Jane was in love, well . . . perhaps not love, but it might just work its way up to love if she behaved herself. She was enjoying junior college. She had not yet been accepted for the Women’s Fast Pitch team in San Diego, but was a killer at some of the local teams here in Washington State. She had balls for the game. Joey was a regular baseball player and tended to pooh-pooh Jane and her desire to play fast-pitch, while he played ball at Tacoma Community College.
Jane and Joey were both dining on their own at El Sabor just across the street from TCC. Jane had just seen Joey put a tiny bit of hot sauce on his tacos and laughed. She took her plate of fish tacos past Joey and returned to her seat with the “Mucho” hot sauce, but not before dragging her plate just below Joey’s nose. She sat down directly opposite from him and devoured her dinner.
Joey just shook he head and then walked over to the counter and asked which was the hottest sauce. He returned with a paper cup of killer sauce. He held up the cup like a salute to Jane and drank half a cup before running out to his car and driving away.
Jane laughed, but in the back of her mind she told herself “No wonder you have a hard time getting a date.” She thought over her actions and knew she had to apologize. She waited two days and then noting that Joey didn’t seem to be doing anything about girls, Jane approached him and apologized.
Joey tried to laugh it off a bit, but had been chastised later about his ball playing that day. Jane offered to help Joey with his hitting ability by pitching to him. Joey accepted and set a date for Sunday morning.
Sunday: Jane had already promised herself to behave. So far things were going okay, but then Joey made a comment that just pissed Jane off about fast pitch. He said, “I just don’t get it. I thought you girls were supposed to be dangerous with a fast pitch. My little brother throws harder and faster than you do.”
While she was dragging her cleats through the dirt a little bit, Joey made a few more remarks. Each one closed her eye just a little bit more until all she saw was the target. She threw two ultrafast pitches that caught Joey a little off kilter and then threw the capper. The pitch bounced off the swinging bat and then it bounced off Joey’s chin and he went down for the count. Well, actually he didn’t get knocked down, but he had to sit down. After five minutes he still couldn’t arise. Jane apologized a dozen times. Actually, it looked like the ball had struck both the chin and an area around the eye.
Jane knew she had to do something, but figured she would just take a deep breath, say she was sorry and then give up all hope. She was used to this. She hung her head in front of Joey and said “It’s all my fault.” To her surprise, Joey said, “No. It’s my fault. I never realized that women or girls have strength and ability as well as men . . . and obviously more than many men. You’re just a wonderful athlete. I would love to be your boyfriend and your coach. But do you think you could get me an ice pack . . . pretty please?
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