Ball's up!
Welcome back, ready or not or even if you are still unsure. Whatever, you made the effort, you showed up. No matter what happens, you are now an accessory.
Once again, the ruling committee, compromised of our inherent leadership, was able to bypass all their differences and put us all where we belong. No, not safely put away behind key and padlock, surrounded by the safety of padded walls, but out on the field, for an evening of mindless games, in a place where we can continue to remain blissfully indifferent. A place that allows us to leave behind the stressful inconvenience of reality, one that puts us where we do truly belong, in a social vacuum, a place where we can shed our protective skins and open ourselves up to the gentle ribbing of our friends and neighbours, a place where some healthy competition is quickly overcome by a general lack of skill. All designed to help us overcome our fear of ridicule and keep us off the streets for at least one evening out of the week.
Lot of work and effort is spent getting us to this point and that’s just in getting through winter without the weekly companionship of your fellow reprobates out on the field. Although it is a team sport, a sport where you strive to defeat others, our only real antagonist of any concern through most of the season would be Mother Nature, that wicked, fickle mistress of the environment who, with simple drop of rain, can destroy our entire evening. Be nice to her, offer her a few words of praise and, if you feel so included, offer up a live sacrifice to appease her, to keep her at bay. May not help but can’t hurt and it may just give us a few more Tuesday nights without precipitation, so we can mindlessly abuse ourselves out on the baseball diamond. Mindlessly, perhaps, but always remember to show a little restraint. The embarrassment you save may be mine which, subsequently, might possibly be yours. I will mention names if I must.
That said, our first night of the season was designed perfectly for playing baseball, even the stuff we feebly attempt when we take the field. Lot of old faces returned, meaning familiar, not aged, even if it appears to be the case. The season commencement saw the return of many grizzled veterans, those who never learn, mixed with a few new faces, those who have yet to learn, those we will strive to bring quickly up to speed, just by being ourselves. We even saw the return of a few bold individuals who missed a season or two (or three or more), those who once had learned but quickly forgot. Sure it will quickly come back to them in short order. Young or old..ok, old or older, veteran or rookie, familiar face or strange acquaintance, we are all, once again, brought together for a few laughs, some social kibitzing and some good natured, gentle ribbing. OK, less on the gentle, perhaps, but always good natured. At least, that’s all we’ll admit to, especially if cornered and threatened with legal action (remembering you all signed a waiver). Keep in mind, you can always get away with more if you do it with a smile on our face. Or, at least, it creates enough confusion to give you the time to find cover if things go horribly awry.
We’re all in this together, even if we do make a motley crew. Make everyone welcome, introduce yourselves and get to know one another. Quicker you do so, the quicker you can outright harass them, make fun of them, send a general laugh in their direction and do it all with a smile. Keeps them guessing. Season passes quickly, so make the time count. Socialize away. Highly doubtful with this group, but even if you can’t seem to be friends, best of mates or chums, it is always best to keep your enemies close, so all the same rules apply. Smiling just becomes more important. And, always remember, you’re just playing a game, a game with social ramifications that are to be thoroughly enjoyed, fully participated in and never to be marred by political infestations or general feelings of malaise. That’s what the rest of the week is for, after the physical recovery. Good luck.
