The Book of the One

INNING № 8

I could say I did it because baseball is a childish thing and it had come time to put away childish things.

I could say I did it because it had come time for all of my sorry ass teammates to do the same. Even him.

The other side would not go along at first. You can’t see between the catcher’s legs from over in right. But catcher didn’t call pitches. Coach did, from the dugout. Twice in a row to the bill of the cap: fastball. Right shoulder with a swipe across the chest: change-up. Nose or chin: a curve. And so on. Yes, I told them, you still have to hit it but this gives you a chance. Which is something you don’t have on your own. That part they knew to be true. What they didn’t know is why I did it. I never told them. They didn’t care. They had nothing to lose.