Waiting It Out - Benny Rodriguez - Book 1

Nature vs. Science (Really Engineering)

After we watched Wall - E yesterday, the boys went home and I didn't see them til this morning at the sandlot. I had gone to bed early just for the fun of it and didn't even need an alarm.

We've been at the sandlot for an hour now. Smalls, however, hasn't shown yet.

Again... I don't think he's a bad kid, he's just a little entitled. If he comes to realize the error of his ways I will happily let him back in the group.

I notice him enter the sandlot and we all stop what we were doing. After these past few days of stressing about the ball, it felt good to actually play baseball.

He walks toward us and we all form a group near the pitcher's mound.

"I wanted to apologize." he says walking up to us. "Lily was right. I was out of line yesterday. I shouldn't have blamed Yeah-Yeah for not getting the ball. It's not any your problems and I shouldn't have treated it like it was. I just want to have all of you as friends again."

The boys all look at me, saying it's my decision.

"Alright, fine." I tell him. "But don't test me again."

"I'll do my best."

"And... I'll help you get the ball back." I say.

"Really?!" he asks excitedly.

"Really?" the rest of the boys ask me, not believing I'm willing to help him after yesterday.

"Yeah. This'll probably be my only chance to ever see Babe Ruth's actual signature in person ever." I respond.

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The boys all agreed to help him after I said I would and in return for our forgiveness, he came up with the plan this time.

This was the last chance and he pulled out all the stops.

His idea was to use this erector set he had and use a remote-controled catapult to get the ball back.

We would put this rail down and the catapult would roll down into Mr. Mertle's backyard. Then Smalls would control it and shoot the ball back into the sandlot and rest of us would try to catch it.

Positions:

Ham and Timmy are responsible for rolling the catapult down the rail and pulling it back up.

Smalls obviously controlling the catapult.

I don't even have to say what and where Squints is. Same as last time.

The rest of us are standing farther away from the fence with our mitts on, ready to catch the ball when it comes into the backyard. Even little Tommy.

Anyway...

I saw the rail go down into the backyard and the plan had officially started. They're only gonna have so much time to get to the ball that there's a good chance Smalls' erector set won't make it out alive.

They slowly start lowering the catapult down the rail until I can't see it anymore. I know Ham, Timmy, and Smalls talked to each other but I was far enough away that I couldn't hear the whispers.

"Okay, you're on the ground." Squints whispers to Smalls.

"Moving forward." he whispers back.

I start to hear machine noises and now we're really short on time. No way The Beast hasn't noticed it by now.

"You went to far, go back." Squints says towards the tree house.

"Reverse. It's too far." Timmy repeats the message to Smalls.