Authors: Alan Mindell
"Thanks for coming to the game, Mrs. Riley," he said.
"I'm surprised he heard about it."
"I'm afraid there's a problem," he said. "It's against league rules to invite him on the field."
"Terry," he said, flattered that, like her son, she knew his last name.
"I'm sorry you made a wasted trip," he said
"It's not wasted," she smiled. "We came to see you play."
His attention was then diverted by a new bunch of kids approaching, seeking autographs.
"For's long as you can do the job," Rick answered. "We just put Denny on the DL."
"So you're it," Rick declared. "I don't think any of the younger guys are ready for the pressure."
"You think I am?" Terry asked.
"You're not ready by now," Rick answered. "When will you be?"
Terry wasn't sure he liked Rick's reference to age. There was no questioning his logic, though.
The win was Oakland's fourth in succession.
"Hey, Mr. Ten Million, use some a that big money, buy a bodyguard...new disguises."
"Why you nosin' 'round our territory?" the same angry voice shouted.
"My car," he panted to the officers. "Been stolen."
"This car?" one of the officers asked him, pointing to the one Terry was in.
"No. Bunch of guys roughed me up. Drove off in it."
"He one of them?" the officer inquired, motioning toward Terry.
"Want to give us a description of your car?"
"Take me home," he directed Terry, getting into the car.
"Sorry about your car," he said.
"Any chance the police will recover it?" Terry continued.
"No chance," Murdoch answered sullenly. "Those guys got it stripped by now."
"Then how come you went through all the trouble making a police report?"
"Smokescreen," Murdoch replied.
"Mine wasn't the only car stolen."
"What do we do with this one?" he asked anxiously.
"Park it where you found it," Murdoch answered. "Guarantee...those guys'll pick it up by morning."
"Never seen them before in my life."
"Least I could doâ¦way you saved my ass."
"Least I could do," Terry replied. "Way you saved
my
ass...that catch in Seattle."
Maybe there
was
something to Rick's “prevailing wind” theory.
“Mommy, can I go too?” Tammy asked Lauren, who had entered the room.