Fair Ball by Derek Jeter

Author:Derek Jeter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Chapter Eleven

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Vijay was exultant. “We won! Derek, you are the best player in all of Kalamazoo! How did you catch those fly balls? How did you throw that kid out at the plate? You are amazing!”

Derek, while he was happy about the result of the game, was in no mood to be treated like a hero. “Cut it out, okay, Vij?” he said as they got into the back of the station wagon for the ride home.

“What is the matter with you? Don’t you realize we are in the final now? We are going to win that big trophy! With you on our team, how can we lose? MVP! MVP!”

Derek was used to this kind of thing from Vijay, who always thought Derek was the best at everything. It was great to have someone think of you that way, he had to admit. But it could be embarrassing—and irritating too sometimes. Like now.

“Stop.”

Vijay, suddenly realizing that Derek really, truly wanted him to, quieted down.

“Don’t get down on yourself, Derek,” said Mr. Jeter from the driver’s seat as he eased the wagon into traffic. “Every pitcher has a bad day now and then. And you played great in center.”

“I’m not a pitcher,” Derek muttered. “I’m not a center fielder. I’m a shortstop.”

His dad eyed him sternly in the rearview mirror. “On this team you’re a baseball player,” he said, “and your job is to help your team however your coaches tell you to.”

Derek felt stung, embarrassed that Vijay was there to witness his dad correcting him. Vijay pretended not to hear, staring out the window at the street.

“Let me remind you again, Derek. You can’t control everything, but you can control how you think about it and how you act when things don’t go your way. You’ve got to hang in there and keep after it, not get down and give up. Look how the game turned out today—and you were a big part of it!”

“I guess it’s okay . . . because we won.”

That seemed to perk Vijay up. “Not only that—we are going to go undefeated all the rest of the way!”

They had arrived outside Vijay’s door. “See you soon, Vij,” Derek said as they dropped him off.

“You are the best player ever!” Vijay said, waving as he walked up the front steps. “Someday you will be famous, Derek. You will see!”

Derek waved back, shaking his head but smiling. Good old Vijay, someone who really believed in him, big-time.

Derek had dreamed since he was a little kid of someday being shortstop for the New York Yankees. It was a big dream—some would have said an impossible dream. In fact, some people had said that. But his parents believed in him. And so did Vijay. That helped Derek keep the faith, even when he made an error, or when the dream seemed to be far away and fading fast.

Dave believed in him too. That was how he and Derek had bonded as friends, by believing in each other’s dreams.

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