The Greatest Game
As far back as I can recall when days were ruled by nap times and endless hours of play I already knew I loved the game. Maybe it was from seeing my dad watch it on TV and talk about it with relatives and friends or when my grandma gave me a uniform to wear on my 3rd or 4th birthday. What ever it was that started my initial interest in the game I knew early on that I was born to play. I played all day whenever I could throwing against a wall or playing catch with myself. I collected baseball cards and kept the book for games I watched on TV. My playing days started with little league and that led to playing for my grammar school then my high school and eventually onto my college team. I loved every inning of every game win or lose. I never thought of practice as a chore. It was more time spent at my favorite place, on the field. I was happy no matter what I had to do be it stopping rocket grounders like a goalie or tracking down fly balls like all my professional hero’s did nightly on the TV. As a young man the only place I felt I belonged sometimes was on the field. There I never had doubts or felt peer pressures there. It was my game and it always made me feel as comfortable as I would be at home.
As much as I loved the game there comes a time when it becomes more like a job and the game is no longer enjoyable. Baseball has it politics and pecking orders and those that don’t conform are quickly put on the bench to pine away the hours. Add the pressures and temptations of everyday life and they start to over shadow the importance of the game and the need to go make a living and have a life eventually takes priority. Its also pretty lonely out there on the practice field night after night. So without much fanfare or regret I left the game behind to enter the real world. After a few years away from the game I hooked up with some friends in a local league and playing was fun again. It was competitive yet enjoyable and the rust was quickly replaced by skills I spent years developing. As a kid I dreamed of playing in the majors and winning the World Series, single handedly too. Well it was a kids dream after all. Nowadays I dreamt of winning with the guys I played now and with us playing at the highest level we possibly could. I never wanted to win just for the sake of winning and play in a league below our skill level. I wanted to be the best of the best. I wanted a ride on a classic playoff run and live that high for the few weeks it would take to unfold with one of those epic battles at the end which we would talk about until we were too old to remember or called up to the big game in the sky.
They say You find out what your made of in those pressure packed games and responding well amidst that pressure is one of the greatest feelings in the world. I so wanted to have that chance to dance in the championships and to prove my mettle. Wining a championship and being an integral part would be icing on a very rare cake indeed. The only thing that could make a title even more special would be winning with my teammates. I loved the guys I played with and while some of them were characters we all got along great and played extremely well as a unit. It was like playing with a dozen of your brothers making our games as much a social gathering as it was a sport. And that special camaraderie gave a certain dimension to the idea of winning. Thinking to myself about how special it truly would be gave me a strength inside to play even harder and I could feel every ounce of my essence was trying to will it to happen. There was no fatigue or mental fog, simply a bright burning determination to win. I felt it inside and I could see that in every face wearing our uniform and it made me feel invincible.
Its funny what you think about in the middle of a game but that’s what was going through my head at this very moment. I was sitting on the bench while my team took one more shot at scoring before the bottom of the ninth. It was the last half of the last inning of the final game of this miraculous season we were having. No more tomorrows and who ever lost would have several months to think about it before they could play again and begin to erase that feeling of being second best. Wile there is no clock in this game time was running out and not for us for a change. No one thought we would ever get this far most of all us and we were trying to ride this streak to the very end. Three more outs were all we needed to pull off a huge upset and take out little place in history. Three more outs. Seems so easy when you say it but sometimes those last three are the hardest ones of all. Pressure was looming on me like a stack of weights and it felt like the world might end if we didn’t pull this off. Of course I knew that wasn’t true but that’s how it felt. Pressure has a flair for the dramatic and this was its finest moment. Some days these games are a struggle and some days it’s a walk in the park. Tonight, win or lose, it was the stuff dreams are made of and for more reasons than just the obvious.
Before I get to far ahead let me first go back a little bit and set the stage so to speak. While there was no love lost between these two teams here tonight tensions have been building long before we ever got to this point. It was all the way back in early spring when we all imagine we have what it takes to win it all. This year our early successes gave us confidence and we started to look ahead and dared to imagine the improbable. We dreamt of dancing in the euphoric aura of triumph and experiencing the kind of dreams only champions have in that joyous restful sleep only victory can induce. But dreaming has its price and just when you dare to believe in the possibilities reality can abruptly arrive and rudely awaken you from your trance. Instantly your back on terra firma and once again winning seems only achievable in your dreams. Usually reality arrives in the form of the unbeatable nemesis. Sometimes it’s yourself but more often than not it’s a bigger faster stronger and more talented team who beats you so thoroughly and effortlessly it just doesn’t seem fair.
They have it all over you from more players with superior talent to the best equipment. Even their uniforms are better with them matching head to toe and they all look brand new. Even their bags are in the team colors completing the total package look and it visually rubs it in your face every time they arrive. They never miss an opportunity to remind you how much better they think they are too. Hot dog plays showboating and running up the scores as well as talking trash just emphasize their lack of class and it drives you crazy. Every week you’re reminded again when you look at the standings and you see the tremendous gap between them and all the other teams in the league. They own all the stats and lead in almost every category from power numbers to most annoying fans. That was our nemesis this year and they were the talk of the league. Like a broken record everyone spoke of how unbeatable they seemed to be and that they were the hands down favorite to win it all running away. Even the casual fans who watched as they pass our games in the park could only comment on how good they were and how snappy they looked. It seemed it was only a matter of time before they were handed the championship trophy.
By mid summer my team was starting to wilt from the heat and the negative outlook we developed was making us lose our desire to keep fighting and remembering why we play this game. Lacing up my spikes before an early July game I sensed the chance to turn things around before it was too late. We were tied for third in our division with a chance to either move into second or drop to fourth and perhaps never stop dropping until we hit the cellar. I felt I had to do something to snap us out of this funk so I gathered the team together before the game for a little pep talk. I cant remember exactly what I said that night but I tried to impress upon them how much I enjoyed not just playing together but also having them as friends and that I’d rather play with them and lose than play with the best team and win. But in reality we were a much better team than we’ve been showing so far. We were a scrappy bunch who knew how to win but we just weren’t playing that way and it was make or break time. Time to get back to basics I said. Hit and runs, bunting runners over and our solid smart defense were the keys to our game. No more dumbing down and getting caught up in the trash talking and playing angry. We talk best with out bats and our gloves and it was high time they were heard. As long as there are still enough games left there is still hope. Miracles do happen, just ask Cinderella.
