Jinxed! (2 page)

 

“It's a list of all your past jobs and your accomplishments,” he said.

“I've never had a job.”

“Good point,” my dad said. “But you do have a lot of accomplishments.”

So I got on the computer and typed up my accomplishments. It took me all day.

“I've never seen ‘I have my own résumé' on a person's résumé before,” Dad said when I was done.

“But I worked really hard on it.”

“Good point. It looks great. Let's mail it tomorrow.”

• • •

I waited two weeks, but nobody called.

“It can take a long time,” said Dad. “Be patient.”

I waited two more weeks, and still nobody called. I was beginning to give up hope.

“The season hasn't even started yet,” said Dad. He was right.

Then I got the call! The Porcupines wanted me to come in for a job interview.

I put on my best pants, my good shoes, a shirt with a collar, and a snap-on tie.

“You look great,” said Dad. “Remember to speak clearly and make good eye contact.”

“OK.”

“Do you want a ride?”

“No. I'll feel more grown-up if I ride my bike.” We lived really close to the ballpark.

• • •

I talked to the clubhouse manager, whose name was Wally. He had a big white droopy mustache that covered his mouth. At least I could make good eye contact.

“You have an impressive résumé,” Manager Wally said.

“Thanks. I wrote it all by myself.”

“Why do you want to be a batboy?” he asked.

“I love baseball,” I told him. “You should see my room. I have posters and pennants on all
the walls. I also have over five thousand baseball cards in binders. They fill a whole shelf.”

“I love bacon, but I don't want to work on a pig farm,” replied Wally.

“Yeah, but being a batboy is fun,” I said.

“Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't,” said Wally. “It's always hard work. Have you ever done hard work?”

I thought about the hardest work I'd done. I'd pulled weeds in the garden. I always did my homework on time. I walked our spaniel mix, Penny, and cleaned up after her.

“All the time,” I said.

“Final question,” said Wally. “Explain the infield fly rule.”

I knew all about the infield fly rule. My uncle Rick told me about it. Uncle Rick has told me almost everything I know about
baseball. I explained to Wally that the infield fly rule kept the infielder from cheating and turning an easy out into two easy outs.

“I've always wanted somebody to explain that to me so I could understand it,” he said. “When can you start?”

“When school gets out,” I told him. Dad had been very clear about that.

“Great,” said Wally. “But no more ties. Don't you know that there are no ties in baseball?”

“No ties,” I repeated. I could totally keep that promise.

hy don't we talk about our plans for the summer?” said our teacher, Ms. Singer, on the last day of school.

Here was my chance to tell everyone about my job. I hadn't told anyone yet. I was scared the Porcupines would change their mind. I thought Wally might call and say, “Sorry, kid, we couldn't wait for school to get out. We're bringing in a kid who's dropped out.”

But now I knew my batboy job was for real. I would be starting the next day. There was no
game, but Wally said I should show up and help unload the team bus.

I decided to wait until everyone else had talked before I told the class my news. You should always save the best for last.

“Who wants to be first?”

“Me! Me!” cried Abby.

“Yes, Abby?”

“I have an acting role,” Abby said. “It's going to keep me superbusy, but it's an awesome opportunity.”

“That's great,” Ms. Singer said. “Can you tell us more about it?”

“Sorry,” said Abby. “I can't.”

“Are you in a play here in Pine City?” asked Emily. “Can we come see you?”

“I can't tell,” said Abby.

“Give us a hint,” said Ivan.

“Well, it's a very challenging role,” said
Abby. “It involves both improvisation and pantomime.”

“Huh?”

“Those are acting terms,” Abby explained.

I didn't know what her acting role was, but my news was probably better.

One by one, the other kids in the class talked about their summer plans. Oscar's family was going to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore. Michelle was taking ballet lessons. Scott was rereading his favorite fantasy series. Crystal was playing softball in the park league. (That was cool, because softball was practically the same thing as baseball.) Maria was going camping. Rachel was expecting a baby brother. (OK, that was hard to top. But I still thought I had the coolest plans.) Jayden didn't have any plans except bike riding and swimming.

“There's nothing wrong with that,” said
Ms. Singer. “It's better than watching TV and playing video games.”

“That's what I'm doing!” said Ivan. The whole class laughed.

The other kids took their turns until Dylan and I were the only two left.

I didn't know Dylan that well. He sat with other kids at lunch. He didn't raise his hand a lot, but when the teacher called on him, he usually knew the answer. He was good in gym class but not a show-off.

He didn't raise his hand now. Maybe he had some awesome news he was saving for last, too. Whatever it was, it wasn't as awesome as my news.

Ms. Singer looked back and forth at him and me, waiting for one of us to talk.

I really wanted to go last. I crossed my arms and looked at Dylan. “Your turn,” I mouthed.

He gave in.

“I'm going to be a batboy for the Pine City Porcupines,” he said. “I start tomorrow night.”

Every kid's mouth dropped open, but nobody's mouth dropped more open than mine.

Everyone started asking a million questions.

“Are you going to hang out with the players?” asked Oscar.

Dylan was cool about the whole thing. “Of course.”

“Will you go on road trips?” asked Crystal.

“Nah. I just work the home games.”

“What will you do?” asked Ivan.

“All kinds of stuff,” said Dylan.

“What's the big surprise?” Jayden asked.

“Huh?”

“I heard about it in a radio commercial. Saturday's game . . .”

 

“. . . is Kids Get In Free Day!” Ivan blurted out.

“Yeah,” said Jayden. “And the radio said to come for the big surprise.”

“I don't know about any surprise,” said Dylan.

“Do you get to wear a uniform?” Oscar asked.

“Yep.”

“Wow,” said Oscar.

“Do you get paid?” Maria asked.

“Of course.”

“How much?”

“N.O.Y.B.,” said Dylan.

“I'm a batboy too!” I shouted.

Everybody looked at me.

“Well, I am,” I said. “For the Porcupines.”

“Sure you are,” said Oscar.

“Everybody's a batboy!” said Ivan.

“I am, and I can prove it!” I said. “Just come to Kids Get In Free Day. You'll see.”

“I was already going,” said Ivan.

“Me too,” said Crystal.

“Everybody's going,” said Oscar. “Are you going?”

“I'm a batboy! I have to be there!”

“Chad, don't raise your voice,” said Ms. Singer.

“Sorry.”

The bell rang, and school was over. Not just for the day but for the whole year.

ylan and I showed up at Pine City Park the next evening to unload the bus, just like Wally asked. It was beginning to get dark. The bus wasn't there yet, so we waited. Dylan was quiet.

“This'll be a fun summer, huh?” I asked.

“Sure,” Dylan answered—but not like he meant it.

“The Pines lost three games in Centralville and two out of three in Farmington,” I said. “They're in last place by nine games.”

“Oh, well.” Dylan shrugged.

“I wonder what the surprise is on Saturday?” I said.

“Something to do with baseball, I bet,” Dylan said.