A Day At The Stadium - Chapter 3
Joey was having a great time. Bosco got a kick out of watching him with the team and looked over at Davis to see him talking with Bernie Williams in the on deck circle.
"Man, this is the life," he thought to himself as he looked up at the blue, cloudless sky, taking in the 73 degree, 0 humidity weather. "I could do this everyday."
"Do what, Officer?" asked a female voice from behind him. He turned around to see Faith standing there along the wall next to the dugout.
He smiled at her as he walked over to her. "I could handle this detail every day," he said. "I never got to come here with my Dad and this is just awesome."
"What? You mean this is the first time you've ever been here!?" asked Faith, not realizing that he'd never seen a professional baseball game. She thought that living in New York City meant that attending a game at either Yankee Stadium or Shea Stadium were a natural course of events.
"Never, and I gotta tell you it is truly awesome," he said as he looked around the stadium that was filled to a capacity crowd. "So, how did you get down here?" he asked her.
"Hey, you're not the only one with a badge, Boscorelli," they both laughed.
"So, how's Joey doing?" asked Faith.
"I think he's having the time of his life," he smiled as he looked into the dugout at Joey, sitting next to Shane Spencer, a serious look on his face as Shane was explaining the finer points of hitting a baseball. "It's like he's been hanging around these guys for years," he finished.
"Hey, Jimmy was wondering if you might be able to get a picture of Joey with the players in the dugout or something," she said holding out Jimmy's camera to Bosco.
"Aw Faith, I don't wanna get involved with this," he said, taking a step back.
"C'mon Bos," she pleaded. "Just one picture so that Joey will have something to look at and remember what a great day he had," she added, just as the third out was made and he needed to head back to his post in front of the dugout until the next inning started. She must have pulled at his heartstrings because he just made a face and grabbed the camera from her hand as he turned to leave. "I'll catch you after the game," he said as he nodded to Faith and walked off.
"Okay, thanks Bosco. I'll bring Jimmy and Kim up to the NYPD office and maybe we can go get some dinner afterward," she offered. "Sounds like a plan," he responded, turning back to his duties.
Faith made her way back up to her seat and let Jimmy and Kim know that Joey was fine and that she had given the camera to Bosco.
"Man, Joey is NEVER gonna stop talking about this," said Kim with a big smile on his face. "What I did on my summer vacation essay written all over this," laughed Jimmy.
And so the game went on and it soon came time for the 7th inning stretch. Bob Shepherd made the announcement, "Ladies and Gentlemen. Please join us in remembering those lost as a result of the terrible events of September 11, 2001 and our men and women in the armed services fighting the war against terrorism as we listen to Ronan Tynan's rendition of 'God Bless America.'"
The crowd became silent as the flags and patriotic signs brought to the stadium by the fans were unfurled, caps were removed and hands were placed over hearts. The only sound heard was Ronan Tynan's beautiful voice accompanied by the audience singing along.
Both teams had come out of their dugouts and stood in line with their caps covering their hearts, many with heads bowed, many looking at the American flag dancing in the light breeze felt at the stadium today.
Bosco had forgotten about this part of the game. He stared at the Flag on the façade of centerfield. He couldn't help but see the horrible images of the destruction he had lived through and fought to escape from and from all the death and devastation of not only New York City, but of the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania where the brave men and women of Flight 93 had lost their lives while saving an unknown number of people by thwarting the flight of the terrorists to their final destination.
Bosco had the tight feeling in his chest that he got whenever he thought about those terrible days and weeks immediately following the attacks when he noticed the feeling of someone looking at him. As the song finished, the crowd roared and players began to take their positions on the field, he turned to where he felt the stare coming from and saw Faith looking at him. She was the only one who knew exactly how affected by those events he was, the only one he had confided in and she had kept it to herself for him. He knew that he could talk to her about anything.
Faith and Bosco held each other's gaze for a moment then Bosco nodded to her and went back to his duties as the crowd came back to life again.
And so, the game went on into extra innings, with the Yankees holding off the Red Sox (of course). The fans began to filter out at the bottom of the 13th inning. The final score was Yankees 12, Red Sox 11 as Derek Jeter got hold of a fast ball, left up and in, off Pedro Martinez, resulting in a walk-off homerun, bringing in Jorge Posada, to win the game.
Bosco and Ty waited outside the dugout as Joey cavorted with the team celebrating their victory. Joey was about to be swept into the locker room with the crowd and Bosco reached an arm in and grabbed him by the shoulder, hauling him out. The disappointment was evident on Joey's face as he whined, "Aw Bosco...."
"That's Uncle Bosco to you," he joked. "C'mon, your Mom and Dad are waiting kiddo,"
Joey turned back toward the dugout and yelled, "Hey guys, thanks a lot. I had a blast." After numerous hair tousles and pats on the back, Joey reluctantly turned and left with Ty and Bosco.
"Earth to Joey," joked Ty. "Huh?" said Joey, looking up at Bosco and Ty.
"Sorry you had such a crappy day, kid," Ty continued. The smile Joey was wearing throughout the entire game just widened as they walked toward the NYPD office.
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Well, here's another chapter. I hope you enjoy it. TBC....
