The Missing Piece

On one sunny spring afternoon Doug and his baseball teammates had just finished with their practice one day before an important game. Doug and his teammates had just finished cleaning up the field and was getting his stuff together to get ready to leave and go home. Like usual after every practice his teammates and Doug as well sit down and talk for awhile, sitting in the dugout and enjoying each other's company, while watching that beautiful sun start lowering over that nicely cut grass on one of the best baseball fields in the country. At least that’s what each and every ballplayer on that Washington Hills High School baseball team thought. As the team is sitting there admiring the amazing view one of the kids named Max asks, “Hey Doug, are you really not going to be at the game tomorrow?”, while the rest of the team chimes and says, “Yea come on Doug how can you miss it?”.  Doug responds to Max’s question by saying, “I’m afraid so boys, it’s my sister’s wedding this weekend and we must leave by tomorrow morning if we want to make it on time for the rehearsal dinner. Another one of Doug’s teammates named Jack says, “Ah man that’s a shame. We really are going to miss your bat tomorrow.” Doug replies by saying, “I’m sorry guys but I can’t miss my sister’s wedding no matter how hard I try. But don’t worry guys I know you’ll be able to win without me, you guys got this.” Another kid from the team named Case says, “Oh no not you buddy, we mean your actual bat.” Doug’s best friend Zach chimes in and says, “Yea buddy you're great and we’ll miss you, but your bat that’s the one thing we won't be able to win without.” “Everybody on this team uses it, it’s probably the best bat I have ever used in my whole 16 years of living.” Doug calmly replies by saying, “Calm down guys this bat is not that important or amazing. Honestly i'm hurt and shocked how mean you guys are and rather have my bat here then me.” This gets the whole team laughing and shouting out we are only kidding we will miss you at the game tomorrow. Zach decides to ask Doug, “Hey Doug since you won’t be here tomorrow you think that maybe you will let us borrow your bat?” Doug responds, “I don’t know guys, this bat means a lot to me and I would be devastated if anything happened to it.” Zach replies by saying, “Oh come on man I’m your best friend. You can trust me with anything man I promise.” Doug responds and says, I don’t know man, my parents paid lots of money for me to be able to buy this bat.” The whole team says, “Oh come on man we need it.” Doug then goes on and says “I don't know guys I'm sorry but I don't think I can let you guys borrow it.” The team decides to let it go and says, “Ok man we understand.” The team decides to change the subject and starts to joke around and have some good laughs. After a while the kids stop laughing and realize that they need to start heading home. Doug decides to stay behind and watch the sun until it fully sets. While 

Doug watches the sun and starts thinking about what his team was saying and how maybe he was being too harsh on them and how he probably should’ve just let them borrow it. After Doug gets too overthinking, he finally decides that it is time to start heading out. On his way to the parking lot he sees his buddy Jack running towards the dugout and asks him, “What’s wrong Jack?” Jack replies by saying, “I forgot my glove.” After Jack gets his glove him and Doug walk to the parking lot together while telling jokes and laughing. Once they finally get there Doug asks Jack, “Hey man do you guys think you really need my bat?” Jack says, “I mean well probably not to the extent that we were saying but I think we do indeed need it a little bit. Why Doug?” Doug says, “Well I started thinking about it and it made me think I was being over exaggerating a bit myself. I mean it’s you guys and I should be able to trust you with my bat.” Jack says, “What do you mean man, what are you talking about?” Doug responds, “What I mean is I was being dumb and I want to let you guys borrow my bat after all.” Jack asks, “Are you sure man? I mean we were only joking and I don’t want to be the one to lame if something happens to it. Like what if it gets broken or worse someone steals it?”. Doug responds, “Man you are worrying too much, if it gets broken then I have a warranty on it. And I hardly doubt that anyone on this team would want to steal my bat. Besides if they did, when would they even use it.” Jack replies and says, “Alright man if you say so. Thank you so much we will for sure get this win because of you man.” Doug says, “No problem man I’ll text everyone in the groupchat to let them know what’s going on. See you on Monday Jack.”  Jack, “Laters buddy, we’ll see you soon. Have fun at the wedding bud.” Doug, “Thanks man. Have a good night.” Jack, “You too buddy.” The very next day, Doug heads to 3 hours away to make it to his sister's wedding. On the other side of things Jack is going to the baseball game with Doug’s bat. At the game things are going alright. The Washington Hills Bobcats are hosting their rival high school the Hilfiger High Storm. At the end of the game the Bobcats come out on top with a victory. The score was 5 to 4. At this time Doug is finally getting to his sister’s wedding rehearsal. He hardly has any time to check up on his time and how they did or even to ask about his bat. As the weekend goes on, Doug is too focused on his sister's wedding that he forgets about ever lending his bat to his team. Meanwhile after the game the team goes on with their night and cleaning the dugout and going home or out to celebrate. None of the boys know it or they haven’t realized it but not a single one of them has the bat. As the weekend went on, everything went normally for everybody. Doug had a great time watching his sister get married and the baseball team had a great time celebrating and having after beating their rival team. AS the weekend ended, Monday came and everything was pretty much normal. After school the team had practiced and Doug was back for it. Everyone was excited to see him and everybody asked him how the wedding was. Doug told the guys, “It was cool. I had lots of fun. I even danced with some cute girl. "Zach said, “No you didn’t man. We all know that’s a lie.” Doug said, “Ok man whatever. Think what you want to. Anyways enough about me man how did the game go. What about my bat did it help you guys out?” Max replied with, “Oh yea man the game was great. We pulled through with a 5 to 4 victory. Man your bat helped me hit Zach in for the winning run.” Doug, “Wow guys that's great. I’m glad that you guys won. I’m also glad that my bat helped you guys out. But no need to seem needy or anything but where is my bat?” Max, “Oh yea where is that beautiful piece of metal?” Zach responds by saying, “Honestly I haven’t seen that thing since the game.” Doug, “So are you guys telling me that it is gone. My $400 bat is gone. Like as if it disappeared out of thin air.” The team says, “We don’t know man. We will help look for it and try to find it.” For the rest of the day the team spent their day looking for that bat. No one could find it though. It could have been stolen or maybe it was even just misplaced and it was somewhere where nobody could find it. After looking for it for the rest of the day, the boys decided to give up. No matter what the guys said though, Doug was still very upset. He couldn’t believe that his $400 bat was just gone like that without anybody seeing it or anybody hearing of it. Although all the guys were really sorry and did their best to make up for Doug they just couldn't. This made Doug so mad and he felt like he couldn't trust any of his old friends ever again that he moved to Hilfiger High, the rival school of Washington Hills High.