Matisse on the Loose by Georgia Bragg

Author:Georgia Bragg
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-10-15T16:00:00+00:00

“You need this,” Toby said. “A friendly game of baseball. What could you possibly miss in one day at the museum?”

“I hope you’re right. Because avoiding my big problem is making me very tense.”

“Try to forget about it.”

A bunch of guys from our class met up on the baseball diamond at the park.

“Good, ten of us, it’s even.” Cooper’s neck was thick, and his head was little. He was hammering a ball into his mitt. “Matisse, what position do you play? Artfield?”

“Very funny,” I said. “First base.” I figured a lower number would be easier than second or third. Then I added, “I can run.”

“I just can’t picture it. Ha-ha,” Cooper laughed.

“I’ll take Matisse on my team,” Toby said.

“Fine.” Cooper went to the pitcher’s mound and started throwing balls to Kevin. Three other guys got gloves and took the field.

Toby, Jason, Brian, and I stood behind the backstop. Sam grabbed a bat.

“We hardly even keep score,” Toby said. “There’s no pressure. It’s all for fun.”

“Fun. Can’t wait.”

“I’m warmed up,” Cooper said from the mound.

Sam stepped into the box and pulled his bat back. The first pitch was a ball.

“Good eye,” Toby, Jason, and Brian shouted from behind the backstop.

Cooper’s second pitch was a ball too.

“Make him work for it,” Jason screamed while shaking the chain-link fence behind home.

“A walk is as good as a hit,” Brian yelled.

Cooper threw a strike right down the middle. Sam didn’t swing at it.

“Caught you playing statue, weenie,” Cooper said.

“This one’s coming right at you, butthead.” Sam pointed at him. “Be ready.”

“You be ready for my heat,” Cooper answered.

“These guys aren’t friendly” I said to Toby.

“A little competition never hurt anybody” Toby said.

“Eat this.” Cooper fired one in.

Sam got a base hit. “Thanks for the snack, Cooper.”

“Wait until you see what’s for dinner, punk.”

“I’m starting to feel a little pressure, Toby,” I said.

“It makes you play better,” Toby assured me.

Brian was second at bat. He took a couple of practice swings and accidentally hit the backstop twice. The guy can trip standing still. Brian hit the first pitch a long way, but he barely made it to first base.

Sam, who was on first base, made it all the way home. “Get a piece of my smoke!” he baited Cooper. “That’s one to zero, babies.”

“They’re definitely keeping score,” I said.

Toby grabbed my shoulder. “Listen, it’s painful watching Brian run around the bases. Want to pinch-run?”

“Will this be the fun part?”

Toby called time, and I took Brian’s place on first base.

Everybody was talking it up at the top of their lungs.

Toby hit a grounder and got thrown out at first, but I made it all the way to third.

Jason was up at bat. Everyone on the field backed up about ten feet.

“Score or you’re dead meat, Matisse.” Sam had his fist in the air.

“Let’s crush these crybabies!” Brian screamed.

Cooper threw a wild pitch off to the left. It ricocheted off the backstop and rolled almost all the way up to first base.

My team was hollering, “Matisse, steal

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.