Another Church Softball Game

Today is Memorial Day and time for our annual Teen versus Adult Softball Game. Until this year, the adults have dominated the series 3-0. Time is a humorous thing. I read on one of my frozen juice treat sticks the following riddle: "What is everyone doing at the same time but at different rates? Growing old!" That certainly applied today. The teens gave us a Baptist bootie thrashing! I felt like one of those kids being taken out of church by daddy in the middle of the sermon yelling, "Is it gonna hurt bad?" What was the difference? The riddle, my friend, the riddle. The teens are growing bigger and stronger and smarter. The adults are growing bigger and...well, you get the picture. While the sweet smell of victory was wafting through the teens' dug-out, the ominous smell of sore muscle rub was permeating ours. No, it really wasn't that bad. The game was...they whipped us something like 21-4. A bit of pain reliever and we played a second game, this time with the teams mixed and matched, and the score was 29-24.

We played on the same kitty-litter field as last year. The first thing our "manager" Rickey said was I was leading off and playing catcher. I said, "No way! That's what I was doing when I hurt my leg last year!" I played outfield...in the nice, grassy outfield. And I played right or rover, where the only one who ever hit out there was the left-handed teen who put it over the fence. That was nice. No injuries. No humiliation. No tookus bouncing around homeplate. Yes, life is sweet.

You know what the best part of today was? I felt so much better than last year. I could run faster and I didn't get winded. I could hit the ball harder. It was wonderful. This helped me realize just what a year of working out and watching my diet has done for me. It gave me a sense of accomplishment and renewed determination to make this a life-long goal.

One last thing:

Happy 25th Anniversary to Eddie and Leah Costello!

Twenty-five years ago, I got mad at Eddie for taking my buddy away and moving her to Mobile, Alabama. He brought her back, so I got over it. Seriously, you guys have been such terrific friends to Dave and me for so many years, and I love you both.