Page 13 of Totally Played
“It’s okay. I mean, it’s not okay that they’re dead. It happened a long time ago. It’s easier now. Plus, you couldn’t have known. So, why Banana Ball?”
I’m grateful for the change in subject. Even though he’s using the word “dead” like it’s nothing and acting like he’s past it, there’s something behind his eyes that tells me it still fucking hurts and I feel like such a dick for making him go there.
“Why not Banana Ball?” I ask.
“I guess what I mean is, if you love baseball, why not play for the real MLB instead of…performing baseball?”
“You really haven’t seen a game, have you?”
“Nope.”
“Yo, Wally, can we put tonight’s replay on?”
“You don’t need to—”
“Nope, we’ve got a while before dinner. It’s time to pop your Banana Ball cherry,” I say, and Wally hands me the remote.
Ash leans in and whispers, “I’ve been here a dozen times in the last two months, and not once have I seen him hand over the remote to anyone.”
I catch the scent of his cologne, a rich musk with a hint of citrus. It fills my nose and makes my head spin a little. Tony hates musk, I think, as I grab my fresh beer and take a big gulp.
“Wally’s a big Banana Ball fan,” I tell him.
“So he knows you’re a player?”
“Yep. A few of the guys come in here when we are playing at home and in the off-season. We ran a charity auction here last year for the local youth center.”
“That’s really cool. What sort of things did you auction?”
“You know, the usual sports memorabilia, a Big Banana Pass, jerseys, and stuff.”
“What’s a Big Banana Pass?”
“A double pass to every game all year, including the ones out of state. It comes with a bunch of swag, too. We only started it a few years ago, but it’s really taken off. They’re also the only seats at our home stadium that are numbered. The rest are first in, first served.”
Normally, I need Tony with me to really feel comfortable. I’ve always been that way, I guess. When I’m alone, I’m pretty quiet. Tony has this way of bringing out my wilder, more confident side, but it’s sort of easy with Ash.
I take another sip of beer, the cool, bitter tang settling in my stomach. There isn’t much else in there. I point and click until the television is displaying tonight’s earlier game. We’ve missed the opening number, but there’s still plenty more theatrics and baseball for him to get educated on the sport I love.
“So what do you do, Ash?”
“I’m the alliance manager for RED Tech.”
“And what does an alliance manager for RED Tech actually do?”
“I build relationships with investors and secure new investors, that sort of thing.”
I’m not sure I understand what he does. Not really. It sounds like he basically talks to people and convinces them to give his bosses money.
I must look confused, too, because he slaps his hand down on my shoulder and laughs.
“I get it. It sounds made up, but I believe in what RED Tech is doing. They have these new sensors that monitor cattle that are going to help ranchers keep track and keep their herds healthy and safe.”
“How so?” I ask, genuinely interested. I’ve always been keen to understand how technology can be used to help fix things we once just accepted as part of life. He hesitates.
“I really shouldn’t talk about it. We have the patents through, but the sensors are still in testing.”
“No worries. I’m not going to steal company secrets, but I get it.” I mirror his earlier action of zipping my lips closed, and he relaxes with a soft smile.
