Page 16 of Eye on the Ball

Brenda: “I, Brenda Pennywhistle.”

Mutt: “I, Mutt Truckman.”

Probie: “I, State Your Name.”

Everybody sighed and glared at him. The sad thing was that he didn’t get it.

“You need to say: ‘I, Probie Truckman,’” Mutt stage whispered.

“Right. I, Probie Truckman.”

“Agree to be bound by the following rules,” Mr. Henry said.

We all repeated it.

Mr. Albert then set forth the rules:

We will all play in a sportsmanlike manner.

There will be no more than three substitutions per game per side.

At the end of nine innings, any tie will be broken by playing extra innings until such time as the tie is broken.

The trophy will be awarded to the winning team and will then be held in trust by that town until the following year.

Alligators will not be allowed on the field during play.

We all agreed again.

Jack, standing behind me, said, “Alligators? What?”

“1998. Terrible year,” Mr. Henry said darkly.

“I think we’re done here,” Mr. Albert said. “Where is the trophy now?”

“It needs to be handed over to us at the conclusion of this ceremony to be held in trust until the game,” Mr. Henry said, giving the Truckmans a fierce look.

“Ace has it,” Mutt said, shrugging helplessly.

“He needs to give it to us by no later than Monday night,” Mr. Albert said sternly.

Mutt and Probie nodded.

“Okay, all. Good night, then. See you next Saturday,” I said, as cheerfully as I could manage. It had been a very long day and a very long week, and I just wanted to go to bed. Maybe a hot bath and then bed.

Brenda caught up with me on the way to the parking lot. “I need to talk to you, Tess.” Her voice was nearly a whisper.

“I can’t tonight, Brenda. I’m sorry, but I’m wiped out. Today has been rough. Can we talk tomorrow evening before practice?”

She bit her lip, but then nodded. “Sure. I mean, I guess. It might be important, but … yeah. Okay. See you tomorrow.”

I was instantly sorry and wanted to change my mind and talk to her. I hated to disappoint anybody. But I’d been working on setting boundaries and standing up for myself, so I was also a little proud of myself.

“Okay. Meet you here early? Five-thirty?”

“Yeah. Okay. Five-thirty.”

If I’d only known then what would happen the next day, I would have forced her to talk to me right that second. Of course, hindsight is twenty-twenty, as they say.