I impressed upon them that we have to fight back the thoughts of finding another hobby or moving to a less competitive division too. We love competing against the best too much to give up like that If they knocked us down we have to get right up and brush the dirt off and get back in the game and knock them back just as hard. Sometimes those pep talks work and sometimes you have to lead by example. I was determined for both options to motivate and I took the mound with a mission that game. I channeled my anger and frustration into my arm and pitched like a man possessed. After easily retiring the side in the first inning we immediately scored a few runs and we never looked back. That cocky confidence was back and we all played more relaxed and started to have some fun again. You could sense the change in our momentum from that point on and we played like a well oiled machine. The bench was eerily quite that game but the scoreboard was deafening. Maybe it was the pep talk or maybe it was the way I came out in the first throwing dominating lightening strikes. Whichever it was we were on our way someplace special and a force to be reckoned with. Of all the teams i've ever played for this bunch was by far my favorite. We had no real flashy players no perennial all stars just hard working scrappy kind of guys. The kind that if you had to go to war these were the guys you wanted to fight beside. It’s an old cliché yes but described them perfectly.
The rest is history as destiny seemed to be writing our story and we finished the season strong with the ball seemingly bouncing our way through all through the playoffs. Guys that struggled all year began to defy their batting averages gravity and any thoughts of bodily injury making play after play and pounding out hits like a factory. We were scoring runs in droves and playing our kind of baseball. Game by game we fought our way through the brackets and each advancement produced a more exciting series then previous. The pressure built up game by game and inning by inning until finally here we were. Holding onto a small lead in the final inning of the final game. Our destiny was seemingly under our own control inside we were a bundle of nerves and excitement. We were nursing a one run lead trying to add to it with runners on base and the clean up hitter getting his money’s worth at the plate. With the count full he stroked a bullet towards the gap and I breathlessly watched it speed out towards the wall. It looked like a shot off the bat but the wind was dead and so was that ball and it landed softly in the center fielder’s glove which he held in the air for a few seconds as if punctuating the end of our last chance to add some insurance runs. Three more outs were all that stood between us and our little place in history and the tension was incredible. I loved every second of it and win or lose I hated to see it end. I’ve been waiting for a moment like this my whole life and I tried to savor it like a last meal. I walked out slowly to the mound tying to take in everything every sense of these final moments and to truly enjoy just being here. Soon enough there would be a winner and a loser but either way this was the most exciting game I’ve ever played in and I wish it could last a lot longer than just one evening.
After my warm up pitches were done I watch the ball make the rounds of the infield as watched as everyone was putting their touch on the ball for good luck as we did in every inning of every gave we’ve played since the playoffs started. Not that we’re superstitious or anything but you don’t mess with success. Being the ninth we all met at the mound to slap gloves and to give a final pep talk before trying to make our own final assault on goliath. I said, “Let’s have some fun boys!” and tagged my own mitt on all the others working my way around that small huddle. With the rituals out of the way we headed into our respective positions and assumed battle stations. I looked off to my sides and saw that the stands were packed with fans. Some were friends or relatives of players and some were our casual fans. Lastly some were just those who always seem to be flowing through the park and routinely get caught up watching the games. Tonight they were getting their moneys worth. There were also a lot of players from the other teams in the league that didn’t make it this far all of them wishing they were in our spikes tonight. During the season they may be our rivals but tonight they were all rooting for us to beat these smug hotdogs. With a deep breath I set myself on the rubber put all those thoughts out of my head and began to work on the first batter.
I looked in to the catcher and as I was thinking outside fastball and there was the single finger hanging down against his thigh indicating he also wanted a Fastball outside. When we were in a groove like tonight I rarely shook off a signal or questioned his calls but tonight it was like we had E.S.P. all I had to do was think it and there was the sign. I started with a hard strike on the outside corner and the ball popped into the catchers mitt as he framed it perfectly for strike one. The plan was to get ahead with strikes and then get them out with balls and that mantra was working like a charm all night. These guys were over confidant and free swingers and hated to walk and that played to my advantage. Although they all were very dangerous hitters as long as I kept them off balance with changing speeds and kept the ball where I wanted I would be alright. I came inside and high next and missed just a little on the batters side making the count one and one. Not what I wanted but no harm done. I rather miss inside than have it go fat over the plate and watch it get crushed hard enough to cause some trouble. With the even count I dropped a curve inside and he swung over the top and pounded it into the ground for a foul ball. High heat proved irresistible and he chased strike three up out of the zone. As easy as that we were two outs away.
The next batter took two close pitches and both were called balls. Now it was the batters advantage as I had to throw a strike to get back into the count and I could see the eagerness in his posture as he knew I had to throw a strike too. Again I threw low and it was ball three for sure but eager beaver there couldn’t lay off it and swung. He got great wood on it and ripped it. Right into the turf and consequently grounded out weakly to short. You have to love it when they help you out like that. All I needed now was one more out. I felt like I was going to explode with excitement and the championship was so close I could smell it. My heart was racing and I was taking longer between pitches to calm myself down and stay in control. I walked over towards the second baseman and shouted over to him and asked, “is this the greatest game or what?” with a big excited grin on my face. It seemed to relax us all and helped let a little adrenalin get burned off. I felt better after that and got ready to get that final out. I felt strong and almost invincible as walked to the top of the mound. I felt like nothing was going to shake me from this zone and deter me from my mission. At least that’s what I was thinking as I set up to pitch to the third and potentially last batter of the inning. Waiting for the batter to get set in the box I glanced over towards the crowd and took in all the faces that were watching. Some were tense and some were biting fingers and even a few seemed bored. There was a few I wasn’t sure what exactly they were watching but they seemed somewhat entertained. Then something totally unexpected happened as I scanned the crowd and my eyes stopped in wonder at the left end of the bleachers.
Standing off to the side of the bleachers I could see an unexpected yet familiar face. Well what I could see of her face was very familiar as she had her fingers interlocked and up by her mouth and I think she was biting on one of her knuckles. She was a woman we’ve all noticed before yet never had the pleasure to interact with before. I thought that was odd that she was so nervous now that it visibly showed. This really made me have to stop and think for a moment as she never seemed to take more than a passing interest in our games before. I mean why was she so nervous?, I said to myself as I tried to apply rational thoughts to the situation. She didn’t know any of the guys on the team as far as I knew in fact she had spurned the advances of most of the players over the summer much to their dismay. One thing about ball players and that’s if they saw a nice looking girl hanging around watching it was like tossing chum in the water. Didn’t take long for the sharks to start to circle. Most of the women they hit upon usually respectfully declined but it never stopped them. If they quit that easy after a making a out they would have quit playing ball a long long time ago. No one ever said ball payers were smart just persistent.
