Thursday, September 27, 2007

Day 217 - 09/25/2007

Is it okay to make a six year old run laps? If it is, there are a couple who deserve it.

We had practice tonight and, as usual, we did hitting and fielding. After the kids hit, they play first base. After each batter, they rotate around the field so that after all the kids have batted, they've also played every position in the field. Usually after the kid bats, he'll grab his glove and hat and jog out to first base while the rest of the players rotate to their new positions.

Not this kid.

After he batted, he headed over to the bench, sat down and started drinking.

"C'mon [player's name], hustle on out to first base." I called to him after noticing him sitting on the bench. "You can get a drink later." (We had been practicing for all of ten minutes at this point.)

Silence.

Drink.

Silence.

Stare.

"C'mon [player's name], your teammates are waiting for you."

Nothing.

"Go on out to first base like the coach told you to do." I heard his mother yell from behind the plate where she and a couple of other moms were sitting.

With that he got off the bench and started walking towards first base.

"Hustle it up [player's name], we're waiting on you." I told him, trying to hurry him along.

It didn't work. But it did cause him to turn around and look me square in my sunglass covered eye and gesture with his hand that my words were falling on deaf ears.

I told him to come over to me. He didn't budge. When his mom told him to listen to the coach, however, he came over, tail between his legs.

I didn't want to be over the top, but I also wanted him to realize that his behavior was unacceptable. He got the picture, but I don't think it'll make an impression like having him run laps will. Maybe I should take this up with the commissioner.

To top it off, when I got home I threw out my back by hanging up the phone. (Yes, you read that right.) I was on the barstool, checking e-mail when D handed me the phone to hang up. I twisted around and, reaching with my right hand, attempted to place the phone on the cradle over my left shoulder.

Pain shot through my back like it had been stuck with a red-hot poker. I tried to reverse the position, in hopes of undoing it, but like trying to unring a bell, it wasn't to be. I popped a few Advil, but to no avail. Back pain is the worst.

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