Keep on Playing
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Puck dug a red angry birds ring out of the couch cushions that morning before participating in a round of Cream of Wheat.
Following breakfast, OLeif repaired the blinker on his motorcycle and puffed a pipe in the garage, Puck accompanying… not with the pipe. A jumbo carrot was substituted as the boys cleaned out OLeif’s toolbox.
Collette IM-d Joe in a shoe search for his new Merrells, settling on a particular pair labeled – Kangaroo/Dark Cheddar.
Off they took at quarter till eleven, Puck still painted in carrot juice face, for OLeif to snag a thirty-five dollar black glove before the games.
The day was hot – a scorcher eking into 92; a slap on the sunscreen – so suffice it to say, Collette and Puck were the only part-time fan base that observed the two-game loss from noon to two across town. Mom had remained home to iron Francis’ shirt, something about corsages, etc. Close losses though, leaving OLeif with a batting average of someplace close to .875…
“Even for softball, that’s good,” said Dad.
Dad, who came away with a double, amongst other hits. This time, OLeif charged in prepared with a full breakfast, a bottle of water, and an add-in electrolyte pack from Dad.
While they slugged it out around, a dust devil kicking up between first and the dugout, Puck enjoyed nearly an hour of wind in the playground, while Collette watched jets kick off from Lambert, followed by walking the gardens – warm herbs and smells of some sort of bread wafting from the dining hall. Spanish tile and cool green arbors. Puck took a flying trip down one path – scraped his knee. Collette stemmed the slight blood flow with a soft leaf, washed from the water bottle. And Puck quickly forgot about the sting, as clouds continued to parade across the mid-afternoon. Same track she, Carrie, Joe, and Rose had run for the Presidential Physical Fitness test. She had lost by a few inches on the stretch – never had been much of a gymnast – although Carrie proudly took it with flying colors. And just across the street, the nursing facility where Great Grandma Jewel had spent her last days, a few months shy of her 93rd birthday…
Following the games, QT offered cold apple juice. OLeif and Puck did the honors as Collette observed the incessant customer flow and sandwich boards advertising brightly colored Santa Fe salads and equally festive sprinkled donut holes.
On another side of town…
Carrie’s morning was volunteered at the bunny adoption day in Brentwood.
She returned to orchestrate the hair and make-up of five to seven girls preparing half a day early for the spring formal.
Rose – who had returned to the house with an army bag of laundry and five laptops the previous night – would spend a large portion of her weekend fixing everything.
And in a further town, out someplace in Austin, Gloria accompanied other family for the graduation of Relevance – following eleven years of university – from the University of Texas at Austin – with a, as the invitation in the mail had so read…
Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Chemical Engineering
Out even further still, in the mountains of New Mexico, Joe was feeling a little grubby-grab, posting the following…
“Have nothing to do? Have lots of moneys? Send ol’ [Joe] a box of stuff! Remember, I grade my friendships by the amount of material items I receive… Letters written in the form of 1940s love notes are accepted as well.”
OLeif kicked up the lawn mower. Earlier, he had conversed with Puck about the motorcycle…
“What do you think we should name the motorcycle, Puck?”
“I think we should name it The Motorcycle who Doesn’t do Anything. It just rides around. If you ask it to do anything, it will tell you – it just rides around.”
Clearly, someone had been inspired by Veggie Tales’ “The Pirates who Don’t do Anything”, which he watched that afternoon in the soft boil of four o’clock. Followed by a good soak in the tub to remove playground-crust. Matchbox cars on the bathroom sink for the better part of the week. Stacks of crumbled work shirts on the dresser. Sure-certain sign that boys ruled the house.
Applesauce dinner for the trio on the couch, reading about the Happy Hollisters in space shuttle city, with OLeif doing the accents.
And with the game – Puma was out.
Knee injury.
But they just never gave up.