I tried to recall the times I saw her and she did watch some of our games every now and then but always from a distance. Not close enough to really get emotionally involved I thought. I would often see her passing by as she made laps around the ball fields in her roller blades or jogging and always thought she was absolutely beautiful. I often thought I should miss a ball in practice and let it roll to the path and get close enough to say a quick hello but never got the nerve up and the last thing I figured she wanted was another big sweaty and dirty ballplayer running up to hit on her.
Every time I peeked over she was staring at me intensely and it was kind of unnerving. She was staring at me because I was pitching and the center if attention at the moment I told myself. it wasn’t any kind of attraction thing in fact I don’t even know if she even knew who I was before tonight. It was just the pressure of the game making me see things I though. It had to be.
Trying to figure out why she would be so visibly tense started to become a focus in my mind and before I knew it I was behind in the count three balls and one strike on the batter. I tried to battle back without giving anything good to hit and got the count full at three and two. The batter deflected some tough pitches foul before earning a walk putting the tying run on first. The next few batters had tremendous power and could easily win the game off a pitch in the wrong spot and I felt the pressure ratcheting up a few more notches. I mentally went over how I pitched to the next batter tonight and all through the series working him away to start and coming inside when I was ahead had proved very effective so far. He had some poor swings at the inside stuff and that’s how I was going to go at him now. I kept glancing over to the bench and she was still there as tense as ever. This was very strange to me. A few of the more suave guys on the team had approached her a few times and had a better batting average in away games than with they did with her but she obviously had a deep interest in this game now. It was a great game I thought to myself but knowing she was watching me so intently had my mind out in right field somewhere. Before I realized it the catcher was right in front of me talking about the runner on first and to working the batter away. “Sure” I said kind of numbly as I tried to focus again at the task at hand. I resolved to try to talk to her after the game but first I had to get back to business.
Coming to the set position while I envisioned the pitch, I picked my target. The catcher’s right knee was perfect which made for a tough pitch to hit being low and away. The only problem with that is if the batter is looking for it and just my luck he was onto me. I felt helpless as the ball went flying off deep down the right field line. The ball makes a certain sound when it’s hit hard on the bats sweet spot and to a batter its music to his ears but to a pitcher it’s like nails on a blackboard. Immediately I headed for third to backup in case there was a play but the ball caromed around in the corner and in and as fast as that the tying run was on third and the wining run on second. It could have been worse I thought, the right fielder ran with the posture like he had a chance to catch the ball and it fooled the runner on first and he waited till it hit the ground before taking off. And with a quick relay the ball got back to the infield in a hurry and kept the one run lead in tact. But a base hit now could win it and ruin everything I thought. Now even I was seriously nervous, “how was I going to pull this out of the fire?” I thought to myself. A stupid hit or an error could change our fate from destiny’s darlings to a second place team no one will ever remember. Walking back to the mound I checked the ball to see if had been torn in half from that ferocious smack and tried to keep a calm exterior letting my team know I was still in control here. Secretly hoping they weren’t as nervous as I was. They looked back at me with confidence in themselves and in me and I realized I didn’t have to be perfect here. I didn’t have to strike out the batter and do it all myself. If I could get a ground ball or a pop fly my guys were ready to make the play and get the out. I could see it in their eyes.
I could see it in their faces and posture too and it relaxed me. With a refreshed confidence in my team and in myself I took a deep breath and stepped up to the mound and got set to go at the next batter. I had a base open at first so I could pitch around this guy who was a big power hitter but we had had great success against him all night with change ups. While he got set in the box I thought about pitching around him but that but that would give me no room for error with the bases loaded. If you throw your best stuff and they hit the winning run in its one thing you have to tip your hat to the better team but walking in the winning run would be absolutely unforgivable. I’ve been setting up the change all night with fast balls away so I figured there was only one thing for me to do in this spot and I snapped off a curve right over the plate for strike one. I’m sure he was looking for heat away because he looked furious that I would start him off like that. Some of these guys take this way too personal. Let him be mad I thought to myself an angry batter isn’t a smart hitter.
To prod that anger I gave a sly smile of confidence and I could see his hands squeezing the bat ever tighter shaking it like a toothpick. He was batting in a rage and I had him right where I wanted him. He knew a fastball was eventually coming so I put one up chest high and towards the inside. A very hard pitch to hit and even harder one for this lug to resist and as quickly as that I was ahead with two quick strikes. I tried that high fastball again but this time he didn’t bit and worked the count to one and two. After swinging at the high stuff he had chided himself and got back in with more focus and the chess match continued. Next I hummed a belt high perfect fastball just off the plate hoping he would chase it or at best hit it weakly to and infielder but he held steady again. He was smarter than he looked I thought.
“Even count” I said to my self, still a good count to keep him guessing. The great ones said they could change the game by their will alone and if that was possible I was trying to do that right now. As I uncoiled and released the ball towards the plate I willed it to fly faster than I’ve ever thrown and to ride inside and saw his bat off just above his hands. I wanted it to look like a good juicy pitch on the way in and then have it slide into the hands and keep the batter from extending his arms. Again it worked like a charm. Its amazing what you can do with the power of your mind and I felt like a genius. He took a mighty swing and all he could do was get jammed if he even touched the ball at all.
The next several seconds seemed to happened in super slow motion and it was a moment of clarity ill never forget. The ball flew from my hand and I felt my fingertips flip the seam to make it slide inside like I’ve done a thousand times before. But sometimes even the most perfect pitches can have disastrous effects. Although I put the ball exactly where I wanted it and even though he swung at a bad pitch and got jammed perfectly as I had wanted disaster struck. Somehow he managed to get a piece of the ball on the wrong part of the bat sending it weakly through the air towards right field deep behind first base. Since he was a right handed power hitter the outfield was shifted to left and behind the first baseman is a football field sized area of undefended grass. Because of his size and strength the ball deflected up and out over the infield and I watched it slowly drifting towards one of the few chinks in our armor. In slow motion I watched it sail towards no mans land heading toward the foul line. I hoped for a foul ball but it looked too straight to fall into that safety zone and I felt an anchor drop into the pit of my stomach.
