Long Train Home by Jeff Houlahan

Author:Jeff Houlahan [Jeff Houlahan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Level Best Books
Published: 2022-03-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

She was sitting behind the dugout in San Diego, the same woman I had seen in Philly. She had cut her hair and added sunglasses but it was her. I saw her again in San Francisco. Twice. She had probably been in LA too.

She always left her seat before the ninth inning. After the first time in San Fran, I tried catching her in the parking lot but with no luck. The second time in San Fran I drew a walk in the first inning and spotted her sitting five rows back of the Giant dugout just to the outfield side. I trotted down to first and took a big lead. The pitcher tossed over and I had to slide back into first headfirst. I jumped up and raised one hand.

“Jimmy, can I have a T here?

“Time out!”

The ump waved his arms and stepped over onto the foul side of the first baseline. I think he thought I was just going to dust off but I walked over and stood in front of the woman. I stared up at her but she looked away over my head as if she hadn’t noticed.

“Nice to see you again, ma’am.”

I talked quietly but it carried. People turned in their seats to see who I was talking to. She looked down at me and then looked around as if to see who I was talking to. But she knew.

“This is the third game I’ve seen you at—it can’t be a coincidence. Something you want to say to me?”

The new haircut suited her. I couldn’t see her eyes behind the glasses but I still remembered them. Crystalline green, steady and unblinking like a wild animal.

“Play ball!”

I stood for a second longer but the first base ump came over.

“What the hell you doin’, Spencer? Scouting ‘em while the games on? We don’t have time for this shit. Let’s go. Get back on the bag or I’m calling you out.”

I took a last look and went back to first. The spell broke and people turned their attention back to the field and the noise started to pick up again. Nick was up next and lined a double to right-center. I got a late start and ran through the stop sign at third base. I would have been out by ten feet on a good throw but it was about twenty feet up the third baseline. I looked over as I crossed the plate but she was gone. I was sure she wouldn’t be back and she wasn’t. I didn’t bother dressing quickly after that game.

The next series against the Dodgers was uneventful. Except for the fight. We swept the series and I went seven for fifteen with two doubles, two home runs, and four walks. I’m not sure what the difference was. I was seeing the ball better. Even when I was making outs, I was hitting the ball hard. And we were all hitting. Except for Nick. Nothing seemed different. He prepared the same way

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