When my computer software company started a coed softball team I decided to sign up, figuring it would be a good way to socialize with other employees. As it turns out, not many people signed up, so one of the younger people filled out the team with a bunch of her friends. When I turned up at the first game, there were a bunch of 20 somethings, a few 30 somethings, and me, a mid 40s something. Since I am a fairly fit mid 40s, I didn't stand out too much.
Age also has its benefits. The younger guys were stronger and faster than me, but they didn't have a lot of control or knowledge of the game. They could hit the ball a mile, but it was usually a mile straight into the air where it was caught for an easy out. They could run down a grounder, but they didn't know what to do with it once they got it. I did, so I became known as the old guy who always got an easy base hit and knew how to play infield. They put me at first base and had me as the leadoff hitter.
Our team wasn't very good, but we did have a good time. We didn't care much about winning, we were just there for a good time. We had a lot of cute girls on the team, and that made it even more fun.
One of the cute girls, Lori, played second base. She was short, trim and very athletic, a runner. She had a great sense of humor, a great smile and a fantastic pair of legs. Since we played on the same side of the infield and she batted right after me, we got to be pretty good friends. I could sense that she liked my laid back nature and sense of humor. I also had a vibe that she might be flirting with me, but I attributed that to my active fantasy life. I think she enjoyed talking to me because I was able to carry on a normal, casual conversation, as opposed to all the younger guys on the team, who mostly just tried to hit on her.
It was the fourth game when I started getting more than a vibe. We were playing the late game on a drizzly, rainy, humid, summer night. I made a diving play to snag a line drive and turn a double play and she was the first one there to give me a high five.
"Wow, that was really an awesome play," she grinned. "For an old guy."
I laughed back, not at all offended. "Thanks young lady, hopefully I didn't injure anything," I answered.
As we walked back together toward the dugout, she looked me up and down. "Well your butt did get dirty," she said. I was looking back to see what she was talking about when she reached over and patted the dirt off my ass and then chuckled. "You don't seem like you're very old back there."
I think I almost blushed but made sure to laugh it off. I replayed the comment in my mind several times and decided that there was no other way to take it, she had just complimented my ass.
Which was fair game I guess, I had also given her several friendly compliments. Once I had told her that she should never, ever slide, because it would be a shame to mess up those legs. It was not like either of us was hitting on each other, it was just friendly banter. Or so I thought.
Later in the game we were standing together getting ready to hit and she gave me the exaggerated once over look and said "Just how old are you Mike?"
I chuckled. "Too old," I replied, and started walking toward the batter's box.
"I don't know about that," she said with a sly grin.
I was so wrapped up in the comment that I missed the first pitch by two feet. I was still amped up for the second pitch and uncharacteristically hit it all the way to the wall. The outfielder was no Mickey Mantle and I managed to make it all the way around to score on an inside the park home run.
"Look at you with the blazing speed," grinned Lori. "Not too bad ... for an old guy!"
I chuckled and mumbled something about favorable winds.
Lori lined up to hit and I stood at the edge of the dugout to watch those fantastic legs in the batter's box. Watching her bend over it was easy to get distracted. She hit the first pitch hard to the third baseman and sped down the first base line, just beating the throw. Unfortunately, the dork on first base had his foot on the other side of the bag, causing her to trip over it and take a nasty head over heels fall into the dirt past first.
Since I was closest to her I was the first on the scene. She was covered in wet dirt, had a skinned up knee and was nursing what appeared to be a sprained right ankle.
"I thought I told you to not to mess up those great legs, young lady" I said, helping her to a sitting position.
"You told me not to slide, you didn't say anything about doing front flips," she answered.
I had her put an arm around my shoulder and helped her up. The ankle was not taking any weight though, and it was clear she would have trouble walking off. Without thinking too much about it, I dropped an arm down to her legs and lifted her up in my arms. I'm no superman, but it was pretty easy to do, I don't think Lori weighed maybe a hundred pounds.
"Wow," she exclaimed with her eyes popping open. "Aren't you just the heroic strongman ... for an old guy."
"Just don't move too much, or you might throw out my back and then you'd have to carry me off."
It felt great having her in my arms, her arm draped around my shoulder. I carried her over to the bench and reluctantly and carefully set her down. We had to go back onto the field, so I got her some water and a towel and trotted back out. I ended up covering second base for her and another girl covered first.
Midway into the inning I made a diving stop of a hard ground ball, tagged the runner out going to second, and tossed it to first for another double play that ended the inning. When I came to the bench Lori was waiting for me with a high five.
"Great play old guy, if you keep that up you might get to third base," she grinned slyly.
Of all the clever things I could've responded to her suggestive comment, all I could come up with was a chuckle. I was enjoying the flirting but was still pretty sure she was just having fun.
"So how is the ankle?" I asked.
"It seems like it is swelling up," she said. Do you think I should take my shoe off?"
"I don't know, it seems like I remember reading that it is better to leave it on to keep it from swelling up."