I could see the runners moving around the bases and see my dreams unraveling before my very eyes. I desperately was trying to judge the flight of the ball with those in its pursuit and the intersection if their vectors and the odds weren’t in our favor. I don’t recall any sound during those moments just the sheer terror of being helpless and feeling the sense of motion as I ran to cover first incase there was a play. I vividly recall the second baseman’s face as and watching his eyes as they were locked intently onto that falling orb as he ran full tilt in pursuit. My mind was trying to levitate him through the air sending him like superman towards that rapidly falling ball. In my mind I was screaming, “dive” split seconds before he left his feet and tried to make one of those routine game saving spectacular catches. It seemed like forever that he was fully extended in body and arm with his wide open glove leading the way. I didn’t breathe when the ball hit the webbing nor when the glove closed around it precariously and not for long agonizing moments as his body crashed violently into the turf.
It was one of those ball jarring landings complete with rolling and tumbling momentum. And his glove looked like a bingo machine tumbling the last letter. Not until he stopped completely and took a second to take stock of his body did he start to rise. He was stunned from landing and barely remembered to check his glove for the evidence we so longingly craved. With a grin that would never leave his face he triumphantly thrust the glove in the air showing his complete control of the ball and the ump gave and the dramatic call of “Out!” Then and only then did I let the air escape from my lungs. Out came my breath along with all the tensions and pressures that we’ve all been under for the last few months of the season. I didn’t know if I was going to cry laugh or start howling like a manic. I think I did all three by the time I got to the spot of the catch and wrapped up my second baseman in a giant bear hug lifting him off the ground in celebration. A few seconds later we were a giant bouncing mass of elated humanity celebrating our triumphant feat just like we played as a team. Shortly after that we shook hands with the other team and while our guys kept hugging and slapping each others backs we all had smiles on our faces that would not dull during the long upcoming winter. Sometimes David does win I thought to happily myself and boy it is an amazing feeling.
With the game over for a little while the crowd had for the most part dispersed and even my team was almost all packed up and were making plans on where to go to continue the celebration. While they looked ahead to the festivities I found it hard to leave or to even undo my spikes. The finality of the night struck me as I watched the field disappear into darkness from left to right as the lights were turned off in their switch sequence. I felt a twinge of sadness that it was all over and understood how fleeting these amazing moments really are. Few situations in life can compare with that kind of tension and drama and still being enjoyable. I wished this night could have lasted forever and not just in my memory. Who knew if I would ever get another chance to go to the big dance again and win is such dramatic fashion. Then again part of me couldn’t wait for next year to start and to try to get here all over again. I couldn’t imagine what my next assault on destiny would be and in what arena that might be but winning tonight gave me a confidence that I would have no matter what I wanted to do in my life. Just as that thought melted into my mind I looked towards the emptying stands and found a pair of beautiful smiling eyes intently staring back at me. All of a sudden it felt like I was back on the mound and the game was still on the line.
By the time I got my ball bag packed up and made my way through the line of still celebrating teammates I saw her standing there leaning on the stands watching me walk towards her with a smile that lit up her whole face. I thought I knew what pressure was all about until I slowed to a stop just in front of this beautiful mysterious woman who obviously had taking an interest in more than just the game. Almost every game I’ve played in this park I noticed her walking by but in only my wildest dreams did I think she had more than casual interest in out games let alone in me. Countless times I had imagined what it might be like just to talk to her or to walk silently beside her with her hand tucked into mine. Or how it would feel to stop time for a few fleeting moments and let her lips join mine in the sweetest of kisses. Of course it was just fantasy and in my dreams she was perfect for me. She liked the things I liked and loved me for who I and because I was the perfect compliment to her. But who knew what she was in real life and I never thought id have the chance to find out as she never watched for long or never displayed any interest more than watching a few plays or at best an inning. In my mind I had been taking my deepest desires and ideals in a partner and projecting her into that role. Now in the wake of my most triumphant hour I had a chance to make yet another dream come to fruition and I was stepping up to the plate and take my best swing.
As I put down my bag and stood up straight in front of her I so hoped she was closer to the dream I thought she was than the nightmare. I gave her my best boyish grin as I straightened up and said, “We usually charge to watch a game like that.” And she laughed. A genuine hearty laugh with a hint of a sultry voice beneath it. I thought how sexy it sounded to me and how glad I was to see she appreciated a sense of humor. “The game was well worth the price of admission!” she said. “Even though I never saw a beer or hotdog vendor the entire time I was here!” She quipped back I'm a mock complaint. She beamed at me with a smile that seemed to make my brain just a little fuzzy too. Like facing the last batter I went for broke and threw my best pitch and said, “Well, if it’s beer you want we have plenty back at the clubhouse if you’d care to join us.” With that invitation out of my mouth I felt the same sense of tension I felt just as the ball was leaving my fingers. With my part done all I could do was endure the passing of those tense moments of time between my action and the eventual result. Again to my horror my best attempts seemed to go awry and my what I wanted most was slipping through my hands.
She kind of scrunched up her face while she thought over the idea and said it was getting late and wasn’t sure she wanted to be out much longer. Inside I felt like there was a runner in scoring position now and I was in danger of losing a big game all over again. I said I fully understood and moved on to a different subject before she could withdraw and find an excuse to leave. Had to get the count in my favor again and set up another out pitch. Even though I felt a little awkward after that exchange I found the more we simply chatted the more at ease I became and like the layers of an onion she slowly revealed herself to me. The more we talked the more we laughed and seemed to get along great. Even better than I could have ever imagined. Inside and out I was smiling as brightly as I felt and I was in awe of her transformation from my day dream inspiration to a real flesh and blood amazing woman right before my eyes.
As well as we seemed to fit I still wasn’t sure where this was going and I still had that feeling like the game was on the line still and although outside I may have appeared as cool as a cucumber inside I was feeling the heat. My hands were a sweaty mess and I was frantically thinking of how I could win her trust and affections. I wanted her to understand that I wasn’t like most of my team mates and after something superficial like a one night stand but that I wanted to make a much deeper connection. Countless times I imagined what it might be like to talk to her to hold her tight and to kiss her with all my passion till she turned to jelly in my arms. The more we chatted the more I felt under her spell and the more I relaxed. She was taking me deep and there was no doubt my heart was going, going, gone.
Despite all the pressure I felt I did managed to carry on a coherent conversation on everything from baseball to politics and we even covered pets we had grown up with. It was amazing how one subject brought to mind another and we were off on tangents the whole time. More importantly we were connecting mentally like I’ve never done with anyone before. Our thoughts flowed together it felt like our minds were embracing or better yet dancing. She was like the perfect partner where sometimes I lead and sometimes it was all I could do to keep up. It was kind of like the same mental grove I had with the catcher only I never had this overwhelming urge to kiss my catcher. While we were talking I noticed her shiver and realized we had been sitting on the benches talking for quite a while and the fall night air had a damp chill to it.
