I’m Such A Sap

Sometimes I wonder what makes me tick. I have been in a great spirits since Wednesday when I received the shipment confirmation of my book. My mood was even better when the book was delivered on Thursday. Since then I have put the book for sale online, ordered more for direct sales and done some “marketing”. Today my little brother stopped by for lunch and we yucked it up for a while. Things are going great! Heck I am even winning my fantasy baseball league 9-1. It doesn’t get any better! Then why are there tears streaming down my cheeks?

I will tell you why. I’m a sap, that’s why. The Brewers are playing in St. Louis against the Cardinals on ESPN tonight. It’s a pretty good game and the Brewers were enjoying a tissue paper thin lead a couple of innings ago until Albert Pujols smoked a home run to centerfield to cut the lead to one. That’s not why my eyes are red and I am sniffling.

Pujols’ homer was a laser beam that just got over the fence. Of course the fans all stood up to try to catch what would be a precious souvenir baseball. As fate would have it, a young, round-faced boy caught the hard hit ball – right in the chest.

The poor little fellow held on to the ball, clutching it to his chest while grimacing in pain. Moments later he burst into tears as his mom and dad attempted to console him. Even though he had a wonderful keepsake, I felt so bad seeing him hurting. It didn’t help that he resembled the son of a friend of mine. I am such a sap.

Every now and then ESPN would show him and as the game progressed it appeared that he was doing better and was proudly showing the ball to the people seated nearby. The last time they showed him he also had a bat. Play-by-play man John Miller announced that apparently Cardinal officials saw what had happened and presented the little fellow with an authentic Albert Pujols bat.

I know, I know. He’s okay now and will get over the sore chest. Plus he not only has a game ball, but also the bat of the greatest hitter playing today. Somehow that just didn’t matter when I saw the hurt in his chubby face. It was heart wrenching seeing him in pain. I just can’t stand seeing sad children.

Oh well, the baseball game is tied and going into extra innings. It doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. If the Brewers lose I am sure it won’t bring me to tears. Not like when that little boy got smashed in the chest with that baseball. I am such a sap.

Until next time…from the booth.