So, I got this e-mail from Issa today.
From: Husby
CC: Everyone
Subj: Tonight’s softball game
(Maybe I can convince my wife to play!) Come play we need you!
Re: Tonight’s softball game
omg, seriously? eek. that’s not a very good job of convincing me. Are you trying the peer pressure method?
Re: Re: Tonight’s softball game
Yes, and we’ll get you a glove, although I think you should go buy a $15 mitt for future use.
Re: Re: Re: Tonight’s softball game
Here’s my hesitation–you’ve seen me. I lack coordination. I have never played softball in my LIFE….and you know, you get so worked up when you guys lose or whatever…..lots o’ pressure. And what do you mean “future use”?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Tonight’s softball game
Zero pressure. We are just playing for fun! So, not to worry. What do you mean you haven’t played softball before? I thought you played back in the day.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Tonight’s softball game
Uhm, no. Me no playey neva. Volleyball? Yes. Tennis? Yes. Softball? No. I guess I could try if your back was against the wall…but I’m scared I wouldn’t know how to hold a bat!
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Tonight’s softball game
Great, you’re in. Love you. See you tonight!
So, that was it. My fate was sealed. In the course of 20 minutes…I was in a softball game, and I have never EVER played before. I was nervous but I dutifully tied on my running shoes and showed up at the appointed time for the game. I was assigned right field, where the ball never goes…and successfully avoided any actual “playing” time–for a couple of innings. I knew it couldn’t last forever, though…my “Please don’t hit to me–Dear GOD! Please don’t let them hit to me!” prayer was only going to work for so long.
Then it happened.
Somewhere around the third or fourth inning, this guy walked up to bat…and lined himself up with yours truly. I don’t know how I knew, but I just knew that he was gunning for me–he knew I was the weakest link and he wanted to run those bases and I was just praying that it wasn’t going to be as bad as I had pictured it in my head. I stared down the line of mowed grass that led straight to the base….and I positioned myself right smack in the center of that line, which happened to be the center of right field and then, just like I thought–*smack*…that ball came FLYING towards me, eclipsing the sun…it was slow, and quite…I heard Issa in my head “Watch the ball go into your glove, don’t watch your glove!” and so I stuck my hand up…watched the ball and wondered, as it came closer, if I was in the right spot…how stupid I would look with my glove in the air if I wasn’t in the right spot and it fell behind me…knowing full well that I was experiencing a bit of sun blindness and risked not being able to see the ball if it hit the ground “CRAP, CRAP, CRAP!”–SLAP!
The - ball - fell - into - my - glove!
Like something from a movie! There was a LOT laughter and even the other team cheered and clapped for me. My team gave me tons of praise and Issa was BEAMING from across the field…it was truly a proud moment.
There were high fives all around when we got back to the “dugout” and while that was the last of my exciting plays, I did have two other successful “stops” (granted, I threw one ball way left when it should have gone right…but how much can you ask from a girl who has never played before?).
All in all I had a good time, and they were incredibly gracious in asking me to come back again. And I think I might.
Now, if I could just learn to hit the ball.
Ohhhhh!!!! Big Sister BEAMING and excitement for YOU!!! I KNEW you would be amazing!!!
Well, once again, your story telling leaves me feeling entertained! I did play softball back in the day and I can tell you from my experience that even people who play the sport often sit there thinking “please don’t hit to me, don’t make me have to run, don’t let me look stupid in front of all these people who are so much better than me–and probably thinking the exact same thing!”