"Good game, guys! I'll see you next week!" I shouted as they ran hooting to their moms and dads, exuberant over our first win of the season.
I loaded up bases, extra bats, used balls, even a few gloves for the guys who forgot theirs. Behind me, I heard, "Jim? Hi."
I turned and there was Paulie, all 5 feet of him, his hat crooked, a big clump of uncombed sandy blond hair sticking out, serious brown eyes, that big silly smile. "Hey, Buddy, what's up?"
"I just wanted to thank you for letting me play so much. I didn't do too bad, huh?" I had to smile back at him. The one grounder hit to him went through the wickets. He chased it down and threw to the wrong base. And he flied out twice.
"Yeah, Paulie," I said. "I thought that guy was gonna drop your second shot for sure. Good contact!"
"Mom's gonna be real happy, too! You gotta meet her, Jimmy, I know you'd like her!"
I smiled again. He reminded me so much of myself, short for my age back then, not very good in sports but loving the game, always enthusiastic.
"I'm sure I would, Buddy. You need a ride, or is she coming for you?"
"She's coming, soon! I get to see Dad tonight, I stay with him on weekends but I go early this week."
"Good, for you, Buddy, I'm sure you'll have a great time." I still feel awkward talking to kids about divorce, but they seem to adapt quickly.
Paulie helped by dragging the duffel bag to my van. It was too heavy for him to lift, but he wouldn't quit. The parking lot was empty and I make a point of not leaving until all the kids are gone. God forbid something happened to one of them, so Paul climbed up front with me and about ten minutes later, her SUV came flying in.
"There she is! Wanna meet her, Jimmy?"
"I'm sure she's in a hurry, Champ."
But she pulled right in front of me as Paul scrambled out to hug her. She squeezed him tight, and then looked up at me. And I felt like I was in a time machine.
The green eyes, bright with wonder. The blond hair, brushed back from her face, showing high cheek bones. I felt myself gasp. Mom! If I hadn't held her hand as she laid dying, and seen the casket close on her, I would swear that the woman standing before me was my very own mother, at 40, rather than 60 when she died.
Paul's mother gave me the biggest smile and came around to my door. I stepped out, in a fog.
Paul came running between us. "Mom, this is Mr. Flynn, but we get to call him Jimmy! Jim, this is my mom, Lynn Coyle, she's single, too!"
We both smiled as we looked at him, then she put out her hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Paul talks about you incessantly. 'Jimmy this' and 'Jimmy that'! I feel as if I know you already!"
She was Mom's height, weight! Same cute figure, always turning men's heads.
"Same here," I said, "You remind me of someone not sure who, though."
She squeezed my hand. "I get that a lot. I guess I'm common looking."
"Oh no, not at all!"
Paulie stood watching, happy with the progress, even though he didn't understand it, but neither did we. "Can Jimmy come to dinner, Mom, pleeeeeease!"
"We have to meet your father, Honey, right now. I have your bag in the car. He's expecting us in five minutes."
"Oh, awright! But next week, huh?"
She smiled at me, trying to find a suitable answer for a nine year old.
I interjected. "Tell you what, if it's alright with your mom, I'll take you for tacos after next week's game, then drop you off, okay?"
Paul looked down, shuffled his feet. "I guess."
"You don't want to?"
"If the guys see me going to Taco Bell with you, they'll call me a brown-nose, say I'm just trying to get more playing time."
"Oh, I see," I said, and I did. You got playing time by playing well, or the better kid didn't show up, not by sucking up.
"Honey, listen, we'll work something out when you get back. I'm sure, Mr... Jimmy is very busy, okay? Now scoot on up and let's get to your father!"
Paul gave me his best fist bump followed by flailing fingers, then turned and was off.
Lynn looked at me. "Listen, I know the last thing you want is to be hanging out with a kid and his mother, but I burn a mean steak!"
"Hmm, my favorite! But I'll bring the steaks and I'll cook them to perfection. After next week's game?"
She smiled, her hair flowing behind her. "You have a date, Mister Jim. I'll key our little friend in on the way. See you!" With that, she was flying into the SUV, waving as she pulled out.
I don't usually get involved with parents. The kids are fine but all the parents, moms and dads, think their kid deserves special attention. Every one just needs a chance to play to be the next Derek Jeter. But how often do you meet the spitting image of your mom?
The next Thursday, Paul and I waited for her arrival. We were both anxious, but I kept it hidden.
She appeared, in a hurry again. This time she just rolled down the window. "Sorry I'm late. Just follow me, okay?"
And we did, as well as we could. She drove like she talked, fast, zipping through traffic. Luckily, Paul knew the way, because she lost us within a half mile.
I pulled into the driveway behind her, took the coolers out of the back, one which held the steaks, and the other, my brand of beer, Bud Light. I like to come prepared.
We went around back, she was scrambling through the kitchen, having already fired up the gas grill. The sprawling deck was new, as was the grill. The backyard had a nice above-ground pool, maybe 18 feet across.
Out the kitchen window she yelled, "You boys better wash up, especially you, Jim, you're not handling food with those hands!"
"Yes, Ma'am," we said in two-part harmony, and we smiled at each other. "Come on, Jim, you can use the big one downstairs!"
She had laid out towels, hair brush, soap, even a razor. I sufficed with rinsing the dust off with a face cloth, scrubbing my face and hands, then wetting and combing my hair. Not near perfect, but for 25, after working a eight hour shift at the mill, then spending three hours coaching kids, presentable.
My light brown hair, had darkened since I was Paul's age, but my brown eyes seemed shaped the same as his, and I wondered if Lynn saw any similarities. Probably just my imagination.
The fire was going good, and I had the steaks marinating in tupperware. I learned how to eat from my father, but how to cook from my mother. I popped open a beer and took orders. Lynn said Medium Rare, but Paul seemed confused, and looked at his mother.
She half-smiled. "He's being a wise-guy now." To Paul, she said, "Like when we go out for dinner? Don't say how I always burn them, Mister, I already went through this with Jim."
Paul had a big smile, even though she had ruined his joke. "She does, too. That's why we got the grill, the smoke alarms kept going off inside!"
"Humph, you are the king of exaggeration, Paul. A real riot!"
It was good to see them get along so well. Poking fun is another way of saying I love you, and Mom and I did it often.
The steaks were a big hit, along with a nice salad, and store-bought, home-made, potato salad and macaroni salad.
The sun set and it was time to go, but Lynn said, "I was gonna put coffee on, and Paul, it's past your time anyway."
Paul said goodnight and she poured coffee, offering an after-dinner cordial. I had Anisette and she chose Sambuca.
"Paul really likes you, I can see why."
"Oh, thanks, he's a great kid, really, reminds me of me at his age."
"Really? That's funny, except for the height, you could pass for father and son...a very young father for his age!"
I smiled. "I was the same height at his age. Come High School and I shot up six inches in one year."
"Good, I hope he does, too. Not that it matters but, between you and me, he got his sports prowess from me, not his father, poor kid!"
"I was always the last kid to be picked, so I can relate. I guess that's why the parents of the good players don't want them on my team, because I try to share playing time. They're all just kids, it's supposed to be fun for them, we get serious soon enough."
We sat, the candle burning on the table, and she poured another.