登陆注册
10440600000002

第2章

I was just a kid, but I already had my dream job. I was the batboy for the Pine City Porcupines. The Pines were the baseball team in my hometown. They played in the Prairie League.

I wrote them a letter in the off-season, asking if I could be a batboy. I told them that I would love to do it, that I knew a lot about baseball, and that I would work really, really hard.

Dad said I should also send them a résumé.

"What's a rez-u-may?" I asked him. That's how he said it: "rez-u-may."

"It's a list of all your past jobs and your accomplishments," he said.

"I've never had a job."

"Good point," my dad said. "But you do have a lot of accomplishments."

So I got on the computer and typed up my accomplishments. It took me all day.

"I've never seen 'I have my own résumé' on a person's résumé before," Dad said when I was done.

"But I worked really hard on it."

"Good point. It looks great. Let's mail it tomorrow."

· · ·

I waited two weeks, but nobody called.

"It can take a long time," said Dad. "Be patient."

I waited two more weeks, and still nobody called. I was beginning to give up hope.

"The season hasn't even started yet," said Dad. He was right.

Then I got the call! The Porcupines wanted me to come in for a job interview.

I put on my best pants, my good shoes, a shirt with a collar, and a snap-on tie.

"You look great," said Dad. "Remember to speak clearly and make good eye contact."

"OK."

"Do you want a ride?"

"No. I'll feel more grown-up if I ride my bike." We lived really close to the ballpark.

· · ·

I talked to the clubhouse manager, whose name was Wally. He had a big white droopy mustache that covered his mouth. At least I could make good eye contact.

"You have an impressive résumé," Manager Wally said.

"Thanks. I wrote it all by myself."

"Why do you want to be a batboy?" he asked.

"I love baseball," I told him. "You should see my room. I have posters and pennants on all the walls. I also have over five thousand baseball cards in binders. They fill a whole shelf."

"I love bacon, but I don't want to work on a pig farm," replied Wally.

"Yeah, but being a batboy is fun," I said.

"Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't," said Wally. "It's always hard work. Have you ever done hard work?"

I thought about the hardest work I'd done. I'd pulled weeds in the garden. I always did my homework on time. I walked our spaniel mix, Penny, and cleaned up after her.

"All the time," I said.

"Final question," said Wally. "Explain the infield fly rule."

I knew all about the infield fly rule. My uncle Rick told me about it. Uncle Rick has told me almost everything I know about baseball. I explained to Wally that the infield fly rule kept the infielder from cheating and turning an easy out into two easy outs.

"I've always wanted somebody to explain that to me so I could understand it," he said. "When can you start?"

"When school gets out," I told him. Dad had been very clear about that.

"Great," said Wally. "But no more ties. Don't you know that there are no ties in baseball?"

"No ties," I repeated. I could totally keep that promise.

同类推荐
  • Washington Masquerade

    Washington Masquerade

    Adam Burns, Washington Post columnist and controversial presidential critic, is dead. With no clear circumstances, speculation, gossip, and rumor flood the media—was it accident, suicide, or murder? Conspiracy theories run amok, accusing none other than the President of the United States. Was Adam Burns the target of a government hit squad? Did someone decide to silence his diatribes once and for all?Fiona Fitzgerald, an unlikely hero in Washington D.C.'s blue-collar, predominantly male police force, is entrusted with unraveling Burns' death. Born into the elite social circles of the nation's capital, and with privileged access to what lurks behind the pristine fa?ade of the political establishment, Fiona is determined to expose the chicanery buried under prim rose bushes and concealed within the ceaseless Washington Masquerade.
  • Maresi

    Maresi

    Only women and girls are allowed in the Red Abbey, a haven from abuse and oppression. Maresi, a thirteen-year-old novice there, arrived in the hunger winter and now lives a happy life in the Abbey, protected by the Mother and reveling in the vast library in the House of Knowledge, her favorite place. Into this idyllic existence comes Jai, a girl with a dark past. She has escaped her home after witnessing the killing of her beloved sister. Soon the dangers of the outside world follow Jai into the sacred space of the Abbey, and Maresi can no longer hide in books and words but must become one who acts. Bound for international success, Maresi will be published in 15 territories around the world!
  • Heart of a Samurai
  • What It Is Like to Go to War
  • Beethoven
热门推荐
  • 轮舞

