The Big Game

Glen was up to bat. The final inning. The score was tied. He gripped the bat tightly. A bead of sweat went down his forehead. He looked over at the other players. If he can get just one of his teammates back home, they win. He starred the pitcher down. He knew his strategy. Curveball. Glen knew he would do it. Glen also knew he might trick him. It was fifty-fifty. The pitcher was ready to throw. Glen’s heart raced. He could feel it in his chest. He took a deep breath as the pitcher pulled his arm back. He started the throw. Glen could see the ball leave his hand. It was like slow motion. The ball flew towards him. Not yet, not yet, not yet. He said to himself. The hairs on his arm stood up. NOW!. He swung the bat. The ball went right past him. 

“Stike one.” The umpire shouted. 

The pitcher shook his fist in a small cheer. He was taunting Glen. They have had their issues in the past but to Glen, this was personal. Glen took another deep breath. A raindrop landed on his nose. He looked up to see the dark clouds above him. Nothing to worry about. He got himself ready again. This time he will hit it. The rain started to pick up. The pitcher tossed the ball again. Glen swung the bat. This time the bat made contact with the ball. The loud smack roared through the field. Glen dropped the bat. He took his first step and ran for first base. The ball soared through the air. Just as the ball reached its maximum height. A strike of lightning hit the ball. The thunder followed immediately. Glen stepped on first base not knowing about the lightning strike. He made his way to second. The crowd was in disbelief over the event that was happening in front of them. No one had ever seen something like it before. Glen rounded second base. Nothing was stopping him. Third base was the only thing in sight. The mud sloshed under his feet. He made contact with third base “Run it home.” He said to himself. Just a few feet away from home base, Glen lunged himself and slid the last few feet. He stood up and cheered. The coach walked over to him and Glen wrapped his arms around him. 

“Glen stop.” The coach said.

“We won, why should I stop?”

“The ball is gone. It was struck by lightning.” 

“Oh. So, now what?”

“The refs decided that the last inning is going to be played at another stadium. 

“When do we leave?”

The next morning, Glen sat in traffic. The cars were moving slowly. Glen kept checking the time. The flight was leaving in an hour. He looked over at the car next to him and saw Chuck. The pitcher for the other team. He was also on his way to the same airport to catch the same plane. It was unusual for two teams to take the same plane but with last-minute flights to the same city, it was all they could get. Chuck kept trying to get in front of Glen but Glen was not letting him in. He tried to ignore Chuck for the rest of the ride to the airport. 

When they arrived they had just missed the flight. Chuck was the first one out of the terminal and over to the car rental place while Glen tried to get on the next flight to the other stadium. The next flight was leaving in three days—the day after the game. He was quick to run to the rental agency but when he got there all the cars were rented out. 

“This is like some bad comedy movie,” Glen said to the cashier. He walked back outside and tried to call a taxi. As he walked toward the curb, he tripped and stumbled into the road, and a car backed into him. The driver got out and helped him up to his feet.

“Are you alright mister?” The driver asked. 

Glen stood up and replied. “Yeah, I am fine. Just kind of annoyed that I can’t get to…” He looked at the driver and saw it was Chuck. They made eye contact. 

“Look let me make it up to you. Hop in.”

“Alright, but don’t think just because we're traveling together means I am going to take it easy on you at the game.”

“Ditto.”

They got in the car and started driving. Glen looked at the map and planned out places where they could stop for food or rest. The first place they stopped at was a diner. They walked inside and sat at the counter. They sat apart with three seats between them. The waitress walked over and took their orders. Another patron kept looking back and forth at them. “Yall want to sit together? I can move.”

Glen took a sip of coffee. “No,” Chuck replied.

“You sure? Aren’t you buddies?” The man asked.

“Do you know who we are?” Glen asked as he looked at the man. “We’re baseball players for opposite teams. We ain’t buddies.”

Chuck shook his head in disappointment. The man looked back and forth at the two. “I can give one ya a ride. I’m headed back to the city today.” 

