up there in Hartford

up there in Hartford

fiction
edward w pritchard

see also the piano comes to america- part 10

Wiley was encouraging Drexel to stay in touch with his friends from major league baseball. The six friends that he played poker with or went out with for drinks once every month or so were not gay. They were Drexel's good friends from his glory days in major league baseball and a part of Drexel was disappearing as the time became more and more past since Drexel had played ball. The friends were scattered all over the Country and most still played professional baseball and were used to traveling. Wiley suggested to Drexel that he invite them to Harford to see the new place and then go out for a social evening. Wiley didn't particularly want to go but would if pressed for Dresel had got a little clingy since he took the new job at the insurance company; for the job was different than Drexel had expected.

Wiley first saw Drexel play in Cleveland seven years ago. Wiley was at the game at the stadium with a dozen women friends from the beauty industry and several of them were commenting on how handsome Drexel the second string third baseman, starting tonight, was. One of the women had then informed the others that the handsome Latino was gay, she had read it in the local paper. A few innings later the third baseman, charged to his right, rolled twice and threw to first from his knees full of grit and brimstones and Wiley was interested.

Later Wiley like 47,000 fans had heard the thud the day that Drexel took a fastball on his left elbow effectively ending his career two and one half years ago. Since then Drexel had went down hill.

The job in Hartford was in PR for a casualty insurance company and Drexel was being paid to maintain his connections and network with major league baseball players. However, other than his group of six close friends many players quickly lost touch with Drexel, engrossed in their careers and their own problems and insecurities for professional baseball is difficult. In time Drexel became unable to reach his past connections by phone. Players are often superstitious and hate to change their routines because success in hitting or pitching is unpredictable and often vanishes for no reason. Drexel was having to reestablish himself in the business world as a non celebrity and it was difficult for him as well and he was losing his connection to his former associates and his confidence began to sag.

end part 1