How to Save A Life (Anthony Rizzo)

39- Home Sweet Home

Clara

As soon as we arrive in Florida Anthony makes it his mission to show me around where he grew up, a little city called Parkland. There wasn't a lot in the city itself, there were cities around here much larger. They had just one big high school and a few cool alumni that had graduated from there, one being my boyfriend.

He takes me down the halls of his high school and shows me the trophies he won, which was quite a lot. Anthony was drafted right out of high school so this place, this town, it means the world to him. He spends every off season here and the city loves him just as much as he loves the city. He runs fundraisers here and trains in the offseason here and continues to make his future here.

"Is that you" I ask pointing to a picture of a very young looking Anthony in a glass case.

"Yeah thats me" he smiles. "That was draft day, I was just 17 years old when Boston picked me up from here" he explains.

"You look exactly the same but... petite" I laugh.

"I was a big boy for a high schooler. 6'3 and 220 pounds. I pitched, I played first, I played outfield. I grew up in this school" he smiles.

"Well this school is really proud of you too" I notice as I look over the Anthony Rizzo shrine up here.

"Too" he teases and I roll my eyes.

"You know I'm proud of you. As a person and as a player, there is no one better in my eyes" I insist and he smiles.

"I know you always tell me that, but it never gets old hearing it" he claims.

"I never get tired of saying it" I insist.

Anthony leans in for a kiss until he hears someone calling his name. We turn around and I see a older guy in a baseball hat making his way over to us.

"Coach Mike! It's good to see you" Anthony smiles as the man reaches us. He pulls Anthony into a huge hug and eventually me too.

"You too big man. Nice of you to stop by. Who is this this pretty little thing you have with you" the guy I know as Mike wonders.

"This is my beautiful girlfriend Clara. Claire, this is my high school baseball coach Mike. He's taught me everything I know" Anthony claims.

"It's a pleasure to meet you" I smile.

"You too. It's nice of you guys to pass by" Mike insists. "You guys want to go visit the field" he offered.

"As long as Clara is fine with it" Anthony said.

"I would love to" I admit.

He takes us outside and into the home dugout of the baseball field. We sit there and look out over the dying grass as the late November temperatures set it. Anthony smiles big as ever as he tucks me under his arm to keep me warm, lord knows I'm always cold.

"It hasn't changed a bit, has it" Mike asks Anthony.

"Not in the slightest" Anthony admits. "But can I tell you something" he wonders.

"Anything" Mike insists.

"I'm starting to raise money to get you guys a new field. This one is nice but times are changing. I think we need a real scoreboard and some new equipment, don't you think" Anthony asks.

"You better not be messing with me" Mike warns.

"No joke" Anthony insists.

"That would be incredible" Mike insists.

"It won't be for a few years, but my goal is to save up $150,000 by 2017. Get some lights up and get people down here excited about baseball again" Anthony explains.

"Why are you doing this" Mike wonders.

"I just got back from vacation with Clara and I had time to think. We got to taking about home and what it means to us, and I realized that this will always be my home. Parkland is where I'm from and where I can always come back to. It's a place that has always been here for me so I wanted to make it a better place to come back to" Anthony explains.

"Well we would greatly appreciate it. You know, the world could use more people like you" Mike says and I laugh.

"That's what I've been saying" I smile.

Eventually Mike had to go back in the school and Anthony wanted to show me around the rest of the city. We mess around at his favorite restaurants and shops. We go around the city before we meet some of his old friends at a local bar. I get a iced tea and join Anthony and his friends at the table. We get introduced and say hi before we break off and talk amongst ourselves.

The only other girl there was his one of his best friends Charlie's girlfriend, Tammy. She was tall and loud and she reminded me of my tall loud person. Therefore I loved her.

"So how often do you paint" she wonders.

"Any time I can really. I haven't recently because I just sold some pieces and Anthony and I went on vacation, but once we get settled in I'm sure I'll find the time" I insist.

"Are you working on anything specific" she asks.

"Nope. I can't force the art out of me. It just comes" I shrug.

"I wish I could do that. I can't even trace right" she claims and I giggle.

We continue to get to know each other and I swear she was like the girl version of Anthony. She was so funny and had a great sense of humor. I see why Anthony is such a great person if he came from with place with people like Mike and Tammy.

"You know, I've known Anthony my whole life. We grew up together and I lived a few houses down from him. I would have never thought that he could get any better. Never thought he could smile any bigger or love any harder. But then I met the him with you and I have to admit, you guys got something special" she claims.

"Did he have a lot of girlfriends in high school" I ask, he would never tell me.

"Yeah, he did. But that was more of him not wanting to be lonely. This is love, I can just see it" she says.

"I cannot put into words how great that man has been for me. I mean he literally saved my life, more times than he will ever know. And he doesn't hold it above me, he just holds me close. He lets me grow, never holds me back. I could not have made up of someone better than he is" I insist.

"He's got that something special, doesn't he" she asks.

"Yeah, he sure does."