Glen perked up. “Yes, I would. I just have to grab my stuff from the car and I will be ready to leave when you are.”

“Well alrighty then. Let’s get to it.”

Glen walked outside and grabbed his suitcase. He went to put it in the bed of the pickup but the man stopped him. “Oh, I am sorry there ain’t any room back there. You can put that in the back seats.” The man said. “By the way, names’ Tom.” He stuck his hand out to shake hands with Glen. Glen shook Tom’s hand. Chuck watched them leave before he climbed back in his car. He turned on the radio and started listening to the news. “Police are searching for a man named Tom Clipper. A serial killer on the run. He picks up hitchhikers or will offer rides to strangers. He was last seen driving a blue pickup truck. He is also a known drug smuggler. Do not engage with the suspect.”

“Of course,” Chuck said. He stepped on the gas pedal and started following Tom and Glen. When he saw the back of the truck he called the police. “I have a visual on the truck of Tom. You need to hurry because he has a passenger with him right now.”

“Okay, the police are ten minutes out. Try not to look suspicious and keep us updated on the location.” The dispatcher replied.

Tom looked in the mirror and saw Chuck on the phone. He slammed the brakes. Chuck swerved out of the way. “What are you doing?” Glen asked as he looked behind them. He saw Chuck in the car as he swerved off the road. He then looked in the bed of the truck and saw some bags of weed. He slowly looked up at Tom. He had a gun pointed at him. “Okay, let’s just take this easy.”

Chuck caught up with them again. He was parallel with Tom on his driver's side. Chuck pulled his steering wheel over and crashed into the truck. Both vehicles went off the road. The truck rolled over twice before coming to a stop. The weed in the bed busted open and spread everywhere. Glen got out and walked around the truck and saw Chuck. Chuck stepped out of the car and waved for him to come over. Glen grabbed his suitcase and walked over. He looked around at the weed falling to the ground. “It’s like a Ganga Christmas.” He climbed in the passenger side and Chuck sped off. They looked in the mirror and saw the cops arriving at the scene. 

They continued to drive through the night. The sun started to rise the next morning. Glen had taken over driving so Chuck could sleep. Chuck started to wake up and sat up in his seat. He looked out the window and the sunrise. “Big game is tomorrow, how much further do we have to drive?” Chuck asked.

“Couple more hours.”

Chuck looked at his phone. His coach texted him that they had an extra day while they waited for them to arrive.

“So we do have a problem. We’re almost out of gas.” Glen stated as he side-eyed Chuck to see his reaction. 

Chuck looked at the GPS on his phone and saw that they were over twenty miles away from a gas station. “How much do we have?”

“About sixteen miles worth.”

“We can push it the rest of the way if we have to,” Chuck said. 

They continued to drive until the car stopped from the lack of gas. They pushed the car to the gas station. Chuck walked in to pay for the gas. Glen went to the side to use the restroom. Chuck looked at the snacks and drinks. Glen came back and held the door open for someone. The man put on a ski mask and pointed it at the cashier. Glen ran back behind the shelves. He made eye contact with Chuck who was holding an apple. Glen picked up a novelty plastic cup that was two feet long. Chuck pitched the apple and Glen swung the cup like a bat. He was able to hit the apple and it hit the robber knocking him out. Chuck walked out the door holding some snacks and drinks. Glen placed some money on the counter. “Keep the change.” They got back in the car and drove off. 

The rest of the trip they sang together to the radio. After a few hours, they arrived at the hotel. They grabbed their suitcases and parted ways.

The day of the game arrived. The crowd watched in anticipation. Chuck took his spot at the pitcher's mound. Glen was gripping his bat tightly. As he looked at Chuck he had some flashback memories about the last two days. 

Glen opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Chuck pulled his arm back and pitched the baseball. Glen swung and hit the ball. The ball soared across the field. When the ball reached the top of the arch it was struck by lightning. Glen’s coach threw his hat on the ground in anger. Glen started to run but stopped when the ball was struck. He looked at Chuck. Simultaneously they shouted “Road trip!”