished his significant other was like his dog. It didn’t bitch or complain and was happy to see him when he got home. I had to admit that whoever wrote it was spot on.

“I’m thinking about asking Zoe to marry me,” Johan said to floor us.

“That’s great news,” Wolf said.

Tim and I might have had another response, but the look on Johan’s face told me that Wolf had gotten it right.

I had to chuckle because I remembered something my grandfather had told me when I was like ten or eleven. He must have had a bad day because he took me aside and gave me a life lesson. Grandpa Davey said that I should never get married and should not have kids. He’d probably be rolling in his grave if he could see Greg’s and my lives right now.

I wanted to warn Johan that he was too young to be getting married, but I knew better than to say that. Maybe Zoe and Johan would be the exception when it came to the success rate of getting married so young.

“So, what’s the plan? I know you’re going to State to get your Ag degree. Will Zoe be joining you?” I asked.

“I have no idea,” Johan admitted.

Tim and Wolf looked at me, and we all saw this train wreck coming. I wanted to make some suggestions, but this was between Johan and Zoe. Besides, she hadn’t said ‘yes’ yet.

I just smiled.

“It’ll work itself out,” Tim said.

“Who’s next for you?” Wolf asked me.

“Cassidy told me I’m taking her to Prom.”

“Shit, when is that?” Wolf asked.

“I haven’t a clue. Seems I always forget about that kind of stuff and get shit about it when I don’t ask anyone,” I admitted. “I’m just happy I don’t have to find someone to go with.”

“You think Phil is going to get his act together and start going out with Jill again?” Tim asked.