A couple days after the boys got over acting like big shots, they swore off the big stuff forever and just stuck to Bazooka.
But the day we all got back together for some baseball...was the day Scotty got us into the biggest pickle of all time, and it all started with an omen.
"Oh, man. I don't believe it," Squints said, staring at the ball in Benny's hands.
It was busted. It was now unplayable.
"Bitchin'," Ham said."
"Nah, it ain't," Benny said, staring at the ball in his hands.
"Come on," I said. "Maybe two or three guys in history...ever busted the guts out of a ball."
"Must be an omen," Bertram added.
"All's it means is that we can't play no more," Benny said, shaking his head.
I could tell he felt guilty.
I took his hand in mine and squeezed it.
Benny looked at me and I smiled at him. He gave me a small lopsided smile back.
"It's only eleven o'clock," Benny said, looking back at the busted ball in his hand. "And I just ruined the whole day for us."
"No, you didn't," Ham said. "That's the most amazing thing I ever saw."
"Yeah," The Sandlot boys agreed.
"It was the coolest thing I've ever seen," I smiled.
Benny shrugged and then looked around at us.
"Anybody got any money?" Benny asked.
"No," We all said in unison.
"Then it ain't okay, 'cause now we can't play no more," Benny sighed.
I rubbed his hand in mine with my thumb, trying to soothe him.
I felt bad. I wish I could cheer him up in some way.
"Yeah we can," Scotty said, making all of us look up at him.
"What you got thirty cents lying around, Smalls?" Benny asked.
"No, but I got a ball," Scotty said, bluntly.
"Go get it!" All the Sandlot boys suddenly shouted.
Scotty took off back to our house as we stood there waiting for him.
"Benny," I said.
Benny looked at me.
"Hmm?" He said.
"I don't want you to ever feel bad about busting a ball," I said, grabbing his chin with my hand. "Do you hear me?"
"Yes ma'am," Benny smirked.
"Good," I said, letting go of Benny's chin. "That really was the coolest thing I've ever seen."
Benny smiled at me and leaned in to give me a quick kiss.
That small bit of affection made all the boys around us cheer and whistle at us.
This made mine and Benny's faces turn cherry red in embarrassment.
"I got it, guys!" Scotty said, waving a ball around in the air as he ran into our view. "I got it! I got the ball, guys! I got it. Right here, guys. I got the ball. I got it."
Scotty finally ran up to us with a big smile on his face.
"Here, Benny," Scotty said, placing the ball in Benny's hand. "I got it."
YOU ARE READING
It All Started with Baseball
Fan fikcia"All Benny cared about before you guys moved here was baseball. He said he never had time for girls." "What about now?" ...
