Fifteen

By ten-thirty that morning, Puck was splashing in the pool with his old pal Anneliese across town. Nine months after their last visit, they caught up in the magical world that was Anneliese’s grandmother’s house, a mini theme park of entertainment all young girls and boys could appreciate. Puck even took a tumble down a short hill in the giant inflatable ball. An upgrade from my generation where a rusted dryer drum did just as well. Bike helmet included. How did we all survive childhood?

The afternoon was baking already. Mom and Carrie-Bri joined us back at the Big House from Carrie’s chiropractic appointment. Then Irish walked in from the mall, with a sack of Smart Water for the game.

The game … well … Section 130 had our names on it again. Front row. Always a fun time. Sure, there’s an enormous yellow foul pole splitting vision of the field from seat #3, but it doesn’t obscure the actual action, so we take them, and happily.

Anyway, things started to fall apart in the 4th inning. It began with Carrie needing to get some air. Dead and sticky was the atmosphere in the stadium, as can happen frequently on warm July nights in St. Louis. While she recovered away from the action, Waino gave up the second of six runs. We returned. A light rain fell. Crack. Yunel Escobar of the Tampa Bay Rays sent a loping shot into right field. The look of terror on Allen Craig’s face right below us as he tore across the grass just in time to see the ball hit dirt and bounce into the plants in front of Carrie. While he walked away shaking his head, Carrie dove a hand into the burgundy leaves.

“THROW IT BACK!” someone yelled from somewhere as the crowd stared at the prize.

Instead, she and Irish examined the blue scuffs on the ball.

“Wainwright’s hand touched this,” Irish said reverently, then began snapping photos of the Rays’ outfielder who had torn the back of his pants, and clearly didn’t care.

Carrie took her turn with the ground-rule-double culprit. “Must have been one of his ‘pipe shots,’” she snickered.

I have a feeling she and Waino would get along juuuust fine.

Lightening flashed in the north as we drove home.