Maybe We Didn't Have it All Figured Out
I stopped in a bar yesterday afternoon and did one Heiny Light and a shot of Jameson's in honor of my brother's birthday. I sipped it slow and allowed my mind to wander. Of course it wandered to all of the great places - memories of words said and laughs shared - and then a stray thought struck me and led to the title of this blog.
Jeff and I were usually of one opinion on any given subject, and for the most part, we discussed living right and battled against the things that led us astray - like Heiny Lights and shots of Jameson's - but it was all right - we did those things in the name of fun.
I finished the drinks and headed to the boys baseball games. It was a beautiful summer night with a clear, blue sky that contradicted everything swimming around in my head.
The boys were playing on three separate diamonds in one location - so Kathy and I, along with her Mom and Dad, walked from game to game, checking the scores and if one of the kids was due up.
Matt's team was getting soundly whipped and he flew to center. Sam's team was also losing and he'd struck out. Jake spent the early part of the game on the bench.
All of my life I've fought the good fight against wasting time. For a fleeting moment, I grew distracted - "I'm heading home," I told Kathy.
"This is what summer is about," Kathy said. "Relax."
"I haven't seen any of them come to bat," I said. "I'm heading home, I have stuff to figure out."
Yet instead of heading home I fell to the grass. We were in front of Jake's game and his team was up, but as far as I could tell, he wasn't due up.
The first kid hit a single to center. Kathy and I began a discussion about the liberal substitute rule in little league. I was in the middle of explaining the major league rule to her when the next kid hit a single to right.
"Good hit Jacob," the coach yelled.
"Jacob?" I asked.
I looked at the kid on first. He looked too big to be Jake. "Is that our kid?" I asked.
"No," Kathy said. "Wait, yeah, maybe it is."
"That's your kid," one of the coaches said as he casually walked by, laughing.
The trip around the bases took awhile, but Jake slid, ran hard, and scored. When the game was over he was awarded a game ball for his hustle.
"Aren't you glad you stayed to see it?" Kathy asked.
Why don't you enjoy life instead of trying to figure it out, a wise man once told me.
Maybe he had more figured right than me.
Jeff and I were usually of one opinion on any given subject, and for the most part, we discussed living right and battled against the things that led us astray - like Heiny Lights and shots of Jameson's - but it was all right - we did those things in the name of fun.
I finished the drinks and headed to the boys baseball games. It was a beautiful summer night with a clear, blue sky that contradicted everything swimming around in my head.
The boys were playing on three separate diamonds in one location - so Kathy and I, along with her Mom and Dad, walked from game to game, checking the scores and if one of the kids was due up.
Matt's team was getting soundly whipped and he flew to center. Sam's team was also losing and he'd struck out. Jake spent the early part of the game on the bench.
All of my life I've fought the good fight against wasting time. For a fleeting moment, I grew distracted - "I'm heading home," I told Kathy.
"This is what summer is about," Kathy said. "Relax."
"I haven't seen any of them come to bat," I said. "I'm heading home, I have stuff to figure out."
Yet instead of heading home I fell to the grass. We were in front of Jake's game and his team was up, but as far as I could tell, he wasn't due up.
The first kid hit a single to center. Kathy and I began a discussion about the liberal substitute rule in little league. I was in the middle of explaining the major league rule to her when the next kid hit a single to right.
"Good hit Jacob," the coach yelled.
"Jacob?" I asked.
I looked at the kid on first. He looked too big to be Jake. "Is that our kid?" I asked.
"No," Kathy said. "Wait, yeah, maybe it is."
"That's your kid," one of the coaches said as he casually walked by, laughing.
The trip around the bases took awhile, but Jake slid, ran hard, and scored. When the game was over he was awarded a game ball for his hustle.
"Aren't you glad you stayed to see it?" Kathy asked.
Why don't you enjoy life instead of trying to figure it out, a wise man once told me.
Maybe he had more figured right than me.
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