Strike One

Chapter Five - “To New Beginnings”

Chandlers Point of View:

I cannot be this lucky, I can’t. She runs into me. Fate. It has to be fate. I feel a sudden urge to protect her and to keep her away from the horny guys that are on my baseball team. I decide the best way to see just how competitive and crazy they are to show her them playing spike ball.

Spike ball is a game with a small net that lies parallel to the ground. There is one ball and two teams of 3 that surround the net and try and spike it into the net and get it to hit the ground before any of the other members of the other team can retrieve it and get it back to the net. It’s pretty crazy. People get really into it, diving around and using their bodies like football players to get the ball to the net and win. I place my hand on the small of her back and lead her away from the cooler of water to the back yard and we sit perched on a swinging double chair that can equip the both of us. I opened my water and held it out to her to cheers our beverages. She laughs and clinks her plastic bottle against mine, and she says, “To new beginnings”. I smile and say, “Cheers to that.”

Now, most of the people here are drinking beer, but I’ve never been a huge party person. I try and stay on the cut and dry during seasons and, honestly, after hearing about Whitney's dad - and knowing he passed away from a drunk driver, I didn’t want to be insensitive as much as it would be nice to have a cold beverage after meeting Whitney today to calm my nerves. I shake that though as, I push my feet off the ground and keep a nice swing on the chair we are both seated upon. She laughs along with ooh’s and awe’s at the guys while intently watching them play. I laughed a couple of times too, watching some of my teammates making straight fools out of themselves. I know I need to break the ice. I’ve just never done it before, i think I should text Alex and ask her what I should do, but i know I need to handle this alone and think for myself about this.

Might as well jump in, right? “Alright, so Whitney - you are from Wisconsin, is it really any different than Michigan really? Midwest - 4 seasons, and you have the lake. I just can’t believe you are not a Packer fan living in Green Bay,” I said as a way to build into getting to know her. She smiles, “Yes, i suppose it could be like Michigan and, truthfully, growing up, we went over to either Ann Arbor or Detroit - sometimes, we would ride the ferry over to, umm, Ludington or Muskegon and drive the rest of the way. So, I feel like it’s like a second home to me already anyway. Listen, don’t get me started on the Packers. I hate Aaron Rodgers - I adore Matthew Stafford,” she says proudly.

I like her more. Aaron Rodgers is awful, and the fact that she is a cheese head and knows it, now that’s pure bliss. “Oh, I know. I’m sad he is not with Detroit anymore though, but I think he will do great with the Rams in LA.” I say, finishing the conversation we were having. She smiled widely at me, “I really think he will win the super bowl there if not this year or the next. I

mean, OBJ and Kerry there - that’s a dream team if you ask me!” She is incredibly knowledgeable about sports.

“You know your sports, points Cheese girl,” I say, teasing her. She laughs, “Points?” Who said I wasn’t basing this all off a point system myself, a local boy.” I laughed at that comment. Alright, we have nicknames for one another, this is going well. “Do I have any?” I asked her. She smiles, “I’m not sure - I’ve never had a point system before, so I’m winging this but so far, local Chandler Bing, you’re alright.” I spit out the gulp of water I just took. “You just called me Chandler Bing. Well, I’m proud to be sitting next to another Friends Geek,” I said to her. She holds her hands up in fists, covering her face with her fingers pointing at me and bangs them together three times, doing the infamous Friends “F you”. I laugh really hard and wipe the back of my hand under my chin toward her doing the other infamous F you back they do. She laughs and slaps the side of my arm. Her laugh is beautiful. I want to box it into my own music box and cherish it forever.

“Alright, Bing. I’ll be friends with you,” she says to me. “Ok, Monica - but only if our characters end up together like they do in the show,” I jab her in the ribs and laugh. She smiles and looks at the men playing spike ball in front of us. “I’m only kidding - So, UofM.

Hutch is amazing. You won’t have a better coach in your life. She is world class, and such an amazing human. You are incredibly lucky,” I told her. She smiles, “Hey, Bakich is great. My dad really liked him,” she says. I look at her, I feel I need to hold her hand or touch her, but I don’t. “I’m really sorry to hear about your father, Whitney. He truly was an amazing person. He taught me a lot as a catcher because his clinics were always pitcher/catcher clinics and just so rewarding. I know you have probably heard it a lot. He was a great ball player, I’m sure he was an even better dad,” I told her.

She looks down at her legs. I think I might have upset her, and that was not my intention at all. I placed my hand on her back, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I am really bad at communicating unless its calling pitches.” She chuckles. “It’s okay, its nice to hear good things about my dad, I just miss him a lot is all. He was my best friend. He worked with me all the time to protect

my skills. He used to pitch both underhand and overhand to me to get different perspectives on the game. At any major league game we go, too, he would talk strategy to me… I just miss it is all.” She pats my leg, indicating that she is happy with my testament of her father.

“I did check one of our stadiums off our list though. I went to Tampa Bay and saw Tom Brady play this past fall. He and my dad were, I guess, friends? I don’t know. I went down there with my mom, and we watched the game. My dad and I wanted to go to all the Major League and NFL stadiums, so I plan to continue that,” she tells me. I grabbed her hand, “If Matthew goes to the super bowl this year, we will go. I’ll take you! So, you will be able to wipe Sofi stadium off your lists,” I told her. She smiles, “deal.” And we continue to rock.

I notice her water is empty, so I offer to go get her another one and she politely agrees. I got up throw away her water and headed to the cooler to grab another one for her. After retrieving it, I turned around to head back and I noticed Nick Suchy has posted up in the spot I was sitting next to Whitney, damn it. I walked over, “Hey Nick, thanks for keeping my seat warm, (I handed the water over to Whitney) here you go, Whit. I didn’t think it took me long. It seemed Suchy here was anxiously awaiting my departure,” I said smugly. She smiles softly, not letting it get to her eyes, and it sends me a feeling that she doesn’t want him by her. I told her, I was going to head out soon and asked her if she needed a ride or a walk home. “Honestly, Bing, that sounds great. I wanted to get home and call my mom to check in on her. It was nice meeting you Sucky I mean, Suchy.” He looks so annoyed, and it sends me into an absolute hysteria on the inside.

We start walking towards the front and a couple of girls beg Whitney to stay. One even asks if she can walk home if she is afraid. I looked at her, “Hey, it’s nothing, we have forever. I mean- well, we have 3 years unless i get drafted but - hey, who knows what the future holds. (I grab her hand and squeeze it 2 times) It was incredibly nice meeting you Whitney Brown.” She smiles at me; this one is to her eyes. I turned and walked away.

I feel like I nailed that first meet and greet.