Wilderness Survival - 12. Chapter 12

Sure enough Butch pulled on his sleeve; he was going to throw fastball first pitch to Jimmy. I took off as he made his delivery. Jimmy connected. I could tell by the sound it was gone and just slowed to a trot. When we got to the dugout I said in a stage whisper. "Dang it I had that base stolen." That got chuckles from everyone but Cardinals. We scored another run that inning and two more in the fifth. Brandon pitched three innings and only gave up one hit. Jimmy came in to pitch in the forth inning and didn't allow a base runner.

It was all I could do to keep my mouth shut and not remind coach West who was second and who was first. Being the good sport that I am I told each player and coach good game.

That was a small indication of how our season would be that year. We had an amazing season. I think we lost 3 game total that season, but none when it mattered. We were awesome and unstoppable, especially when we faced the Cards. That season was magical, that is the only way to describe it. We were state champions, regional champions and national champions.

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"Jim", "Jim, where are you"? Jimmy finally brought me out of my day dream and I suddenly realized that I had been reminiscing for a couple of hours.

"I'm in here bud."

Jimmy wrapped his arms around me from behind. "What are you doing in this old dusty place"?

"I was just reminiscing about the year we got together and also about our year in baseball that year. Coach Wilson sure wasn't your normal run of the mill youth baseball coach."

"No, I still don't know how he always managed to have more than his share of gay kids on his teams."

"Me either, I asked him once when we were still in college. He told me that he didn't make talent as important as kids having fun and getting a connection to the team. He said he didn't know if gay kids were more forthright with their feelings or what, but he just always did end up with two or three gay kids."

"He was a special man, have you thought about what you are going to say at his eulogy today?"

"I have thought about it a lot, but I can't seem to find the words I feel. This man was special to every boy he coached and each boy was special to him. He was one of those people that always got a hundred and ten percent from his players, not because he was demanding but because we couldn't stand to not go the distance for him. We somehow knew that he would go that extra distance for us, so we could do no less."

"Sounds to me like you have a pretty good handle on what you need to say. You know, as well as I do, that you won't be able to say something prepared anyway. You might start with something, but you won't last long before you will just say what is on your mind and in your heart. That is one of the things I have loved about you all these years."

"I thought it was the hot and sweaty sex that kept you around."

"Well that helps, but there are a FEW other things that keep me happy and in love with your sorry butt."

"Yep, can you believe that next Friday we will have been partners for twenty-six years?"

"I can't remember when we were not together. Sometimes it seems like only yesterday, but I can't imagine my life without you with me."

"Do you remember that argument we had?"

"Sure I do, was that what you were thinking about when I caught you daydreaming?"

"No, I had not gotten that far down memory lane; I was just remembering when we were kids and that magical first season together."

"Do you ever think about what might have been if you had gone to spring training that year we were drafted?"

"No, I can honestly say, I never wanted to play professional baseball. I wanted to run our business and keep baseball a fun activity. How about you? Do you have regrets?"

"Regrets no, not at all, but sometimes I do wonder if we were good enough to have made it to the majors. Then I just smile with the knowledge that we did it our way and wouldn't let the rest of the world make our decisions for us."

"I had no doubts at all until we had that silly argument. Then I was worried that I was forcing you into making the same decision. I was worried that I was holding you back."

"And I was afraid that I was holding you back and that you were just saying you didn't want to play professionally because I didn't. That was a rough time for us."

"It was funny though, when we both sat down and wrote a list of why we didn't want to play professionally and the other should."

"They were almost identical. We went from arguing to laughing our butts off, to fucking our brains out."

"We have not come close to arguing since, but we still know how to make each other laugh."

"And want to fuck our brains out."

"That too."

The old clock chimed in the hall to remind us we had to get ready for coach's funeral.
We shared a kiss and went to get dressed. After all this time we still had to kiss every chance we got. It is just so hard to imagine couples that don't.

I think that ever boy that Coach Wilson ever coached and many more were at the funeral. It was evident that this man was loved and respected by all that had been fortunate to know him.

Jimmy and I have taken over his coaching duties for the last few years but even this fall he helped and loved to watch the boys develop into baseball players. He would always talk us into taking a player or two we would have passed on. Most of those boys became excellent players; I think most were gay as well.

After the funeral Jimmy and I came home and threw on shorts and just cuddled on the couch. We reflected on our lives together and how happy we were. We both owe our happiness to our test of "Wilderness Survival".

The end