Coach Kingwood grabbed me before I stepped up to the plate.
“Be patient and wait for your pitch. No one’s going to be able to hit everything he throws up there, so be selective.”
I strolled to the plate and settled into the box. The pitcher looked over at Dave, concluded that he wasn’t a danger to steal, and threw me a big hanging curveball. I usually would have swung at one like that, but the problem was that it was high, and I more than likely would’ve popped up. The umpire called it a ball.
“Sir, how close was that?” I asked.
The umpire looked confused. You don’t usually discuss balls and strikes with them.
“I’m here to learn and am asking if you could help me out some,” I clarified.
He’d walked up to me, and it looked like he and I were arguing. Coach Kingwood came trotting out. I waved him off, but he wasn’t to be deterred.
“It was close, but a little high,” the umpire told me.
“Are you trying to get kicked out?” Coach Kingwood asked.
“No, I’ll wait for you to tell me to do that.”
He mumbled something about it would be frigid in hell before that happened. Or maybe I just heard him wrong.
I stepped back into the box and watched as their pitcher threw two more balls, one low and the other outside. I knew the next pitch was going to be over the plate. Following my routine, I wiggled the bat over my head, and when the pitch left his hand, I had a good feeling. I drove a rocket between third and short. Dave was off like a shot as the ball rolled to the wall. With two outs, he didn’t need to know if it was caught or not, so he just ran. He rounded third as the left fielder got the ball and relayed it to short, who turned and threw home. It was a close play, but Dave was safe, and I had a stand-up double.
Their pitcher got our next batter out, so it was our turn to take the field. After the first, it was tied 1–1.
On the first pitch in the second, their pitcher stepped off the mound and grabbed the back of his arm as if something was wrong. The trainer came out, and it was decided that he was done. It was later found he’d tweaked a nerve and would be alright.
Their next pitcher wasn’t nearly as good. In the third inning, I was up again, and you could kiss that pitch goodbye as it landed over the 300 mark on the left-field wall. We batted around, and I was up once again in the third; we were now up 7–2. The bases were loaded, and we had two outs. It was almost like batting practice. I grooved a ball to straight center field where the sign said 400. I was later told they estimated it traveled 434 feet for my first grand slam; that put us up 11–2.
They could have ended the game on the mercy rule, but the coaches decided to play it out because everyone needed the at-bats and exposure. I had a career night with nine RBIs, three home runs, and six hits. The final score was 23–6.
◊◊◊
After the game, I pulled the team over, and we signed autographs for the fans. They’d announced the attendance, and there were over 500 people there tonight. I talked to Christen, and she suggested we all meet at a local pizza place. The host families agreed that sounded like a plan. Of course, Bob remembered I’d bought ice cream after the first game. I decided that if we won, I’d buy, so Paul took several of the guys with him to get cones for everyone.
Coach Kingwood was talking to some press, so I walked up with his cone and listened in.
“Tell us about David Dawson,” one of them asked.
Coach hadn’t seen me, so I slowed my roll and just smiled at them.
“Character wins. It’s not just his talent, though he has plenty of that. It’s his leadership. I think that was evident at his press conference earlier and demonstrated by how many people showed up tonight. That’s a tremendous trait … not everybody can pull that off. People are drawn to David. He’s got a personality that has people wanting to know him. His teammates all love him. That’s exciting because that’s a young man who’s going to fit in well. We want to build our team around people like David. We’re looking for young men who win off the diamond as much as on it.
“He has strength that you don’t see in a lot of young men. He’s a big boy, and I would bet he’s quicker than anyone else here. David smoked everyone in the speed drills. And tonight … I’ve never seen hitting like that from a young ballplayer,” Coach said and then saw me.
“I told him he’d get a cone if he said nice things about me,” I said to the press, and turned to Coach. “We’re all going for pizza. I just wanted to make sure you’d come with us.”
“What about us?” one of the press guys asked.
“Sure, why not? Just remember it’s our time with our host families, and everything is off the record.”
◊◊◊
I’m sure we made the pizza place’s night. They were about an hour before closing when we descended upon them. I made sure I spent some time with Christen. She chased Bob around and threatened to give him cooties. Her friends were a hit with the other players.
That was until my family walked in. Pam and Peggy had crying boys and handed them to me as soon as they came in. Greg had his three, and Mac and Kyle needed to tell Unca David things. Angie held Nate, and it looked like he was asleep. Coach Haskins about fell out of his chair when I handed him Little David, once I got my namesake calmed down. Coby was being a little more difficult until I figured out he was hungry.
That was the end of Christen. So much for my Tinder date. She did stay and talk to some of the other boys. She spoke to Dave, and M.E.’s ex-best friend wasn’t happy; that made me smile. I gave M.E. a look of disapproval when she seemed a little too pleased about that. I knew they’d hurt her, but she didn’t need to gloat about it.
Mom and Melissa hit it off; Dad and Rob, not so much. We seemed to share the same opinion of the man. Kyle and Mac crawled onto my lap, and Greg sat down next to me.
“Were you surprised?”
“I had no idea everyone was coming out for this. I thought maybe Houston if I made the initial cut, and for certain Monterrey, Mexico if I made the team. What made you all decide to come?” I asked.
“We’re here to support you, dumbass. Dawsons stick together.”
“Well, I appreciate it. I was especially happy to see the boys and your little rug-rats,” I said as I hugged the two on my lap.
“See that? Your unca loves you,” Greg said.
“We know,” Mac said.
I’d already gotten her a horse to ride. I wondered what was next.
“How is everything?” I asked Greg while glancing over at Angie.
“We’re doing better. I think we’re past our rough patch. The business is picking up, and I now actually have some regulars.”
“Do you have someone filling in?”
“I talked Jill Kim and Becky Grimes into helping out during the summer. It allows us to be open longer hours, and they told me you approved of their skills.”
“I bet they did. I think they just like to see me squirm.”
In the tradition of teachers and staff everywhere, they’d picked up summer jobs.
It was getting late, and I needed to hit the little boys’ room. When I came out, Pam was waiting for me.
“Hello, Pumpkin,” I said, then kissed her cheek and gave her a hug.
“I’m not fat,” she pouted.
I held her away from me so I could check, then looked at her butt and raised an eyebrow.
“David,” she hissed.
She was still the same as before, but it was fun to tease her every now and again.
“I’m just disappointed you lost your booty.”
That seemed to make her happy.
“You like me just fine,” she proclaimed.