I’m an old guy now, but baseball can still make me giggle. My teenager still wants to play catch, with me. I’ve promised myself to never turn this request down, while it lasts. Thwack, he throws hard — way harder than I ever did. His fastball audibly sizzles as it comes in. Gotta catch it in the webbing. Oooh that’s a dirty curve. I giggle a little, I can’t help it, I’ve never been able to make a ball do that. There’s no deep conversation, but it’s an easy, steady chatter back and forth, like the path of the ball.
James Taylor lives in Virginia with his spouse and two boys and does some education research between sporting events.