Standing up I said “here, take my top jersey, its one hundred percent polyester and has the same heat retaining properties as aluminum foil.” She giggled at that and stood up in front of me so I could wrap it around her and button it back up for her. I whipped it around her like a cape and pulled it together in front and started doing the buttons by her neck. The buttons gave me real trouble as I couldn’t really pay attention what my hands were doing. She looked absolutely adorable inside my jersey as it draped over her. It let me see the vulnerable child inside the woman and Her face was only inches from mine which proved to be enough of a distraction that simple buttons were giving me trouble. I looked into those hypnotic eyes and felt my self leaning closer and closer towards her face. My heart was in my throat waiting for a sign from her like a slight movement towards me or a tilt of her head. Anything from her to let me know I wasn’t being too forward and that she wanted to kiss as much as I did. If I had had the chance to win tonight’s game by hitting a homerun after pitching nine no hit innings it would still pale in comparison to that moment right then.
Imagine those few exhilarating seconds when the game is on the line and during that contest of wills you get a split second to attack and your bat hits the ball and it has all the feeling of a blast but you cant ever be sure till its gone. You can barely breathe as you start to run towards first keeping one eye on the ball and one on the base path. You try to judge its landing zone by its flight and the fielders posture. Does he look like he’s got a shot or is his head hanging low already knowing its well out of reach? Then comes that moment when you realize its on the other side of the fence and triumphant destiny is yours. All that’s left is your march around the bases. Its every boys dream and the ultimate baseball moment and yet it was only a fraction of the exhilaration I was feeling right now. That first kiss was like a ninth inning homer or like the last out securely clutched in a glove and thrust into the air but the energy now was even more intense. Imagine all those stunning moments wrapped together and surrounded in a daze of disbelief because those were events I’ve only had the pleasure to dream about until tonight.
It seemed the gods of baseball and love were both smiling on me tonight and I couldn’t believe this stunning culmination of a day I could only have envisioned in my wildest fantasies. Then against all odds it actually happens and your dreams come true and you exist in a moment of time you’ll never forget. Floating in that ether of happiness my lips met the sweetest softest ones I’ve ever had the pleasure to know and for the second time tonight I felt like a champion. Game over I thought as she kissed me soft and sweetly. It seemed to last forever and yet it seemed it was over as quick as it started and my feet began to feel the ground again. A gust of crisp fall air gave up both a shiver and before I could utter a word she was writing her number on a small piece of paper for me. With the wind picking up we gathered out stuff together and we were marching towards the exit and to warmer destinations. It was late and she was cold and even though I would have talked to her all night in a snow storm I agreed to call her the next day and proudly escorted her to her building not too far away. With a gentle hand on my face and a soft kiss on my cheek to say goodnight I reluctantly headed back to find my team mates. I can’t recall a single moment of walking home that night except that it felt like I was floating the whole way.
The next day we spent playing phone tag with both of us leaving messages on each others voicemail and I found myself playing her messages over and over several times just to listen to her voice. Every word she spoke summoned forth more and more details of the night before from my sleep deprived foggy brain. In my mind her voice had be captivating but listening her messages now she sounded as beautiful as I thought she looked and I found the nuances of the way she spoke quite charming too. Needless to say I didn’t get much work accomplished that day except for making plans for us to meet again that evening. After work we had our first real date and not only did I get to hear more of her sexy way of conversation but I was also reminded of how good it was having her body next to mine. Over dinner we chatted like young lovers do full of energy and passion and I loved every second of it.
After dinner we walked around town continuing our verbal intercourse while walking off a good meal. We pushed each other mentally and hysterically as we often found ourselves laughing like silly children. Part of me was an excited little boy with a brand new toy but part of me was also in awe of this amazing connection we seemed to be forging with every new step. I wished this moments would never end and at the same time I wished we could be far ahead and go home together and wake up to each other as if we were long time lovers. Before last night I never really knew the type of woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with but after just a few hours of being together I think I knew exactly what she was going to be like.
We walked home arm in arm and when we had to part for the evening my whole essence had withdrawal symptoms. Over the next few weeks the excitement of a new relationships started to wear off and was slowly replaced by something much deeper and more wonderful. I was falling hard and fast for her and wouldn’t change a single thing. Truth is I fell almost at first sight and there’s no better feeling knowing I was right . We meshed together perfectly in mind and body and my thoughts were constantly of her. The first time we made love was slightly awkward as we were learning each others bodies and desires but in the end I felt we shared a closeness the depths of which I’ve only read about. If I were to meet Mr. Shakespeare in a pub I would raise a glass and say, “Bill, I know exactly what you mean.” The passionate lovemaking of soul mates is something so special I wish everyone could know it but alas not everyone ever reaches that height. Every night when I fall asleep, always with her body touching mine, I cant believe how lucky I am.
Of course not all of our physical encounters were of the cathartic earth shaking variety but every time we were intimate it was at the very least special in its own way. She eagerly pleased me and I was all too happy to reciprocate as we both highly enjoyed the art of giving as much as we did receiving. I found myself constantly touching her body especially in the most erogenous of places and I never passed up a chance to kiss her long hard and deeply. No matter the time of day or situation I often would grab her and pin her against a wall for kiss her till her knees got weak. Which never took very long since I used my entire body to kiss as well. I would always let my passion envelope her and for a few brief moments in our busy day we took a sip from the spring of true loving passion.
I loved to caress her face as softly as our tongues found each others. Most times I couldn’t keep my hands off her body and especially loved to fondle her chest. With those dangling perky breasts in my hands I would always feel a surge heat run through me directly in proportion to how smoking hot she was making me. In just a few seconds of our passionate embrace and the fire in my loins could spread its surging heat throughout my body making me want her in the most carnal of desires. I’d press my hips into hers and grind my semi- rigid swelling into her awaking mound and it wouldn’t be long before we danced off to the bed. I totally enjoyed making her crazy like that and her return kisses groping hands and sweet moans drove me just as wild. kissing her with all my passion was now my favorite hobby and would be for a long, long time.
Once I got home late and found her sleeping and she was curled up on one side in a fetal like position and looked angelic lying there. The book she had been reading had long ago had fallen to the floor and her delicate empty hand dangled off the beds edge. She was breathing shallow and lightly sleeping while the ceiling fan blew soft kisses of cool air over her body. She was a vision of beauty lying there and all I wanted to do was curl up beside her and hold her tight like a child holds a favorite stuffed animal. Trying not to wake her I gently crawled into bed myself and with as little a commotion as possible I wrapped myself around her and hugged my life size teddy bear. She awoke just enough to acknowledge my presence with a soft coo of approval and we snuggled in as tight as two spoons in a drawer. it was my original intention to innocently climb in for a peaceful nights rest and keep our bodies connected like two puzzle pieces but there were outside forces working against my innocuous plan. The warmth of her body snuggled tightly into mine and the sweetness of her perfume along with her soft purrs of happiness as she wiggled her buns into the crook of my lap turned my thoughts to those of a more sensual variety.
