Him and I

The End

"Um, we..we..we brought your dog home" scotty finally managed to get out even though he didn't look scary. "Hercules? How'd he get out?" Everyone was scared like he was going to do something. "Um, uh" both scotty and Benny couldn't spit it out "well, What happened was, we hit a baseball into your yard We tried to get it back" I said in a respectful way "So you're the ones that've been making all that racket" that's exactly when I realized he was blind, no wonder he wasn't looking straight at us...I couldn't help but laugh in my head because that day I was walking home I thought he was looking at me.        
   
      "Yes, sir" Scott says a lil more confidently                              You get it?" He asks questionably, I take it from Benny and start to hand it to him when Benny grabs my arm but I let him know it's fine and hand it to Mr. Mertle while scotty answers "Um, y-yeah" "Well, first time... that anybody ever got the best of old Hercules,Why didn't you just knock on the door? I'd have gotten it for you" I huff in anger while the boys yell at squints "Oh, my God!" "I can't believe you!" "We got the ball back, didn't we?" "We almost got killed!" "Didn't we get the ball back?" "Just shut up!" "We got the ball back, guys well blame squints later" I say making them stop bickering.

    "Thanks for bringing him home. Come on in. We'll talk about this baseball. Come on. You in trouble, aren't you, son?" We walk into his house the Benny and Scotty do it skeptically but I have no problem doing so  "Yeah, well, uh, that was my sister and I's stepdad's ball. I took it without asking. - It was signed by Babe Ruth" I'm really glad we got it back and I hope we didn't cause to much trouble "George signed this?" He says as if he knows him I finally look around and there's baseball everywhere it's insanely awesome "George Herman Ruth? Yeah." I lean over to Benny who is dumbfounded about being in Mr. Mertles house hearing all the stories he has it must be crazy, he takes my hand in his "I take it back. You're not in trouble. You're dead where you stand. Hold on. Hold on. Here. I'll trade ya." Trade why would we trade we couldn't do that. We move forward a little and right when I'm about to talk Benny does "That's nice of you, but that ball really is signed by Babe Ruth" I hope he believes us. "So's this one, with the rest of the 1927 Yankees." No way!! "Oh, man. Murderer's Row! Lou Gehrig! Babe Ruth! But why would you trade?" Me and Benny said them back and forth. "A girl who knows her stuff I like it, besides that one's all chewed up. I got a lot of good stuff. Look at that stuff. Besides, you need it more than I do." What a minute I walked over to a picture and saw him and babe Ruth on the Yankees. "You knew Babe Ruth?" I say with all my enthusiasm "George? I sure did, And he knew me,He was almost as great a hitter as I was, I would've broken his record, but..."
        "You went blind" that's horrible his dream ripped away "Yep. I used to crowd the plate...so the strike zone almost disappeared." He laughs and I slightly chuckle because pitchers hate it "Pitchers hate that. That's the way I played 100% all the time. Baseball was life. And I was good at it, real good. And then... one day, a high fast one, and pow,lights went out."
      "I don't think we could take this ball." Benny says and I agree we shouldn't  "I'll tell you what. You guys and girl come by once a week and talk baseball with me, we'll call it an even trade." Ahhh that would be the best thing ever and I can tell the boys thought so too because we all chimes in and said "Deal!"
   * Time skip *
    After I kissed Benny goodbye we saw Bill was home and a few minutes of telling the truth, Even though Bill loved the Murderer's Row ball we where gifted he was still plenty mad about scotty having swiped... his Babe Ruth autographed ball and ruining it. I told him that it was also my fault but scotty took it himself But I didn't feel too bad when he grounded him for a week.. instead of the rest of his life. Wow! Things worked out between me and him, he didn't mind me playing baseball he actually said I was very good And since then on, me and scotty didn't have any trouble...just calling him Dad all the time.
    *Passing time*
       We all lived together in the neighborhood for a couple of more years...mostly through junior high school...and every summer was great I spent it with the boys and Benny the love of my life. But if I'm being honest none of the summer ever came close to that first one. It was sad because before long one guy would move away, in the game we never replaced him on the team with anyone else. We just kept the game going like he was still there.
    I thought of something the day me and Benny went on a date, It was weird how Benny said...Babe Ruth was like the Hercules of baseball, and The Beast's name ended up being Hercules. I told everyone and None of us could figure out what that meant, but we were all amazed by it.
      Scotty and I still kept in touch with the guys over the years, and I found out that Yeah Yeah's parents shipped him off to military school I would feel bad but knowing him he'd love it. After the army, he became one of the pioneering developers of bungee jumping. Of course, we all knew why.
      Bertram, well Bertram got really into the 60's, and no one ever saw him again but I know he's out there living his life.
          Timmy and Tommy became an architect and a contractor. They started out small, designing playground equipment...and prefabricated tree houses. But they became multimillionaires...when they invented mini-malls. I knew they would do great things.
          Squints grew up and married guess who...Wendy Peffercorn. They have nine kids can you believe that. They bought Vincent's Drugstore, and they still own it to this day. I drive down and visit once in awhile.
      Hamilton Porter became a professional wrestler. You know him as The Great Hambino. Which he may not admit it I helped him come up with the name.
       DeNunez played triple-A ball, but he never got to the majors. He owns his own business now, and he coaches little league team...that his sons play on called the Heaters.
        Hercules lived to be 199 years old uh of course in doggy years, it was sad to see him go we had a good bond over the years I was there.
       Scotty and I were the last one to move away. But when I did, the sandlot was still there.
      After Benny pickled The Beast, his reputation spread all over town, it was hard to not be jealous of all the girls falling at his feet but he reminded me that I'm his angel. From then on, he was known as Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez. And the nickname stuck with him for the rest of his life.
     *Years later*
You heard the announcers over speaker "Now pinch running for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez! It is the clutch situation of the season. They say The Jet's lost a step or two, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some fireworks here. The Jet's got a suicide lead and-- And there he goes! He's stealing home! I don't believe it! - He's stealing home!" I knew Benny could do it "He's stealing home, and they don't see him! The pitch!
He's hit the dirt! He's safe! Safe!Oh, my God!" Why does he sound surprised "Safe! Safe! Safe! I don't believe it! The Jet stole home! The Jet stole home!"    
    Right after Benny stole home he ran up to me and gave me the biggest kiss, after all the years we still love each other deeply and I couldn't be happier, well maybe with our little boy on the way. "I love you Y/N Rodriguez" happily married if you couldn't of guessed "and I love you Benny" I couldn't be happier. "Don't be distracting The jet now" we hear over the speakers and it's none other than my brother he may have not been a player but he was for sure the greatest sports spokesmen I've ever heard...besides getting married and being pregnant I played baseball for years until I just wanted to settle down and be a mom, I'm never giving it up but I'm very happy where my life has ended up and I'd never wish any different.