t-ball: the endless drama; also, recs

Okay, so this won't be scintillating monologue, but I want to later show this to Child to remind him about the sacrifices I've made on his behalf. Because today, man, did I earn the title Greatest Mom Ever. Or at least, Greatest Lazy Mom Ever. I SHUCKED my dislike of outdoor sports, TOSSED ASIDE my hatred of bright, wholesome sunlight, DISCARDED my diffident reaction to far too many people wearing really inappropriately tight clothes, and dropped into the masses of civilazation that just, frankly, scare me.

Okay, so I'm melodramaing, a little. You try being calm after sitting in the sun for two hours wishing for your own death. However, highlights.

Child is the last to bat. Very cute in little green shirt, shorts, and old shoes.

(Sidenote--buy child hideously expensive shoes so as to make other parents feel inadequte. Seriously, how many six year olds NEED eighty dollar Nike's to play baseball, I ask you? Apparently, a lot of them. Well, dammit, mine does now. Oh yes, materialism rules.)

Okay, anyway. Child was only one other than Short Haired Blonde Girl who wore shorts, as other suited up in Real Baseball Pants. One might say, aww, and yes, I was tetchy and yes, feeling abusive and inadequte as a parent and human being, until I noted that every other team with sense was wearign some variation of shorts with the weather climbing into the one fifties or so and the eggs we were all frying on the sidewalk becoming burned.

Me? Snarky? You think?

Anyway, child steps up to plate, coolly and not terribly worried about the hundred (fifties?) of eyes resting on him. Little hat perched on his head, over which the hitters hardhat sat. No, really, this killed me. Being a prodigy, of course, he hit that ball RIGHT off the tee, and proceeded--

--to run RIGHT to third base.

You know, the OPPPOSITE of first.

*grins*

My sister's theory is, he's still confused about being a leftie in a world of righties. Mine is, he was bored and wanted to entertain the crowd. Mom just thinks he wasn't paying attention. Any of these would do. Half way there, Child does a U turn and makes for first base, where he was, indeed, most decidedly out.

But did that stop him? Hell no. Child mosies onto second, while all of us watch in a kind of wonder, then makes for third. He comes into home plate cool as a cucumber, glances around, then trots back to the dugout while I, his inadequte mother, tries to recover from the hernia caused by laughing so hard I lost my lemonade.

This rocked.

Child's outfield time was, apparently, very boring--I don't blame him. I mean, nothing was going far past the pitcher, so Child entertained himself by kicking up the red dirt, crouching down to study it, sifting it through his glove, and letting it fall in little clouds. Over and over again. Small children hit balls and every so often, Child looked up to check out how things were going, but that dirt? Fascinating stuff, apparently.

Second time at bat: Coach Who Used to Go to High School With Me lines Child up correctly and talks to him, then backs off a few steps. Coach says something to Child, who then turns and points toward first base earnestly. We assume he was assuring that Child now understood that yes, it's called First Base for a reason.

Child hits the ball and runs for first. Stops there to contemplate the wonders of nature whilst other Small Ones fumble with the ball like a hot potato. Child considers second. Ball continues to be fumbled. Child takes the chance and mosies--no one sane would call this running--for second.

This pattern continues.

There were only two innings, no actual scoring, but they all have fun. Immortalized on video tape and pictures that eventually, I'll upload.

Me-sunburned, cranky, exhausted, but see? Apparently, Child can make even baseball fun. Who knew?

Recs

Protect and Serve by Sarah T. If you only read one Mercy-character story in your life, you should read this one. A fascinating, beautifully written view into the mind of one of Lex's bodyguards--it's unlike anything I've read before, and the tragedy is understated, elegant, and thought-provoking as hell. Possibly the best use of a semi-OC (since Mercy is comic canon) that I've read yet. Once again, Sarah blows my mind, but she does it with class.

Getting to Know You by ingrid. The sheer creepiness of Red!Clark here is marvelous--kidlike, maniacal, dark, vicious, and amoral by turns and at the same time. Post-Exodus, very spoilery, and extremely well-written. I'm not getting over this one anytime soon.

A Touch of Mercy by dolimir. I thought this was very sweet. And I liked Clark here. Heh. *pets Clark*

I need more to read. *sighs* And more music recs. Something. Gehr. Which is my new variation of Geh. I'm sure someone's used it before, but that's okay, and isn't that silent h just so pretentious? *G* Also, need chocolate. Soonish.

Comments

:)

[alax.livejournal.com]

Or at least, Greatest Lazy Mom Ever

Aww man, and I thought I finally earned that title when I pulled a fuzz-covered paci from the bottom of my purse in my search for quarters for the payphone to call home and check on miniAlax while I was out giggling and not playing attentive!mom all evening. ::sigh:: Guess I'll just have to try harder. Er... less. *g*
xoxoxoxox

Re: :)

[seperis.livejournal.com]

*giggles* I could not get Child to take to a pacifier, and I worked at it. He was a bottle or nothing kind of kid, and man, the sheer energy I put into trying to get him to like them....