    轮舞

    本剧创作于1900年,凭借10段男女之间的对话来传达当时奥地利道德的堕落,揭示了追寻欲望立即被满足的人性基本面。妓女、士兵、平民、艺术家、贵族等来自社会上、中、下三个阶层的10个人物轮流出场,以AB-BC-CD-DE-EF-FG-GH-HI-IJ-JA的形式轮番出场,不同的人通过“性”这一主题连接在一起,呈现出一种循环复返、首尾相接的构造,同时也暗示着社会不同阶层之间的环环相扣。施尼茨勒在介绍人物的时候故意仅仅说明了他们的身份和地位。剧本出版20年后才全部搬上舞台,演出时引起轩然大波,后被认为色情戏剧而禁演。
  • 亡灵再现的卧室

    亡灵再现的卧室

    本集19篇小说,均以猎奇搜异见长:青天白日,人们怎么会在众目睽睽下,齐齐地亲眼看到死去了的亲人的形象?深更半夜,独居山野小屋,是谁一次次在门外敲门?又是谁整夜就在你的床底吭吭地咳个不停?《天才小黑客》《送你一只间谍手机》《家庭电脑警察助理》等篇,更是综合了当今网络时代的崭新元素,给当代少年朋友提供了展现智慧的舞台,从而使本集集中展现了发生在中小学生中传统与前卫、科学与迷信、古老与新潮激烈冲撞下的生存状态。
  • 上帝的格子

    上帝的格子

    记录一些往事,怀念难忘的朋友。思索不断更新,答案经常修正。钱海的长相并不帅,可是神态却极像以英俊潇洒著称的国际影星布鲁斯南。在俞轩的同学里,钱海第一个发了大财,也第一个告别了人世。刚认识钱海的时候,俞轩根本想不到他们会成为朋友。那时他甚至对钱海有些厌恶。在钱海去世时,他却是大学同学里唯一一个跑到他家乡给他送葬的。钱海生前的最后一个电话,也是打给俞轩的。他们的第一次合作还是在学校里。那年俞轩在本市著名文学杂志《五月》上发表了一篇小说。这在同学中绝对是一件具有震撼力的大事。钱海同样也在努力写小说、写剧本,却没有作品发表,不免会心生嫉妒。
  • 娇妾来袭:休掉世子夫君

    娇妾来袭:休掉世子夫君

    永安伯府据传奇丑无比的嫡长女方绯胭自降身份要死要活地非要嫁给京城第一美男子睿王世子为小妾,最后落得个被人陷害赶回娘家的凄惨下场。一朝现代霸气特工归来,神挡杀神,佛挡杀佛,斗继母,玩小妾,顺便捞一个便宜美男夫君。但是谁来告诉她,她这绝世无双、霸气侧漏的妖孽美男夫君怎么是只断袖?某女:滚,找你的小受谈情说爱去!某男(委屈):娘子,为夫心中只有你一人。(男女主身心干净,卖个萌,求收藏,求支持。另:作者玻璃心,只想安心写文,读者安心看文,不喜吐槽)
  • 重生之顶级蜜宠

