19. Elmhurst vs. Mercyville
The bleachers of the ballpark at Elmhurst High School were rapidly filling. Down on the field, Tommy was throwing a ball to his warm-up catcher, and Billy and Buzzy, together with the rest of the school team, were running, catching balls that were batted out to them, and playing catch.
The Mercyville team was on the other side of the field warming up. Doris and Kit climbed into their bleacher seats just back of first base and watched the practice eagerly.
“I don’t know so much about baseball,” Kit admitted. “We should have brought someone along who knows the game.”
“Yes,” Doris agreed.
At three o’clock, the game started. Mercyville was at bat first, and Kit felt her heart sink as Tommy, the pitcher, faced the first batter. He looked very small and young as he took his windup.
Tommy retired the first two batters, but the third man to face him singled to right field. Buzzy Hancock, who was playing right field, caught the ball on the first bounce and hurled it to the second baseman. The Mercyville runner, who had rounded first base, saw the Elmhurst second baseman catch the ball, and he scooted back to first. Tommy tugged the neck of his shirt and turned to pitch to the fourth batter. He struck the boy out on four pitches.
Kit sighed with relief and settled back. Doris gnawed the end of her finger.
“I wish I hadn’t come,” she confessed to Kit. “This is awful!”
Kit, realizing that Doris’s loyalties were divided, nodded sympathetically.
They watched the game in silence for two innings. Mercyville finally scored two runs, but Tommy was still pitching well.
Finally Kit and Doris heard Jean call to them from the back of the bleachers.
“Hey, there!” she called. “Is there room for two more down there?”
“Oh, golly, there’s Jean with Ralph!” Kit cried. “Come on down!” she called to them. “There’s lots of room.”
Jean and Ralph made their way through the crowd. Doris and Kit squeezed over to make room for them. Ralph grabbed their hands in welcome as he sat down.
“When Ralph heard there was a ballgame,” Jean explained, “he insisted on coming. We haven’t even been home yet!”
“Mercyville is ahead by two runs,” Kit lamented.
“I’m glad we have someone who knows the game with us, now,” Doris said. “Kit and I can’t make head or tail out of what is going on.”
As the game progressed, Ralph gave the three girls a thorough lesson in the game of baseball. Mercyville held their lead until the ninth inning, when Elmhurst pushed a run across the plate.
Doris could see Bert Cramer wave to his field captain from the bench. The boy ran over to Bert and held a hurried conference with him. Elmhurst had runners on first and third base with one man out. Mercyville was worried.
The Mercyville team captain, acting upon Bert’s instructions, called for a new pitcher.
“That’s smart baseball,” Ralph said. “We have a right-handed batter next, and so Mercyville is putting in a right-handed pitcher.”
“Whatever are you talking about?” Jean asked.
Ralph chuckled. “There is a theory that a right-handed batter has trouble getting a hit off a right-handed pitcher.”
The new Mercyville pitcher struck the first batter out. A groan went up from the bleachers. Most of the spectators were rooting for Elmhurst. And the last batter of all hit an easy grounder to the second baseman. The game was over, and Mercyville had beaten Elmhurst, two to one.
Ralph and the girls made their way down through the crowd to the field, where Tommy was standing beating his hand into his mitt dejectedly.
“You pitched a whale of a game, Tommy,” Ralph said, holding out his hand. “There’s no reason to feel bad. Your whole team looked good.”
“Thanks,” Tommy said sadly. “Boy, I never thought we could hold them. But when we came so close, it sort of hurt to lose.”
Ralph smiled. “I know, old man. Their generalship beat you. Their players aren’t any better, but that boy who manages the team knows a thing or two about the game.”
Tommy grinned wryly. “Yeah,” he admitted. “My pal!”
Bert Cramer trotted across the field. He held out his hand to Tommy. “That was some game!” he cried. “You had us really worried.”
“You were swell today,” Tommy said heartily.
Bert turned around and saw Doris. “Gee, I didn’t know you were here,” he exclaimed.
“This is my sister, Jean, and her fiance, Ralph MacRae,” Doris said.
Bert shook hands with Ralph. “I’m glad to meet you,” he said.
“And Mother said you were to come to dinner,” Doris continued, coloring slightly.
Bert smiled at Doris. “I’m glad your mother wants me to come,” he said softly.
Doris blushed fiery red. “We all want you to come,” she said.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Tommy cried.
