Through Thick and Thin (Anthony Rizzo)

Stay At Home Order

Anthony

2020 has been and will forever go down as one of, if not the, worst year in history, and it's not even half over. It's the middle of March and I'm not even sure we will make it to see April at this point. We've seen a sports icon fall and global diseases rise. Wildfires are burning down Australia and California while people are being murdered on the streets in broad daylight. Tens of thousands of people are dying every day from this virus that is spreading throughout the world. People everywhere fighting over our rights and whether or not it's our job to be protecting one another. No one really knowing whether to stand up and talk or sit down and listen. No one knows where the truth is and where the lies lay.

After the NBA became the first professional sports organization to shut down their season the pressure was now on the MLB and other major league sports to make some hard decisions. It wasn't just America facing these issues, it was all over the world, even the Olympics was talking about being postponed and that's been planned out for years. Baseball players are starting to pop up testing positive at their training sights and it's on the league to protect its players. We were still at spring training as of the beginning of March as if there was a season to play despite what was all going on around us. The players wanted to get out there and play for the fans more than anything, just not at the expense of our health and the health of everyone around us. But as time goes on it becomes more obvious that this season couldn't happen as planned.

So Manfred shuts down spring training momentarily and sends everyone back home. The season wasn't canceled, but until the nation was in better shape we were forced to leave our training sights. I decide to go back to Chicago for a while and see where things go from there. This stoppage can last weeks or months. Who knows? So I guess I was going to wait it out in my apartment, train in Chicago for a little so when the green light goes off I'm ready to go. Try to do my part in not being a part of the problems here and be a part of the solution.

"Oh shit" I mumble as I watch the news scroll across the television. I was barley moved back in but it looked like I was going to get real comfy here soon. Starting Saturday the state was shutting down and there was a stay at home order enforced throughout. There was no going in or out of the state, nothing was going to be open besides what they deem as an essential businesses, you have to wear a mask in order to leave the house starting Saturday too. Until at least April 7th we were locked inside with nowhere to go. A lot of things were changing and it looks like I just trapped myself in Chicago for the near future.

So I decide to call my parents and tell them what's up. Florida isn't as strict as Illinois was so my mom was bummed I couldn't make it home in time. It would make more sense for me to stay here so when we get baseball back I'll be ready. I was just hoping it's not going to be too long that we're stuck in here.

I grab my wallet and keys to go out and grab a bunch of things before the quarantine was enforced. I really didn't have a lot of things with me in the apartment just coming from spring training and all, so I needed at least food and drinks. Lots and lots of drinks.

I find a nearby Target and walk around for the last time for a while. I fill my cart up with things to keep me entertained and food to fill my stomach. A lot of things were picked over from everyone emergency buying stuff. Luckily I had toilet paper already or else I would have been quite literally shit out of luck.

I go to grab the last bag of gold fish on the shelf because they were my guilty pleasure and someone grabs the same exact same bag. I feel my skin tingle at the soft touch of this stranger, a feeling I've never had before. I turn to look to see who was thinking about grabbing the last bag of the best snack out there and am met with big light brown eyes. It looked like two marbles filled with sand staring back at me. They were surrounded by these long eyelashes that reaches her eyebrows wide enough to see the world.

The girl smiles at me making my heart beat faster. There was a little sparkle in her eyes as she gets lost in mine. Her long blonde hair resting perfectly on her shoulders as she freezes like me. She slowly retreats her hand as she stands next to me. "I'm so sorry, you can take them" she insists as she takes a small step back.

"Here" I say as I try to hand them to her. "I already have cheez its, you can have these" I assure her.

"Cheez it's and gold fish aren't the same. You grabbed them first, you should have them" she argues.

"I insist" I say as I hand them to her. She sheepishly takes them from me as her eyes stay locked on mine.

"Are you sure" she asks turning to me.

"Yeah" I nod, "these are some trying times. A act of kindness goes a long way these days."

"That it does" she agrees.

"Can I get your name" I wonder as she tucks a long strand of blonde hair behind her ear. She had a basket full of things on her admittedly strong arms probably doing the same thing I am. But her choices of food were a lot better than mine.

"I'm Jazmyn, but most people call me Jazz" she answers.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Jazz. I'm Anthony" I smile.

"I know who you are" she assures me.

"You do" I ask.

"Yeah, I do. I might not be up to date on pop culture but I love baseball and there's no way I could come here and not know who you are" she nods.

"Well I would like to get to know you some, since you know about me" I admit and I can see her blush, even with the tan she was rocking.

"I feel like that's going to be hard, with the quarantine and all" she insists.

"We can still text, maybe face time" I suggest.

"I think we could do that" she agrees.

So we get each other's numbers and go to check out. We walk out together and head on our way, only we end up walking in the same direction.

"Where do you live" I wonder as we walk stride for stride.

"I Uh... I actually just recently moved into the the new apartments downtown about a week ago. It's called West Madison I think" she says and my eyes go big. I stop walking as I look at her.

"No way" I gasp, "me too."

"Really" she perks up.

"Yeah. I was at water tower last season but I wanted something new this year. I wanted to be high up and it was the tallest apartment complex in the city. I just moved into the 43rd floor the other day" I explain.

"Seriously" she laughs as she shakes her head. "I'm on the 44th floor" she admits.

"So you're why I couldn't get my number" I tease.

"I guess" she giggles.

"Well I guess that's okay. I just might have to come up and steal some goldfish from you then" I joke.

"I just might have to take you up on that" she smiles.

We finish our walk and go up to the elevators. As we rise up I turn to her as she just looks forward. I stare for a few seconds before smiling to myself. Maybe this whole quarantine wouldn't be all that bad.

"This is my floor" I say as the elevator comes to a stop. "Maybe we can keep each other company for a little" I suggest.

"I'll bring the snacks" she teases.

"Deal" I smile.