Look Up

I want to be a part of the world around me.

This evening, instead of getting ahead with homework, Beth and I walked to Chapman Park by her house. We read for a while in the grass -- she's borrowing my copy of Perks and I'm reading The Great Gatsby for school -- with background music of a group of kids playing baseball in the field. I got a little distracted; I wanted to climb trees but I didn't have any shoes, and I started watching the kids playing baseball. They hit a softball with a plastic bat, wearing high tops and going barefoot, a few boys but mostly girls, of all different ages -- and all of a sudden I just wanted to play so damn bad.

Beth was amused, watching me inch closer and closer to the field but getting nervous; I didn't know how to play, or who to ask, and I didn't want them thinking I was trying to be cool or funny or intimidating or anything. But finally I just couldn't take it and I asked the catcher, "can I play with you guys?" and although she wasn't sure about what position would best suit me, she pointed me in the direction of a shortstop-ish position, which I was content with.

We only played for about 10 or 15 minutes together -- almost all the girls were sisters, and their British dad had to take them home -- he would say, "five more minutes!" and five minutes later he would say, "four more minutes!". The girls had beautiful names like Isobel and Imogen and Clementine ("you can just call me Clemmy") and they didn't forget mine once and while we were waiting to hit I talked to the oldest one about going to high school next year. And I hit the ball not very far but managed to run all the way to second base, barefoot on the dusty field.

I'm not leading up to a life changing event -- we said goodnight, and it was nice to meet you, and I probably won't see them again -- but I'm just glad I worked up the courage to ask a few kids to play.

Because tonight, I became a part of the world around me.

posted by Allison Francis @ 8:57 PM