*sighs* And that was like, Gift Idea #1 at the baby shower they threw for me before he was born. I still have one or two in the original packaging. Very sad.

[svmadelyn.livejournal.com]

Mine is, he was bored and wanted to entertain the crowd.

*nods* My cousin did this the two times I went to his games.

Except...he ran toward the pitcher and for second base. *Expression on the pitcher's face? Priceless.* When we asked him *why* he said everyone else was doing the same thing and he thought he'd have a better chance at *winning* by skipping the base. Plus, he said, no one seemed to mind, they had all *cheered* for him after all.

*Grins* Thanks for the memories.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

When we asked him *why* he said everyone else was doing the same thing and he thought he'd have a better chance at *winning* by skipping the base.

Okay, I offically LOVE this kid. Logic! He will go far.

Hee! Thanks for sharing that!

[kattahj.livejournal.com]

Your kid has the right idea, if you ask me. *grin* I wish I had thought of that, back when I was forced to participate in such activities.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

It totally spiced up the game for all of us. *grins*

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

Hee! Your kid is so. cute. I hate baseball and all its various incarnations, but I think if I were a parent and my kid was playing, it would be cute and fun. Glad you had fun. Don't give in to materialism!

Btw, I have a question, which I hope you can answer since I do consider you the goddess of all things Smallville:

Can you tell me if Mercy and Hope (Lex's future bodyguards) are actually canon characters? I don't follow the Superman comic books, but these two characters seem to be everywhere in SV futurefic. Are they real/canon, or OFCs that have been adopted by the fandom?

Thanks,
Scroll

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

Possibly the best use of a semi-OC (since Mercy is comic canon) that I've read yet.

*smacks self in forehead*

Sorry, I don't know how I missed that! Thanks for answering my question without even knowing I had it :)

[seperis.livejournal.com]

I hate baseball and all its various incarnations, but I think if I were a parent and my kid was playing, it would be cute and fun.

*raises hand* I like basketball and maybe hockey alone among men's sports. That's it. Baseball makes me want to cry and pray for huge storms. *g*

Glad you had fun. Don't give in to materialism!

It's creepy, how my thinking shifts. Once upon a time, I swore, child would dress in sensibly priced clothes. Oh no. Every time I walk into a mall, I stare at overpriced clothing thinking, I wonder if the other parents will be envious if I buy child that combo? It's really pathetic. I'd almost be shocked at myself. *G*

[chicklet73.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah. Getting to Know You. I couldn't have said it any better than you did. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to hug Clark or run away from him. Creepy. And Lex...*sniff* I'm not getting over it anytime soon, either. *sniffsniff*

[seperis.livejournal.com]

*nod* Exactly. That Clark--wow. Just yeah. Creepy as hell.

[chicklet-girl.livejournal.com]

Over and over again. Small children hit balls and every so often, Child looked up to check out how things were going, but that dirt? Fascinating stuff, apparently.

Seriously, T-ball is one of the funnest things to watch. A couple of my younger cousins played, and we all laughed ourselves silly at the games, which would end up with final tallies of, like, 42-37 if they kept score.

My favorite aspect of the game was watching the coaches, because coaching T-ball essentially involves just shouting to the players directions until they do what you tell them to: "Get the ball get the ball get the ball get the ball. Throw to second throw to second throw to second...."

It's almost as good as pee-wee hockey, when the kids are around five years old, and consequently as wide as they are tall, once encased in all the padding. Plus, their skating skills aren't very polished, so they're always falling. But never hurt, because of the padding. *g*

[seperis.livejournal.com]

My favorite aspect of the game was watching the coaches, because coaching T-ball essentially involves just shouting to the players directions until they do what you tell them to: "Get the ball get the ball get the ball get the ball. Throw to second throw to second throw to second...."

Yes! One little girl got hte ball and just held it while Coach Who Didn't Go to High School With Me waved frantically and yelled to throw it to first. I seriously started worrying about my sanity, not to mention his poor vocal cords. It was great.

It's almost as good as pee-wee hockey, when the kids are around five years old, and consequently as wide as they are tall, once encased in all the padding. Plus, their skating skills aren't very polished, so they're always falling. But never hurt, because of the padding. *g*

Oh man, that must be tons of fun to watch! Damn Texas and this lack of ice. Grrr.

completely hilarious

[beabuthers.livejournal.com]

The way you tell stories makes me laugh my head off!! I love to read your real-life-happenings!!

Re: completely hilarious

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Aww, thanks! *glows and hugs*