Real October Baseball

Just before three o’clock on the afternoon of Thursday, October 12, the Commander Supreme started our drive to Summerfield, North Carolina. We were heading to our oldest daughter’s home.

On Friday, October 13, we would be attending Viking Day at Summerfield Elementary School. Our grandchildren, Caroline and Hudson, would be participating in this fall field day. Caroline, a second grader, and Hudson, a kindergarten student had morning time slots.

We arrived at the designated time and watched as the second graders entered the dew soaked playing field attired in the matching bright green t-shirts. The school’s physical education teacher had coordinated six different activities for the students to enjoy, and from what I saw they were all good listeners, and they had fun.

A gap of time was in the schedule before the kindergarten classes came out on to the field, so the Commander and I ran a couple of family errands. We made it back in time to watch the kindergarten classes enter the field sporting their bright orange t-shirts. Again, they were good listeners, and the students received good guidance from parent volunteers and faculty members about each activity.

I loved watching their energy at each activity, but I think my favorite stop was the plumber’s plunger toss. Students had to toss the plunger toward a large square with a circle in the middle. The goal was to get your plunger to land in the circle upright.

Our grandson, Hudson, is a lefty. To me, I think lefties have a different touch with tossing objects. Hudson didn’t get his plunger to land upright in the circle, but he did coax his plunger to landing upright in the square.

We said our goodbyes, and we drove back to the house. From about noon until late in the afternoon, we did chores in the front yard. But, there were some good breaks worked into the afternoon when Caroline and Hudson came home from school.

At some point, the Commander put aside her work gloves, and played with Caroline. All things Barbie were on the agenda.

Hudson wanted to play catch. So, we set up on a section of the driveway. Hudson had his glove and a tennis ball. I tossed him slow rollers, grounders that bounced, and pop flies.

Eventually, Hudson let me return to the yard work, but soon he came back. This time, Hudson wanted to set up the front yard with bases, and he wanted me to pitch to him.

I pitched, he hit, and ran the bases. Sometimes, an imaginary ghost runner would be stranded on first, second, or third while Hudson went back to bat.

No matter what pitch I threw, Hudson was able to hit the ball. He scored a bunch of runs before I was able to accumulate three tough outs. Now, I could bat, and attempt to catch up.

I scored a few runs, but I never could catch up. The Summerfield Pirates stomped the Richmond Snuggy Bugs.

We stopped in time so that I could take a shower before we went out to dinner.

On Saturday morning, heavy rain showers drenched Oscar Court Field. All baseball games and groundwork were paused.

My sister, Lisa, drove over from Snow Camp in Alamance County. We had a good visit with her. Hudson hustled some of his artwork on Lisa, and Caroline painted Lisa’s nails.

After Lisa’s visit, we headed out in the rain dampness to run some errands. By early afternoon, the rain had moved out, and partly sunny skies had arrived.

I was back at the yard work, and our son-in-law, Doug, was checking his infrastructure to prepare for setting up a few Halloween inflatables.

Hudson came out and helped with some raking of ground cover and shrub clippings, and then he asked for more baseball time.

Once again, he was hitting that tennis ball all over the front yard, and hustling to the bases after his old grandpa couldn’t move quick enough to snag an easy out.
We took a short break, and I returned to my yard chores.

I knew that I was going to run out of time as neighbors and their two boys were coming over for dinner. Before I knew, Colton and Cooper had joined Hudson, and even Caroline took a couple of swings at the ball.

Let’s just leave at this—those kids pounded me. That tennis ball travelled all over the front yard. Hard grounders, line drives, and balls hit in the natural green monster consisting of four broad and tall holly shrubs. Finally, I called time, this humiliation needed closure.

For the next few minutes, I tackled an annoying patch of weeds, and I thought about the three boys and Caroline. There could not have been a better way to spend a pretty October afternoon.

These youngsters laughed at my lousy humor. They were polite. They listened. I think they had fun, but I don’t think they know how much fun I had.

Oh, how I love October.

You are my favorite month of the year.

And this afternoon, on the Oscar Court Field, October you added to my admiration.