Bartle Clunes - Chapter 42
Play Ball!
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El Dorado County – 1952
Life in the foothills returned to normal with a heavy sigh. It was almost as if there had been no interruption at all. Eli was reunited with his little friends, with his crow, his cow, his big white hens. He settled into life again with Eizer Griggs. The folks of The Crossing were glad to see Eizer and Eli out walking together and to know Eli was well. Eizer however, knew that their happiness, their peace, could change in a blink. The thought of impending, repeated loss was always on his mind.
Lonnie and Eizer had been walking around the perimeter of the general store, discussing the feasibility of adding on yet another room next to the Book Exchange to use as a classroom. Ayla, Eizer and Vida Lee were talking about starting a free “academy” to be open after school for boys and girls. The ground-breaking for the Foothills Academy might be realized in the late spring, if all went well.
They were on the covered porch drinking root beer, hoping for a puff of afternoon breeze. “What do you think Eizer? Warm enough for you?”
Eizer said, “Yessiree, it's so hot and dry, the trees are bribing the dogs.”
Lonnie laughed and fanned himself with a magazine. “Say, are you coming out for the Midsummer softball game? We sure do need an umpire. You want to do it this year? You'd be good at it, and it'd really help us out.”
“Yah, okay. I'll help. You pitching?”
“Guess so. We are short two players this year, so the women are joining us - Louvina and Ayla both. They've been practicing up.”
“Well, isn't that a wonder! Son of a gun. Now, I know the women kept this country running during the last war, but these days it seems they just want to get themselves into anything! They any good?”
“I hope. Louvina has a powerful throwing arm. And Ayla, you know, she can run like a deer.”
“Hah! And I can just see Vida Lee out there in center field, running backwards, yelling I got it! I got it!”
The Midsummer Debacle, some called it. The softball game was an annual ritual that put very little athletic skill on exhibit, but was usually a lot of fun for everyone. It was Riles Crossing versus the Pleasant Valley men, in the field across from the General Store, which had the added feature of gopher holes and some tall thistle grass to make it more challenging. The far right field was covered with nettles; balls that went there were sacrificed. The opposing team snickered and hooted good-naturedly at the sight of Ayla and Louvina at left field and third base. The women smiled and yelled out a friendly warning.
By three o'clock, the score was Pleasant Valley - 3, Riles Crossing - 1. It was the bottom of the ninth inning. Riles Crossing was at bat, and it was their last chance to score. Bartle had been walked to first base by four low balls, the last of which had actually hit him on the foot. “Take your base, Bartle Clunes,” yelled Eizer. Lonnie, up next, slapped a line drive that flew right between the first baseman's knees, and then was fumbled again, allowing him to duck safely onto second, while Bartle landed on third.
Ayla was up and the count was two strikes and one ball. She crowded the plate, choked the bat; she had her own style and she felt confident. The next pitch was in the strike zone. She swung but only got a small piece of it. The ball dribbled sideways toward third base, but stayed within bounds. She practically left the ground and flew! Just barely sliding in headfirst, she hit the base with her nose and left fist. It no doubt hurt, but she got right up and danced around on the base, face covered with dirt, tickled with her unlikely success. Three on base. “Batter up!” shouted Eizer.
Bases loaded. Eli handed Louvina the bat. She said, “Give me that big fat one, little man!” She scratched her toe across home plate, dislodging a bit of dirt, thumped the plate with the tip of the bat, tapped the sole of her right shoe, gave a practice swing and brought the bat back over her shoulder, right elbow in the air. The first pitch was high and outside. She let it pass. “Ball one, Miss Louvina!” She swung wildly at the second pitch and missed. “Strike one!” The third pitch was again high and outside, but she halfway swung at it. The umpire ruled it had not been checked and yelled, “Strike two, ma'am!”
The fourth pitch came in low and Louvina came up under it as if she were playing a game of cricket. She connected with a hefty smack that lifted the ball right up over the head of the center fielder and into the tall grasses at the edge of the field. She brought everyone home, and, due to an overthrow to second, came trotting in herself. Final score 5 to 3 for Riles Crossing.
It was the first time in three years that they'd won. They all barked and howled like dogs off the leash. They threw their arms around their heroine of the day and congratulated her. Bartle whispered to her, “Louvina Clunes, my sweetheart, after all this time there is still so much I do not know about you. You surprise me every day. I am a such a lucky man.”
“And don’t you forget it, mister,” said his wife.
After the game, everyone was over in Eizer's backyard grilling wieners and drinking beer and RC Colas. They got about as festive and rowdy as Riles Crossing folk allowed themselves to be.
Now that is a good day. 🤓
It was fun to see that the ladies saved the day and to see that Eli fit right in again..