I caressed her body as she pressed in tight and those warm silky wrapped curves made all manner of naughty thoughts run wild through my mind. Pulsing electrical passion was arcing through my fingers as they roamed her soft skin and I could feel the charge building inside me. I had wonderful foreshadowing visions about how wonderful it would be to hold her like this as we both climaxed in unison and holding on till every last wave worked its way through our bodies and left us exhausted and thoroughly sated. Not moving afterwards either as our spent souls feel asleep with our bodies so intimately connected. The more I thought about that idea the more I ran my hands over her body and the more my fingers sought out more sensual places to touch. I nuzzled my face into her neck and left a trail of soft kisses from the point of her shoulder on up to her delicate ear where I softly suckled the lobe in my moist lips. She never opened her eyes but her body responded with delight as I caressed and kissed her into a higher state of arousal. When I brought her hand up to my face and softly sucked on the tip of her index finger I could feel the shivers run through her body. Although her eyes refused to open the rest of her body was quickly awakening and responding to my erotic touches.
When I slide my fingers up her thighs and across her mound she gave me more of those sexy sleepy moans of encouragement so of course I continued. I grabbed her hand and brought it down to her lap and using my fingers atop hers we both massaged her fleshy epicenter right through the her silky panties. I kissed and nibbled her neck while we played and I used my other hand to massage her body from smooth legs up to her beautiful chest. Needing more direct stimulation she slid her hand into her panties and I could feel her rubbing herself leaving me free to fondle the rest of her body. The whole experience of sharing such intimacies with her was driving me crazy and I pressed that ever growing bulge in my shorts into the crease of her luscious behind. She rubbed more and more vigorously and in sync with my gentle thrusts and bucks from behind. The only time she stopped was to switch hands and bring her soaked fingers up to my mouth so I could suck off all that slightly salty goodness.
Much to my dismay it wasn’t long before her breathing and whimpers of delight told me she was about to climax for me and I could tell from those sweet sounds that it was going to be a strong one. I had one arm around her and brought it up to her face so she could suck on my finger showing me how much it turned her on to have a part of me in her mouth when she exploded. Every suck sent tingles right to my aching loins but all I could do for now was hold on tight. Her breasts were as erect as they possible could be and I teased them by softly pinching them between my fingers or tugging on them with just enough pressure to thrill. I would also massaging and squeezing each full breast in turns and her sleepy moans assured me that what I was doing was perfect. My tactile techniques and her aural symphony added layers upon layers to our erotic horizontal dance.
This whole process of helping her pleasure herself was an incredible turn on for me and I continued to buck my hardness into her firm rear eliciting even more sounds of pleasure from my sleepy playmate. Her aria was coming to its climax and I couldn’t wait for the finale. When she broke on me it was tremendous and I held her as tightly as I could. I felt the explosive shockwaves and the rapid contractions of her orgasm radiating outward from her pelvis. I could feel that seismic energy run through her body from deep within and it echoed back and forth and shook her from skin to core. Holding her in my arms I was so close to her I could feel everything almost as if it was my own passionate release. I felt her arms and legs and every muscle in her torso clenching and shaking and I could sense her struggle to breath while still trying to suck on my finger. Feeling how hard she was sucking on my finger was just another way I could share in the fireworks with her. I held her tight in my arms until the spasms stopped and her body went limp and her breathing returned towards normal. When I pulled back a little and she rolled over onto her back and with her eyes still closed she caressed my face with a sleepy satisfied look on her whole face. She looked beautiful lying there and I kissed her softly and whispered I love you into her ear. Inside I was glowing as I felt a special bond of closeness whenever we shared such a sensual encounter like that. Of course I wasn’t one to be out done and I did have this new problem with significant swelling in my pants.
Quickly I shed my clothes and pulled up her shirt to expose those beautiful orbs of pleasure I was so recently kneading and I climbed up and straddled her chest. With a sexy smile and still drowsy eyes she held up those sensitive beauties and I ran my hardness over her still erect nipples. Being a part of her orgasm made me hotter than I thought and my mind had only one goal at the moment which was to reach that sweet release as soon as possible. I stated to rub myself right atop her breasts which finally got her to open her eyes even if only slightly. As sleepy as she was from just breaking so hard I could tell that from watching me her body was humming with new energy. With my free hand I reached behind myself and found her nexus of pleasure and I started to finger massage that moist mound in much the same way she had just done while I held her close. The faster I stroked myself the more she wriggled and moaned underneath me adding to the sensuality of it all and I felt the orgasmic fuse burn ever closer to its end. Soon I was feeling that boiling pressure inside me and I paced myself as long as I needed until I was sure she was only moments away from exploding again herself.
The feeling of her breasts under me as I played with myself for her eyes only was coaxing me onward with a warm soft tickling support that I’d never quiet felt before. My sack was pressed up on those soft pillows and my knuckles stroked her nipples as I pumped up and down the length of my shaft and it was driving us both crazy. After a few minutes I couldn’t have delayed myself another second if I wanted and I felt the prelaunch sequence begin deep inside. With a few more rapid strokes I went over the edge and most of the muscles in my body helped to eject everything in me I had to give. I felt the pressure surge up through my shaft sending me into a sensual orbit as the hot fluid was forced through the sensitive core of my hardness. As that first wad of viscous discharge left my tip all I could do was breathless aim my fountain at those nipples which were begging for my special icing. When I was finished exploding there were two or three large blobby lines of my gooey fluid all over her aching peaks. Before I could stop shaking I squeezed out one more big drop and rubbed that icing all over her stiff nipples with my hardness. Apparently that was the last straw because as soon as I touched her nipples with my sticky hot member she was overcome with the waves of another intense climax. While she shook and shuddered beneath me I kept drawing circles with my swollen and coated head.
