7/29/15
Softball: Time to Feast! (Adventures in the Ceaseless Hand-Eye Problem)
Dear People,
In another thrilling but bicker-laden paragon of see-sawing competitive excellence, Jim McGuire's team splattered my own in Pollockesque drops of totally degrading nebbish-nectar, 19-17. The fact is that we practically handed them the win with an unfortunate late-inning outbreak of admittedly problematic fielding, and while I'm not going to name names, I would gently note that both Ben and Michael Davey developed an unfortunate case of Sudden Sieveitus in the ghastly four-error five-run 8th, while Alva had a more nuanced struggle with mastering the derivative arc of the classic line drive to right (as taught in both college calculus and little league).
Yet it may have been Steve Bedrick's stirring 7th-inning rendezvous with the inherent limits of certainty that did the most to shift the aerobic zeitgeist, and in the process, highlight the unique and often bitterly resented rules that govern our community. If you'd be so kind, allow me to explain: With two out, two on and my team still nursing a delicate three-run lead, Jerry suddenly unleashed a sky-high pop-up that was equidistant between 3rd, the plate and the pitcher's mound. As our hurler-hero instantly jumped into action, he shooed off both Frank and Ali while shrieking out to the Gods, “Me, me, me, me!!” And then, as that mystical orb began its inevitable descent, Bedboy shouted out four more times anew “me, me, me, me!!!” Yeah, I watched with burgeoning pride from my 1st-base perch, for confidence itself is the most cherished of all elixirs for any captain who loves his peeps.
In any case, the ball in question appeared to be heading directly toward Steve's totally transfixed eyeballs and steadily outstretched glove, but then, and for reasons I don't pretend to understand, it continued to plummet straight to the ground below, as if every one of those 'me!'s had been merely an utterly random morpheme that had never carried any semantic implication at all. Two hits, three runs and five minutes later, the game was suddenly tied and we'd never hold the lead again, and I think that's something that good 'ol Bedbug Boy is going to have to think about long and hard in the decades to come. Yeah, long and hard.
Still, and as unsightly as this incident was, it was yet one more useful reminder that as a tragically flawed athletic folk, we were more than justified in eliminating the infield fly rule all those contentious years ago. And therefore there will be a game at Codornices this Sunday at 11-Ben's final match before abandoning us for some stupid softball-hostile judicial clerkship back East! ;-( ---FOLLOWED BY a scrumptious Bring-Your-own-Meat-or-Equivalent Potluck Benbecue, IF I get enough commits by this Friday morning . . . Raymond
PS: Please let me know if you're coming to the Barbie (office colleagues, nutso distant family and embittered ex-lovers are always welcome), and if so, what communal contribution you plan to bring. Highly recommended offerings include grills/coal/lighter fluid, blankets to sit on, card tables, paper towels/plates/cups, tons of ice, soft drinks, juices, beer, more ice (bonus points if finely crushed), spatulas, real knives and plastic silverware, side salads, quality breads and cheeses, condiments, onions, mayo, brownies, cake, homemade ethnic entrees from your childhood shtetl, more ice, chips, assorted fresh fruit, raw vegetables, and if you're really feeling inspired, a platter of Hog Island clams cooked in the wood oven with sorrel broth, leeks, garlic toast and aioli.
7/29/15
Softball: Quickly before Boalt! (The Allure of Saying Goodbye and Feasting around the Grill )
Dear People,
There will be a game at Codornices this Sunday 11 followed by a post-match potluck barbeque, and as of now it is already full. As always, please let me know ASAP if you committed and need to cancel, and if you still want in, feel free to get on the wait list or contact me later for news of reopened slots.
If enough people express interest in a second post-barbecue softball game at 2:30ish, I may try to make it happen.
All are welcome to the barbecue, but if you haven't already, please let me know what communal contribution you'll be bringing.
$4 for the field/See ya Sunday/Organizational courage…Raymond 845-7552
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