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I’m driving to Dallas on Tuesday.
I haven’t been back since my Dad died.
My mind conjures the ride to get there, almost like a ghost in the corner.
Stopping at Texarkana on the State Line to gas up and get a cold Coke.
Then nothing but flat earth and no trees for miles until you climb a small ridge and look down on Rockwall and the lake.
After that, it’s all traffic.
Wide lanes of racing cars, horns, birds.
We’re going to a Baseball World Series.
And just between you and me, I think this is the last tournament we play with this team.
It’s been a good run, five years of T-ball, coach pitch and moving up into kid pitch.
I’ve told you often about the “family” feel of the team, about drinking beer around a firepit, or laughing it up at tournaments.
Pool parties, and meet up’s downtown.
A fun group, a great group.
But, #10 is bored.
The problem with being good at something is the only way to keep getting better is to play with better players.
We’re of a mixed opinion in the household. A place where my vote doesn’t count.
Two to one for switching to a more competitive team.
He’s been invited, recruited if you will, by three other teams who have watched him play.
Part of it is the coaches have noticed his talent, which is good bordering on moments of greatness.
The other part is sticking around to watch their games.
They see him in uniform, talking to their players by the dugout.
Sitting in the stands slurping a slushie and studying them.
He’s the only kid on our team that does it every time we play.
I voted for one more year with the “fun” team so he could develop more.
He’s playing one year up on a team that plays one year up in a lot of tournaments.
That means, he’s nine playing against eleven years olds sometimes.
I love the look on the coaches faces when they find out how young he is.
And in my heart, I know playing with better players will make him better.
I’m just selfish. I’ll miss the parents and their awesome kids, even as I get to know a new group of parents.
Do they like to have fun too? My kind of fun?
Will they laugh at my jokes? Think I’m an idiot? Find me witty and charming and all around awesome?
You know, the same thoughts a lot of people have.
Despite my I don’t give a F- attitude sometimes, I do consider these things.
I’m sure these new folks will be great.
Les makes fun of me for never meeting strangers.
We were at a tourney in Bentonville AR a couple of weeks ago, and she watched me walk down a hallway with a kid she didn’t know.
We met in the elevator, he was a teen from Austin there to play in a basketball tourney, and his older brother was on the team as well.
When we stepped outside, I met his Dad and Mom and talked about the drive, when they were going back, what their chances of winning were.
I was sitting with a couple of the coaches and kids in the lobby after our all day at the ball park when they walked back through, waved and said “Hey Chris.”
They told me about the tournament when I asked, and after they left, people asked if I knew them.
They were surprised we just met.
I’ve always been like that though. Strangers are just friends I haven’t learned about yet.
The new team will probably be jealous of Les’ new hammock chair.
We saw it at a travel tourney, and ordered it right away.
Her brother saw it when he came to watch nephew, and got two for him and his wife for their travel ball team. (A year younger than us.)
I joked with her and said she would have the new moms lined up with hammock chairs and margaritas at every game.
She wondered aloud if they had a little sip of something during the games, and I felt my tummy tumble.
What if they’re a bunch of goody goodies?!? I don’t do well with holier than thou’s, so please, keep your fingers crossed for the Fall.
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