She was a sight to behold with her breasts looking like freshly glazed donuts and her smoky eyes looked lovingly back up into mine. I admired my handy work for a moment and committed that erotic vision in my mind and often think of it. I’d never be able to look at her chest again and not think of that night I first painted her chest with my hot paint. Just thinking about it can always make me hot. even if she was wearing a blouse that almost fully covers my beauties I could still be able to see that sexy indent at the base of her neck where some of my fluid had run down and pooled. As much as I wanted to stay there and admire her beneath me but after such a strong finish my legs felt like rubber and I had to lie beside her. She started spreading my fluid all over her chest and sensually enjoying its warmth as it absorbed into her skin. She told me once that she loved its pheromone filled aroma and how the heat of it when it splashed onto her skin sent electric jolts of passion right to her sensual core. I told her with a big smile that I’d be happy to jolt her like that anytime she wanted.
While I can’t recall every time we were so intimate there are many instances like that which stand out in my memory. They often bring a smile to my face as I fondly recall those special moments of some of our more passionate endeavors. Often it would fuel a hunger for her so strong that by the time we got home after work all I wanted to do was ravish her. Judging from her reciprocal hunger I can assume she had a lot of the same day dreams as I. It is somewhat the same for the game as I don’t recall most regular season games played on any given summers night but there are those few special ones that can give a similar kind of sentimental feeling albeit not quiet as naughty. While I might think of my more passionate moments on a daily basis those memories of the games electric moments usually surfaced over a drink be it with an old team mate or maybe an old adversary id happen to meet. Then those games of legend would be rehashed and examined in as acute details as our minds could recall. Never again would my two favorite pastimes cross paths as they did that fateful night but you wont catch me complaining.
I guess the closest they would ever come to merging again was one night when we were walking home through the park and we paused to look out onto the field. Every time I came here a thousand memories would flood me. I thought of how different the field looked at night and how eerily the outfield disappeared into the inky blackness. I knew there was a fence out there but even if it was painted bright yellow we wouldn’t have seen it from the path. By the soft lights along the main park path we could make out the shapes of the stands and the back stop but the field quickly disappeared into quiet murky blackness. I looked at it with a smile thinking of how special this place was to me. Not only did I play in that unforgettable season here but it was where I also found my soul mate. It truly was my field of dreams and just the sight of it will always call forth the sweetest of memories. My favorite spot of all was that particular area over by the end of the stands. That’s where she watched that final game and where I, pumped up with victory courage, made my way over to that beautiful woman who had captured my utmost attention. looking back I cant believe how incredible that evening was. how nervous I was and how quickly she put me at ease. Now it was like we’ve been together forever. We both were totally at ease with each other and now it felt uncomfortable if the other wasn’t there. How times have changed I thought to myself.
I asked her once why she picked me out of all the players on the field that day and she surprised me with a more detailed answer that I expected. She said she walked the park a lot and often got unsolicited attention from the usual cast of baseball characters but at a distance she did enjoy watching the games. While she never had an specific idea as far as who she was really looking for but she did know some of the qualities that person would need to possess. He had to have a sense of humor, be charming and yet sincere. A faithful friend and a stoic leader. Not a follower. He had to have a gentle and kind disposition with enough intellect to keep her stimulated but not intimidated. Other than that the field was wide open so to speak. Fate may have brought her upon our games but there was only one player she felt was charismatic and whom all the other players looked up to. It was that obvious even from afar and the more she watch the more intrigued she became until she felt she had to meet me. Plus she said I looked pretty damn cute in my tight baseball pants. While the pants may have initially caught her eye it was my character that held her attention. Either way I was humbled by her words but greatly appreciative of her powers of observation and I now fully understood the phrase “behind every great man is an even greater woman. “
In the darkness we walked towards the field until we stopped at the end of the stands where our journey all began and a flood of feelings came back as we both recalled that fateful evening. When she turned to face me her eyes had a dreamy look to them but her smile had a more mischievous quality to it. When I looked deep into those eyes all I wanted to do was to pour myself right into her and kiss her with all the love and adoration I felt inside. When we kissed I felt like all my feelings could flow through my lips to hers and melt her heart making her go weak in the knees. Often times these special moments of soft kisses and tender embraces quickly turned into breathless passion and a contest of ever increasing and aggressive touching. She felt wonderful in my arms and I pulled her closer and within moment I was kissing as hard and I was hugging. The more I kissed and caressed her luscious body the more sexual energy I felt building up inside me. It was like I was storing up a powerful static charge deep inside my core and eventually I would have to touch my ground and discharge all my voltage. By the way she was returning my kisses and from the way her hands were touching my body I knew she was storing up her own bolt of lightening inside her too.
I knew my kisses were having an affect on her and I felt one hand squeezing and caressing the growing bulge in my pants with ever increasing urgency and the other was firmly holding onto my rear making sure I couldn’t escape. The more she stroked me through my pants the harder I became and that frustrating layer of clothing between us was making me ache for more direct forms of contact. I loved whenever she touched me like this partly for the pure sensations and partly for how much it turned me on whenever she so boldly telegraphed her desires for me. I loved her womanly complexities as she could be shy and coy one day and damn near rape me another. It kept me mentally and sensually on my toes and I loved every second of our erotic foreplay. Now she was caressing me and softly stroking me through my pants and it was tickling and coaxing me into being as hard as I could possible be. Everything she did gave me tingles of delight and drove me wild with the anticipation for the eventual progression of events that was sure follow.
Feeling daring by being cloaked in near total darkness and the remote possibility of anyone else actually being in the park this late she decided to release my stiffness. Frenzied fingers unzipped my pants and pulled aside my underwear so I could unfurl before her. Now those soft caresses turned into soft kisses which quickly evolved into soft tender sucks before I was finally and wholly engulfed by her warm mouth. It was pure heaven and all I could do was stand there and thoroughly enjoy it. I could barely see her shape beneath me so I closed my eyes and let myself get lost in her litany of pleasures as her fingers and talented mouth did their magic on my aching hardness. In the dark there I envisioned her lovely features and let my erotic mental images enhance the experience as I recalled in great detail of what it looked like to have her so intimately attached to my body. Added more excitement was how easily I could sense how much it was turning her on at the same time. I totally understood how she felt as I almost couldn’t wait to have my turn and give it back to her just as good.
