One Pitch

went to a baseball game last night,

what a deceiving game it is,

on the surface it seems so slow,

almost boring,

but then without even realizing it,

you find yourself caught up

in a moment,

that for a few seconds

stands out so crystal clear

and sharp,

it seems as if life itself

has ceased to matter,

time has no meaning,

like last night,

top of the ninth,

home team on top

3 to 2,

bases loaded,

two outs,

three balls,

two strikes,

and for one pitch

it didn't matter

that the home team

was 45 and 72,

or that it was late August

and they were 32 games

out of first,

for that one pitch

the crowd was on its

feet chanting as if it was

the last pitch of the

world series,

time was frozen,

women screamed,

men yelled,

waiting for that one pitch,

it was as if the entire world

was holding its breath

waiting for that one pitch,

the pitcher stared into the catcher,

trying to make the moment

last forever,

then with a kick of his leg

he delivered,

the crowd gasped,

the batter swung;

FOUL BALL!!!!!!

with a moan,

and a quick sucking in of air,

everyone got ready

to do it one more time;

it was then that it

occurred to me,

the greatness about baseball

isn't in its fast pace,

but rather

in its lack of it,

in its ability

to make time

stand still;

even if for a

moment.

.

.