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Prologue
Prologue
“I’m officially out medical, I signed the paperwork yesterday,” Paul said to Patrick with a sigh. Paul and Patrick were best friends, and coworkers. Everything was great, until they were involved in a shooting a month ago. Paul lost all hearing in his left ear from the sound of gunfire, and was forced into retirement.
“What about going into another division for the city? Maybe records, or press management?” Said Patrick, who was strategically seated on Paul’s right side.
“Dude, you know me. I can’t do a desk job. I get cabin fever spending one day behind a desk. Maybe I should focus on coaching” Paul said.
“Man, coaching is great, but High School Football Coaches don’t make diddly...anyway...you’re on deck” Patrick reminded him while handing Paul a helmet. “Hey knock this one out, we need a win and you need a pick me up.”
As Paul warmed up, he finally looked at the scoreboard at their local parks & rec center. He and his buddies from work had entered a parks & rec lead with the team name “Coors Crushers” as a joke, but they had taken a liking to the league. They were 9-0, and this was the final game of the season. "f***, were down one run, I haven’t been paying any attention to this sh**," Paul thought to himself. He had been so preoccupied with his issues, he was barely even present. The few onlookers cheered as Chris got on base. "Ah balls...I’m up and its all on me now."
“Hey how many outs we got Pat? I haven’t paid any attention all game,” Paul chuckled.
“Two bro, this is your moment! We need you!” Yelled Patrick.
"Well sh**...alright let’s get this done," Paul thought.
Paul stepped into the box for the first pitch. It goes straight down the pipe. "Fu**...he probably knew I wouldn’t swing on the first one. Why else would he give me a fastball down the middle? I should have taken that. Ok...I’m cranking the next one for sure." Paul took a big swing on the incoming change-up...way out in front. Strike two.
"Well I’m about smack dab in the middle of a sh** storm." Paul took a long, deep breath. "Now or never, and its gonna be now." Here comes the pitch, it’s clearly a fastball coming over the plate. Paul has just enough time to think ..."mine!" He plants his front foot…
CRACK!
“Boom goes the dynamite!” Paul yells out as the ball soars deep to left. He got around on it in a big way. Going, going, gone!
His teammates greeted him with big hugs and congratulations as he hit the walkoff home run.
Paul sat in his truck for a few minutes after the game ended. "What do I do now?" He wondered. Suddenly, there was a tapping on his window. Paul was startled as he stepped out.
“Can I help you?” Paul asked the man. The guy was pretty unassuming. No more than 5’6” and 150 pounds, standing there with a very generic looking MLB t-shirt. Next to 6’3” 225 pound Paul, this guy was miniature.
“My name is Brett Ackerman. I’m a scout,” the man introduced himself.
“A scout for what?” Said Paul.
“For baseball,” he retorted, as if it was obvious.
“Ok, well...what can I do for you?” Paul replied, becoming curious as to this man’s angle.
“I haven’t seen a power hitter like you in a long time,” Brett told him. “Here’s my card. We have a regional showcase next weekend, its in Fresno. Drop me a line if you’re interested.”
“Wait dude, I’m so fu**ing lost, a showcase for what?” Paul asked, now genuinely confused.
“Uh...for baseball. Like I said, I’m a scout...and you have a power swing. We can work with that, if you’re interested in a baseball career. You should come out, maybe try your luck. I have to go, but call me to hash out the details,” Brett said as he handed Paul the card.
Paul looked down at the card:
Brett Ackerman
MLB Entry Level Scout
661-555-4555
"Major League Baseball? Me? Paul thought. Well...fu** it...I don’t have plans next weekend…"
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03-26-2016, 02:50 AM
