Being the Adult

We’ve signed the boy up for t-ball this spring. Not because I want him to play baseball, though that’s fine if he wants to, but mostly so he could do something with his chums at school. Plus, in our little nook up here, there isn’t a whole heckuva lot else going on for kids his age. At least, nothing that’s 15 minutes or less drive time.

Since we signed him up, we went and got him a real glove and a real bat and a real T-ball. Today he finally decided that he wanted to play catch and practice batting.

We started by playing catch. About 5 throws in he errantly tossed the ball into a muddy puddle. I picked it up, shook it off and tossed it back to him. He stepped out of the way complaining that I hadn’t cleaned it. He wiped it down a little more and then hucked it at me, to emphasize his point I suppose.

I didn’t say anything and calmly tossed it back.

A few throws after that, he missed a catch and the ball rolled under the slide. He complained immediately and stated flatly that he couldn’t get it. Harumph!!

I calmly told him that I guessed we were all done then.

So he got down on the ground and wriggled the ball out from its nesting spot. After he got back out he said I threw it there on purpose and that he was all wet and dirty and he needed new school clothes. Again, he hucked the ball at me.

Again, I calmly fetched it and tossed it back to him.

He was still having trouble catching the ball so I moved to within 10 feet or so of him and I tossed the ball underhand to him. A couple of them got away. Both times he whipped the ball at me in response. The first time, he missed me. The second one I had to swat the ball down quickly to avoid the crotch shot.

Both times, as I stepped to throw the ball to him, I could see him measuring my response to his provocation. He was eyeing me warily, almost certainly expecting me to retaliate in some way.

The temptation was great, I will say. But both times, I calmly tossed the ball to him like nothing had happened. I didn’t say anything either.

We didn’t have any more incidents after that. Even through batting practice where he missed much more often that he hit. I think he even had some fun.

I know I did.