the end is nigh

Baseball is well nigh at a close. Alouicious has plugged along all this season, keeping track of his glove and bat and cleats and hat and uniform, playing catch when there's time, throwing the ball into the tire placed carefully against our gorgeous fence (see posts from last summer) when there's less time, whistling his way through practices and games. The rest of us have been trying to live sanely around him. Elphine and I, waiting out practices, have bought groceries in myriad locations we never expected to know about in the long distant baseball-less past. Matt has been to, what seems like to me, a thousand games, standing, shoulders squared, on the top level of those dilapidated and ubiquitous risers available at every baseball field across America. He mutters under his breath and shouts desperately at his child to RUN and HIT and mostly PAY ATTENTION. I, even I, have stood, white knuckled at the fence, shouting hysterically at children to whom I have never been formally introduced to RUN RUN RUN COME ON RUN RUN RUN!!!  

Yesterday, after rushing away from the Church Picnic (sob), it occurred to me that baseball is alright. It is orderly and cheerful. The angles are well arranged. The lawn is always perfectly green. The little boys (honestly, they look so like babies but also on the cusp of being men) look so right in their bright clean white and wine colored uniforms. The catcher for our team, who I do happen to know, squats keen eyed and ready, but when the moment arises flings aside his massive helmet and cap, scoops up the ball and goes fiercely at the poor child coming desperately towards home. Then, generally satisfied, he reassembles himself with the help of the umpire. It all happens in a languid, fascinating, nail biting rhythm. 

And so, here we are, one single game away from it all being over. We have gone all the way. Had it not been for the rain today, we, I guess I should say 'they' since I am not technically playing, would have played the only other team that has gone all the way. Tomorrow? Or Wednesday? Who can know when the rain will stop and the teams will be assembled.