    重生之顶级蜜宠

    【书生最近新建了个群,欢迎各位喜爱本文的亲来,敲门砖是文中各个男女主与男女配的名字。,8。7。9。4。7。2。1。4。】他俊美多金薛氏总裁,黑道的教父。她甜美可人,有时冷静有时迷糊。他宠她无边,无界,无论到哪里他都会带着她。小东西不吃饭他会心疼,小东西到处乱跑怕她摔了。他把她捧在手心里成长。【】【】“小东西,告诉叔叔,你想要什么?”他那低醇而性感的声音响起,那漆黑的眸子闪烁着。“想要的东西很多,最想要的恐怕你不给我。”小女人泪眼婆娑的看着他。“说吧,我会给你。”那双手开始不安分的附上那团小白兔上。“好···请把自由还给我。”擦了一把眼角的眼泪,那双眼中带着乞求。没有说话,只是用实际行动来表达对她的话,绝不同意。三天两夜的缠绵不休。【片段1】“叔叔,那个女人来了。”“恩···小东西你是故意的·”“叔叔,那个女人在喊你。”“恩··小东西,小心晚上我让你下不来床··”“奶奶,你快点,再晚一点就看不见了。”只见薛凝将男人捆绑在一个椅子上,单腿压在那男人的双腿上。他在后悔,为什么当初要答应她去学什么柔道。待后续······推荐区【老公,装斯文】邪魅书生叶莱西火了···她没偷,没抢,没烧她们家的房子,干嘛一副仇人像····什么什么?只因为她长的太过丰满像个小三?妹的,你们家才是小三,你们全家都是小三···就在闹得不可开交的时候···天神级的人物从天而降···为她解围···斯斯文文···被人夸赞····老妈则是站在一边吼着,也拉稀,你要是不跟这个男人结婚,老娘这辈子的脸算是被你丢尽了····叶莱西看着戴着黑边眼镜,笑的文质彬彬的男人,恨不得杀人。谣传她是他的女人。她跟他在一起了。说话拽文,拽词。虽然是帅哥,但是,她咋看着都想要抽他。处处她都受排挤,受打压。村子里的姑娘们见了更是爱傻了这个斯文的帅哥。他就像是一枚空投的炸弹。整个村子不得安宁。他不是普通的男人,她知道。但是,当他跟她摊牌的时候。她还是汗颜了一把。感情这男人是个军火头子。黑道总裁。她遇上极品了。更甚的是,那双摘掉眼镜后的眸子.........【本文女强,男更强。】
  • 某美漫的一方通行

    某美漫的一方通行

    路一方魂穿到漫威世界,没有获得什么开挂的系统,却在成年之即觉醒成为了强的开挂的变种人,拥有着一方通行的能力矢量控制。于是一个誓要逆转变种人的悲催未来,带领变种人走向辉煌的五级变种人诞生了。X教授:“一方,我老了,以后维护世界和平,守护变种人未来的任务就交给你了。”老万:“查尔斯,你为什么这么熟练啊,赏识他也好,帮助他也好,明明都是我先,一方应该继承我的衣钵才对。”PS;以X战警复仇者电影为主,漫画为少量补充。读者群;679186992
  • 宅男永不言弃

    宅男永不言弃

    满月的黄廣看着自家的金毛。黄廣:“我怎么就重生了?我刚上大学,我的宅男生活还没开始啊!!”金毛露出哈士奇般的表情:“XX”“???你在骂我?不对,我怎么听得懂你在说什么!““XX”黄廣:“......”重新体验一遍义务教育,带着宅男梦想,冲呀!!
  • 重生之网络娱乐

    重生之网络娱乐

    重生回到2000年。QQ有了一个山寨版本,他的名字叫TT。韩国再也不是网络游戏出口大国,而是进口大国。当然,现在的网络YY小说当中,将出现一位名叫"陈佳一"的大神。
  • Yingxiu: After the Earthquake 和春天一起到映秀

    Yingxiu: After the Earthquake 和春天一起到映秀

    映秀有两个春天,一个在迎春的枝头,一个在人们的心坎。2011年1月31日,两个春天同时降临,使这块土地成为吉祥福地。《和春天一起来到映秀》讲述了援建工作者克服重重困难抢时间、赶进度,为5·12汶川特大地震抗震救灾、灾后重建等重大历史事件留下清晰真实的记录。
  • 王小波全集(第五卷)

    王小波全集(第五卷)

    本书讲述了男人之间同性恋的故事,它几乎没有那种情欲氛围,整个故事是靠夜色、对话和一些意识流的回忆镜头和幻想镜头组成的。就两个男人,一个同性恋作家,阿兰,一个英俊的警察,小史。小史把“搞流氓”的阿兰带回派出所审问,在好奇和蔑视的双重心境中让阿兰自述他那奇怪的人生。一个夜晚过去了,阿兰通过语言将小史潜在的同性恋倾向完全释放出来,就像启开了一个魔瓶,晨光中,小史像重新投胎似的兴奋和恐惧。