“We’d better be getting home,” Jean said. “Ralph still has his bags in the car.” She turned and smiled as Ralph took her arm. “Anyone who wants to come with us, come along. There’s lots of room.”
“We have to clean up,” Tommy said. “Bert and I’ll come along later.”
As soon as they had showered and changed into fresh clothes, Tommy and Bert headed for the Craig farmhouse in Bert’s second-hand Ford. They rehashed the day’s game, play by play.
“Jeepers, I sure wish I had a car of my own!” Tommy sighed. “How did you get yours?”
Bert shifted gears and guided the car towards the outskirts of town. “I just saved up,” he explained. “You see, there are lots of jobs they pay you for at Mercyville. The dirtier the job, the more money it pays. I wanted my own car, so I took on a lot of hard jobs. It’s not so much of a car, but it gets me there.”
“I guess it’s pretty neat in Mercyville,” Tommy said. “You guys always seem to have a swell time.”
The older boy nodded. “It’s a wonderful place,” he agreed. “I get sort of lonely, sometimes,” he added. “I guess it teaches you to get along with people, though. Maybe when you don’t have anyone you can call your very own, you realize how important people can be.”
Tommy nodded in silent agreement.
Bert hesitated. Then he said, “Tommy, you don’t ... mind about my seeing Doris, do you?”
Tommy made a face. “Why in heck should I mind? Except I kind of wish you’d hang around with us guys for a while. Buzzy Hancock and Billy Ellis and the whole gang are swell guys ... you’d like ’em, I know.”
Bert laughed. “I know I’ll like ’em, Tommy, if you say so. But Doris is a swell girl. I like her a lot. And we’ll be going off to school together, and I sort of want to get acquainted.”
Tommy shrugged. “Sisters can be a pain in the neck, sometimes,” he said.
“So can brothers,” Bert answered. “I know. I’ve got hundreds of ’em.”
Tommy laughed. “Doris is a good kid. I’m really glad you like her. Maybe I was just scared you were going to be ... mushy, or something, about her.”
Bert threw back his head and laughed heartily.
“All the time guys think they have to get sentimental about girls. Boy, a fellow with three sisters knows better!” Tommy cried. “Catch me ever getting moony about a girl!”
“Well, we’ll see,” Bert said. “In two or three years you may change your mind.”
The family was out on the front porch when Tommy and Bert arrived. Mrs. Craig had brought out a tray with lemonade and cookies, and everyone was enjoying refreshments in the heat of the late summer afternoon.
“Enter the victor and the vanquished,” Mr. Craig said, as the two boys came up on the porch. “I hear it was a good game.”
“One of the toughest we ever played, sir,” Bert said.
“Yeah, me too,” Tommy agreed. “Hey, look! Food!” He went over to the tray and poured two glasses of lemonade. “Here you go, Bert.”
“Ralph has been explaining the game to us,” Doris said pertly. “Kit and I didn’t exactly know what was going on till he and Jean got there.”
Tommy looked up in disgust. “You might have asked me! I’d have told you anything you wanted to know.”
“Did you bring your violin, Bert?” Kit asked.
Bert smiled up at her. “Now, just by coincidence, I have it in the car.”
Mrs. Craig got up and picked up the tray. “My goodness, let the poor boy rest! He’s been busy today.”
“After dinner, Kit,” Bert promised. “If Doris wants to play.”
Mr. Craig cleared his throat. “If you young people will scatter, I have some things I want to talk over with Jean and Ralph. Seems there’s going to be a wedding around here soon, and there are some details to discuss.”
Tommy jumped up. “Come on, Bert. I want to take Jack down to the hen house and show him my new improvements. You can have a look, too.”
Kit shook her head. “For heaven’s sake, Tommy. Bert is Doris’s guest tonight!” She got up. “I’m going to write a letter. Holler when you want me to help you with dinner, Mother.”
“Aw, jeepers!” Tommy cried. “Come on, Jack. Let’s go!” He dashed down the steps, Jack in tow.
“Not so fast!” Mrs. Craig called. “Please be careful, Jack. Remember, this is your first day up.”
“If you would like to walk down and see the river, it’s just a little way,” Doris said to Bert.
He smiled and jumped up. “Let’s go,” he said.
They wandered down to the banks of the stream which was flowing with midsummer laziness. “This is our scenic high spot,” Doris explained. “I love it here. Whenever anything goes wrong or I feel out of sorts, I come down here to think things out.”
