It’s one-hundred five degrees on the turf at game time. With the hot July sun bearing down and all eyes on me, I deliver the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning. It’s a ninety-eight-mph fastball for a strike. Cardinal fans boo loudly from all directions as I play with the rosin bag in my left hand. A smirk graces my face as I realize Madison both cheers for me and groans for her team. I mentally chide myself. Not at work. I must not let thoughts of Madison affect my work. With my head back in the game and a strike under my belt the oppressive heat melts away and I find my rhythm.
During the top of the third inning I mentally prepare myself to face the bottom of the St. Louis line-up as well as hit this inning. As I stand at the edge of the dugout I pray Stan gets on, so I can bat this inning.
While securing my batting gloves, Humphreys leans close. “Your girl’s a huge Cardinal’s fan, isn’t she?” He chuckles while his elbow prods my ribcage. “Don’t hold anything back to make her happy. Our team comes first.”
Is this guy for real? Have my six strikeouts and one walk not demonstrated my loyalty to the Cubs? I try to remind myself Humphreys is angry I get to hit as a pitcher. My homerun and RBI total are quickly approaching his stats. It wouldn’t look good for a pitcher to put up better stats than a fielder with many more at bats. I smile knowing Madison wants me to succeed, even against her Cardinals. I wish she were in the stands today as I approach the batter’s box.
With a 2-1 count, I connect with the next pitch and send it soaring over the centerfield wall. I begin my homerun trot amidst St. Louis boos and knowledge my homerun and 2 RBI’s pissed Humphreys off even more.
The pitching coach pulls me from the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Cubs lead six to three, I leave with a double, a homerun, and three RBI’s along with my many strikeouts from the mound. Although I struggled keeping my fingertips dry in the sweltering July heat, I had a great showing today.
As I sit, icing my shoulder and elbow on the bench. I lose my battle to keep my thoughts off Madison at work. I look forward to chatting with her tonight. I wanted to arrange a visit with her while I was in St. Louis, but this long road trip kept me too busy. With the All-Star break later this month, perhaps I can arrange some time for the two of us. I mentally flip through my upcoming schedule. Home games this week for the Fourth of July, photo shoot and endorsement meetings between games, and three days off for the All-Star break on the Fifteenth. Not much time to work with. I’ll need to confirm a few things tomorrow, then I can schedule time with Madison during the three-day break.
I long for the day we live in the same city, are a real couple, and we can relive the entire game together as we did in high school. I dream of a relationship with Madison more with each passing week. In the upcoming off-season I plan to move us forward—I plan to make her mine.