It was cool, they told me nice one, rookie. he smiled as if a child  someone playfully tousling his hair  That made me feel awfully good.

                  absently tugged the brim of his baseball cap

which irritated him

                     they were inside rookies house waiting for coffee to finish percolating etiquette informed him hats arent worn inside  experience told him assholes wore baseball caps

                                                                          he was struggling like a motherfucker to make an allowance

never got one growingup

Rookie

          Werent you twentysomething early twenties

Twentytwo. Semi-pro team.

It wasnt a major league farm club

No. Semi-pro.

What was semi about it

People paid admission to see the game.

Seated on wood bleachers

Yeah.

Yah I know the club

                        Diamond in the public park near the natatorium  I swam laps there

Yes.   That’s it.

Parked near the diamond watched half innings through the fence

                                                                      Thas the semi youre talkin about

Yeah.

I didnt realise admission was charged

It was nominal.

   You paid

No. a little discomfort crept into his eyes

Awright

   What do you mean . . alright?

Semi-pro

The admission paid for the maintenance upkeep of the field.

It was a community field correct

No.

High schools played tourneys there

Yes.

Community didnt budget for the field

I’m sure it did. I had to tryout for the team.

Start     

   No.

Older guys call you rookie

They were older, yeah.

How long were they semi-pros   Any in their thirties

sheepish A couple.

They starters

They were.

he was thinking pro-vanity

                              didnt say

These guys were good ballplayers.

Local ballplayers

                     Homegrown

throwing him a bone

                       Populous

It is.

good sheepish evaporating

                               he nodded agreement

Had to be nice to be called rookie

Play many seasons

One summer.

Then rookie was apt

I suppose you could say so.

he had

I gotta share

What’s that?

You said rookie an my imagination went to bedding a woman for the first time

Of course you did.

Rolling off her lying beside her she says Not bad rookie

Jesus.

Not Jesus fuckno

                   You take another at bat  A Bs are a statisticyah

didnt tug his brim

I think coffees ready   

afternoon,  Wednesday,  22  1. 25

1221,  reggaefriday,  31  1. 25