Softball: The Emotive Dilemma of Progeny
Dear People,
5/16/07
Ken’s team barely staved off my own, 11-10, in one of those exquisite see-sawing masterpieces that transform the most hardened atheists into passionate believers in the basic goodness of an aerobic God. Or not. But the point is that such taut competitive excellence was made all the more glorious by the dominating athletic presence of three great moms for Mother’s Day (Ellen, Ruth and Ramona). Even better, I was able to talk to Jonny’s own mom in Johannesburg during a delightful 5th inning cellphone break, and it was indeed my pleasure to tell her how well he was doing. “He’s hitting, he’s fielding, he’s doing it all” I gushed, and as I bid her adieu, I told her that she had every right to be “the proudest mother in all of South Africa.”
Of course, what I couldn’t know at the time was what fate had in store for us just four innings later. Yes, as my team stood on the cusp of victory with one out and two on in the bottom of the 9th, Jonny himself represented the tying run on second, and the winning run was right behind him on first. Sure enough, Marciel smashed a deep rocket to center right, but in a breathtaking over-the-shoulder catch, Ken kept his team alive, stopped on a dime, spun around, and hurled the ball back toward the infield. Nevertheless, Jonny tagged up for 3rd, Kira took off for 2nd and as I quickly surmised the tactical gestalt, it still seemed as if all was falling into place for a little two-RBI single to wrap it all up.
Unfortunately, and for reasons I don’t pretend to understand, Jonny’s mama’s little boy didn’t halt at 3rd, but instead ricocheted past the safety of that base and darted directly for home. Given that Brad was in shallow left and already had the ball in his sinister little hands, one could argue that Jonny’s failure to stop was a tad “risky” or “brazen” or perhaps “unequivocally dumb-ass beyond belief.”
Of course hindsight is too easy by half, and in the end, his intentions were both noble and pure. So, no, my friends, I don’t “blame” Jonny for arriving at homeplate a somewhat unseemly two seconds after the ball, even though that did kill our rally, our dreams and the game itself.
Moreover, I believe that as his mama reads this very email in her ’ol Joburg bungalow, she can still bask in the shameless pride of mothership. Indeed, I think we all know that there is simply no ineptitude great enough to crush the love of a woman for her cherished faraway son, and therefore there will be a game at Codornices this Sunday at 11AM, IF I get enough commits by this Friday morning…Ray
PS: One Guy who won’t be at the Falwell Funeral…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9CitfTtMIx8
5/18/07
Softball: Decisions
Dear People,
There will be a game at Codornices this Sunday at 11AM, and as of now there is still one slot left.
Please bring $3 for the field, which for this week only includes EITHER a complimentary Wireless G Router with Draft-N USB Adapter OR a gererous selection of pan-fried sand dabs with asparagus, Meyer lemon and sage….Ray 845-7552
PS: Lest you forgot—Sunday, June 10th, 2007, 11AM-4PM: 10-Year-Anniversary Double-Header and Pot-Luck Barbecue.