Sometimes when we made love we had the luxury of time and our sessions were long and expressive as well as draining. We took our time and enjoyed the moment as much as we did giving and taking pleasures from each other. Other times it was like tonight where passions get the best of us and those animalistic urges begged to be fulfilled fast and furiously. Tonight there was no doubt what we wanted the only question was where could we satisfy those hungers in relative privacy. We stopped our attacks for a moment to take a look around and decided we were to close to the park path and although probably alone it was too close to risk. We both looked towards the darkness that was the deep outfield and smiled to each other as we both got the same idea. She took me by the hand and into the darkness we went and with a sliver of moonlight to guide the way I was headed out onto the field with my favorite team mate. I could just make out her body in front of me and I admired how her dress accented and visually teased me with her luscious shape beneath. It was just clinging to the curve of her hips and then it draped over her legs and flowed as easily as her feet moved. It gave me many thoughts about how much I love to hold on to those curves when ever I ravish her from behind. I watched her legs too as the made their way into the darkness and couldn’t wait to run my hands all over them. Especially those silky inner thighs or when my hand slithers up their back and grabs a handful of those firm cheeks.
Everything about her stirred something passionate and sensual inside me be it a mischievous smile or a peak at some of her delicious cleavage. Just looking at her made me crazy but touching her body lit a fire in me like nothing else. I wanted my hands on her all the time and would touch her as often as I could. Be it simply to run my hands all over her curvaceous landscape or to just hold her delicate hand in mine. I loved paying particular attention to all those special places that made her coo and moan or completely melt in my arms. I know she felt the about touching my body and often felt her return my sensual touches which electrified my body and soul to its core. Her more intimate caresses inflated my ego as much as my loins and were always welcomed. I know she loved to feel the strength of my body and it was often a source of sexual energy for her whenever she felt the muscles in my broad shoulders or the gentle power of my legs and hips whenever they held us upright or drove us together during our passionate dances.
Now we were deep in the outfield in the middle of a green grass ocean and as we got close to the centerfield wall we stopped and she brought me down to lie on the soft cool grass. Jumping right on top of me I thought she was extraordinarily beautiful even in this dim light and with her silhouette surrounded by a sky full of stars. Tonight there would be no foreplay. No slow dance of pleasure or tango of tease. This time we were on a mission and nothing would divert us from our goal. Almost frantically she was tearing open my pants releasing my stiffness into the cool nigh air and her contrastingly warm mouth brought me back to full rigidity in no time. With my bat at the ready she straddled me like a pony and guided me right where she wanted my throbbing appendage the most. Her panties were soaked and she just pulled them aside for easy access and there was no resistance as she sank onto me slowly until she bottomed out on my pelvis.
I felt her weight press on me and after she bottomed out she did a slow grind with me throbbing deep inside. The first time I ever slip inside is always a special moment as we melt together and out different temperatures acclimate to one another. Its like jumping into a swimming pool where sensation of going from nothing to total immersion wakes every nerve capable of sending stimulus all through out my pulsating member and on up through my body. I throbbed deep inside her letting her feel that hardness flex and strain as it ached to get even deeper. I was almost begging for some faster friction while she kept on grinding and her wetness flooded me and ran over my sac making it tingle with a cool erotic sensation as the night air cooled it off. Through her dress I fondled her breasts and gently tugged on them in rhythm with the soft moans she was emitting while my hips bucked back off the ground. Slowly she rose and lowered herself onto me while leaning forward making my angle of penetration more acute. That way her pearl of pleasure rode the ridges of my shaft as it journeyed up and down. She alternated leaning forward to leaning back so my swollen head would pop its ridge over a favorite tickle spot deep inside her and the friction drove me wild. Whichever way she moved her velvety wetness was quickly coaxing the climax right up out of me.
Even though we were trying to be as quiet as possible I could still tell from the sounds she was making that she was getting close to the last inning. Her hips were moving faster and faster and she was landing one me harder and harder. I thrust my hips upwards matching her rhythm and we bucked together in a wild ride out there on that ocean of grass. It wasn’t long before I could sense her start to tremble and shake atop me as she was rounding third and heading for home at full speed. Not to be left behind I let the feeling overtake me and let my eruption begin waving her on like a frantic third base coach. With only the stars for spectators she started breaking on me and shaking with the waves of pleasure racking her body atop mine and I held on tight. Her palms were grinding into my shoulders as she rode out the jolts of energy radiating outward from deep within her. I saw her climax coming at me like a fat fastball and with perfect timing I knocked it out of the park when I rammed myself up deep one last time and erupted like a professional fire work. The feeling of that hot sticky fluid shooting up through me into her sent us both into orgasmic extra innings. I shook and shuddered while my warm honey-like fluid erupted upwards into her convulsing body and she thrashed and shook all over me doing her own version of the wave for the home team.
The contractions of her pelvis worked in unison to extract every drop I had to give and more as my loins continued to spasm dry heaves long after I’d been milked dry. I’m sure I wasn’t breathing for those long moments during the time our bodies symbiotically climaxed and shook with the after shocks of our efforts. Her convulsive spasms triggered mine and mine would trigger hers and for a few long minutes we rode out this game of spasm volley. Eventually she collapsed upon me exhausted from the effort and we lied there in the cool grass catching our breaths and letting our hearts beat come back to normal. Her hair tickled my face as it flowed around me as we nuzzled our faces softly against each others while we recovered from another one of our sexual epiphany’s. I was exhausted yet elated and the endorphin euphoria and love I was feeling now made me the happiest man alive. Thinking back on all the excitement I’ve experienced on this field id have to admit that in comparison tonight made that championship game absolutely pale in comparison.
I wish we could have stayed together like that lying in the grass caressing her in my arms beneath the stars till we fell asleep. Perhaps all night if we could have but once the fog of hypnotic passions had lifted we came to our senses a bit and started to look around to make sure we were still alone. Feeling relatively secure we started to wonder if we had been loud or not and really couldn’t remember as we were that lost in the moment. while quickly getting dressed and adjusting and brushing off our clothes we started to giggle about this daring stunt we had just pulled. The more we tried to act normal be quiet lest we run into anyone the more we couldn’t control our laughter until we were hysterically laughing out loud trying to dash across the field in the dark. We had tried to straighten up as best we could in the dark but I’m sure if anyone saw us on the way home they would suspect we had been up to something. Something that would leave grass stains or pieces of turf in my hair and clothes. Hip to hip we walked ourselves home slightly disheveled but with smiles of pure satisfaction on our faces.
I often found myself walking by that park as the years passed and it would illicit so many wonderful memories. While I always got a smile every time I looked out to the grass in centerfield most of my thoughts are of that first amazing night. In one bright night of destiny I played in the greatest of games and walked away victorious and that sweet memory of achievement would last forever. That night I also found the ultimate team mate for life and that’s a memory that will never fade as every day I wake next to her I cannot help but recall that elation I felt when we first kissed. Someday I would hang up the spikes when I could no longer play the game but for us it was going to be a perpetual season of home games and I couldn’t have drafted a better person to make that journey with.