Bert smiled slowly. “Yes, I can imagine,” he said. “It’s beautiful and restful.”
“For instance, I figured out about trying for the scholarship down here by the water. Somehow things seem clearer here.”
“What do you mean? Were you scared about trying out?” Bert asked.
Doris smiled shyly. “Well, not exactly about trying out. But I was mixed up about whether or not I wanted to leave home, even. I don’t seem to have the spunk that Jean and Kit have. They always go out chasing things. I always kind of liked it at home.”
Bert was a born leader. It was hard for him to understand the fears and doubts which plague the shy personality. But he had learned how real these fears and doubts can be when he had worked with younger and shyer boys at Mercyville.
“But you did decide to try out,” he said, underlining her small triumph over her shyness.
She nodded slowly. “I wanted to go so badly,” she said softly.
“I’m glad you did,” Bert whispered. “I love it when you play. It’s like heaven, somehow.” He blushed. “That’s a dopey way to say it, I guess,” he added. “We’ll have a super time down there, I’ll bet.”
Hand in hand, they walked around the farm. Bert saw Tommy’s chicken house and the berry patches and the small woods which stood near the road. Finally, almost reluctantly, they turned towards the big house.
Dinner was almost ready when they returned. Bert stopped at the car and took out his violin. “We can have a concert after dinner, if they like,” he said.
Doris disappeared into the kitchen to help with the dinner, and Bert took his violin into the parlor. As he laid it on the piano, Mr. Craig came into the room.
“Well, hello there, Bert,” he said. “So we’re having a concert after dinner.”
“If you like, sir,” Bert answered.
“Fine, fine,” Mr. Craig said, rubbing his hands.
“Mr. Craig, there is something I would like to tell you,” Bert said hesitantly.
“Why, go right ahead,” Mr. Craig said.
Bert bent over the piano keys and touched a note lovingly. “I guess you’ll think this is sort of funny to talk about. It’s about Doris.”
“What’s on your mind, son?” Mr. Craig said gently.
Bert reddened. “I think Doris is a wonderful girl,” he said in a low voice. “We’re sort of pals, I mean. I like having her for a friend.”
Mr. Craig smiled. “Why, that’s fine, Bert. I’m glad you do. I’m rather fond of her, myself.”
“But you don’t understand, sir,” Bert continued. “And I want to be sure you do understand how I feel. When I’m with her, I don’t exactly feel like a friend, if you know what I mean.” He hit another key. “She makes me feel as if I’d sort of ... like to take care of her and protect her from things.”
Mr. Craig’s first impulse was to chuckle. But he stopped himself and said seriously, “I’m quite glad that you’re so fond of Doris, son. You see, she’s a great one for hiding her light under a barrel. Someone near her own age can make her see how foolish some of her fears are better than her parents can.”
Bert nodded solemnly.
“But as for you,” Mr. Craig said. “I would say that you have pretty normal feelings for a boy your age. After all, a seventeen-year-old boy is getting to be pretty grown up. Naturally he finds some girls attractive.”
“I’m almost eighteen, Mr. Craig,” Bert said. “I just wanted to be sure you didn’t mind. I mean, with my background, and everything.”
Mr. Craig frowned. “Certainly you’re not ashamed of your background!”
“Oh, no, sir! The only life I remember is life at Mercyville. I could never be ashamed of living there!”
“Then I guess we don’t need to talk about it any more, son,” Mr. Craig said.
“Thank you, Mr. Craig,” Bert said. “I’m glad what I said made you sort of angry. A lot of people don’t ... don’t really understand.”
After dinner, Doris and Bert played together in the parlor. Mr. and Mrs. Craig sat hand in hand on the porch swing listening to the strains of a Haydn sonata.
“It seems to me that I’ve been giving advice to a lot of young men today,” Mr. Craig commented dryly. “Ralph, about to step into matrimony, and Bert, about to hurl himself into his first romance....”
“Then Bert is really interested in Doris?” Mrs. Craig asked.
Mr. Craig chuckled a little. “So he tells me.”
Mrs. Craig grinned. “He certainly is a forthright young man. I like him.”
“Yes, so do I. Well, I hope our young friends will profit by what I had to offer in the way of advice. I never felt less qualified in my life.”
Mrs. Craig squeezed his hand. “I think you’re the most qualified husband in the world!”