Joey was having a great time. Bosco got a kick out of watching him with the team and looked over at Davis to see him talking with Bernie Williams in the on deck circle.
"Man, this is the life," he thought to himself as he looked up at the blue, cloudless sky, taking in the 73 degree, 0 humidity weather. "I could do this everyday."
"Do what, Officer?" asked a female voice from behind him. He turned around to see Faith standing there along the wall next to the dugout.
He smiled at her as he walked over to her. "I could handle this detail every day," he said. "I never got to come here with my Dad and this is just awesome."
"What? You mean this is the first time you've ever been here!?" asked Faith, not realizing that he'd never seen a professional baseball game. She thought that living in New York City meant that attending a game at either Yankee Stadium or Shea Stadium were a natural course of events.
"Never, and I gotta tell you it is truly awesome," he said as he looked around the stadium that was filled to a capacity crowd. "So, how did you get down here?" he asked her.
"Hey, you're not the only one with a badge, Boscorelli," they both laughed.
"So, how's Joey doing?" asked Faith.
"I think he's having the time of his life," he smiled as he looked into the dugout at Joey, sitting next to Shane Spencer, a serious look on his face as Shane was explaining the finer points of hitting a baseball. "It's like he's been hanging around these guys for years," he finished.
"Hey, Jimmy was wondering if you might be able to get a picture of Joey with the players in the dugout or something," she said holding out Jimmy's camera to Bosco.
"Aw Faith, I don't wanna get involved with this," he said, taking a step back.
"C'mon Bos," she pleaded. "Just one picture so that Joey will have something to look at and remember what a great day he had," she added, just as the third out was made and he needed to head back to his post in front of the dugout until the next inning started. She must have pulled at his heartstrings because he just made a face and grabbed the camera from her hand as he turned to leave. "I'll catch you after the game," he said as he nodded to Faith and walked off.
"Okay, thanks Bosco. I'll bring Jimmy and Kim up to the NYPD office and maybe we can go get some dinner afterward," she offered. "Sounds like a plan," he responded, turning back to his duties.
Faith made her way back up to her seat and let Jimmy and Kim know that Joey was fine and that she had given the camera to Bosco.
"Man, Joey is NEVER gonna stop talking about this," said Kim with a big smile on his face. "What I did on my summer vacation essay written all over this," laughed Jimmy.
And so the game went on and it soon came time for the 7th inning stretch. Bob Shepherd made the announcement, "Ladies and Gentlemen. Please join us in remembering those lost as a result of the terrible events of September 11, 2001 and our men and women in the armed services fighting the war against terrorism as we listen to Ronan Tynan's rendition of 'God Bless America.'"
The crowd became silent as the flags and patriotic signs brought to the stadium by the fans were unfurled, caps were removed and hands were placed over hearts. The only sound heard was Ronan Tynan's beautiful voice accompanied by the audience singing along.
Both teams had come out of their dugouts and stood in line with their caps covering their hearts, many with heads bowed, many looking at the American flag dancing in the light breeze felt at the stadium today.
Bosco had forgotten about this part of the game. He stared at the Flag on the façade of centerfield. He couldn't help but see the horrible images of the destruction he had lived through and fought to escape from and from all the death and devastation of not only New York City, but of the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania where the brave men and women of Flight 93 had lost their lives while saving an unknown number of people by thwarting the flight of the terrorists to their final destination.
Bosco had the tight feeling in his chest that he got whenever he thought about those terrible days and weeks immediately following the attacks when he noticed the feeling of someone looking at him. As the song finished, the crowd roared and players began to take their positions on the field, he turned to where he felt the stare coming from and saw Faith looking at him. She was the only one who knew exactly how affected by those events he was, the only one he had confided in and she had kept it to herself for him. He knew that he could talk to her about anything.
Faith and Bosco held each other's gaze for a moment then Bosco nodded to her and went back to his duties as the crowd came back to life again.
And so, the game went on into extra innings, with the Yankees holding off the Red Sox (of course). The fans began to filter out at the bottom of the 13th inning. The final score was Yankees 12, Red Sox 11 as Derek Jeter got hold of a fast ball, left up and in, off Pedro Martinez, resulting in a walk-off homerun, bringing in Jorge Posada, to win the game.
Bosco and Ty waited outside the dugout as Joey cavorted with the team celebrating their victory. Joey was about to be swept into the locker room with the crowd and Bosco reached an arm in and grabbed him by the shoulder, hauling him out. The disappointment was evident on Joey's face as he whined, "Aw Bosco...."
"That's Uncle Bosco to you," he joked. "C'mon, your Mom and Dad are waiting kiddo,"
Joey turned back toward the dugout and yelled, "Hey guys, thanks a lot. I had a blast." After numerous hair tousles and pats on the back, Joey reluctantly turned and left with Ty and Bosco.
"Earth to Joey," joked Ty. "Huh?" said Joey, looking up at Bosco and Ty.
"Sorry you had such a crappy day, kid," Ty continued. The smile Joey was wearing throughout the entire game just widened as they walked toward the NYPD office.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, here's another chapter. I hope you enjoy it. TBC....