An amusing conversation that happened at the end of a baseball season, in the lobby of the team hotel, between my favorite coach (C), me, and my aforementioned friend "Sarah."   

C: What did you do last night? Did you go out?  

M: We got in some trouble.   

C: Did you go out with my players?   

S: Yeah, they were talking about you.   

C: About me? What were they saying? Were they mad at me?   

M: I think one of them was.

(He was pissed because he got taken out after 75 pitches. “He told me my back hurt, and that’s why I was coming out. What is that? Seventy-five pitches in seven innings? My back was fine.”)

C: Oh, him. Yeah, he’s a wild one. So who was talking about me then?  

M: Well, it was more like impressions.   

C: Oh, I see.   

M: It was [redacted], I think; he was doing impressions. 

C: (laughs) So why didn’t you call me [to tell me you were coming here]?   

M: Well, we wanted to surprise you.   

C: Yeah, I was warming somebody up, and I looked over and hey, there’s Molly and Sarah. I was surprised. That made my day.  

[Redacted] gets off the elevator, sees us, grins, and waves, as he walks off like the cocky little about-to-be-a-big-leaguer that he is.

C: Was he out with you last night?   

S: Uh. Yeah.   

M: Sarah liked him. Sarah likes pitchers.   

S: Well, it’s not like Molly was alone.   

C: Oh, really? Who were you with?   

S: I think you know. 

M: Yeah, you know.   

C: [Nickname redacted]? Was it [redacted]?   

M: (nods)   

C: Yeah, I just had lunch with him. I thought he looked a little tired.   

M: (Heh.) He mentioned he was having lunch with you.   

C: How about a restaurant, that’s a good place.   

M: I’ve never tried that.   

C: Oh, I still remember…I got a 40th birthday present in the booth of a restaurant in Augusta, Georgia. I was pretty wild in my day. I bet you would’ve liked me.   

M: Probably.   

S: Yeah, we probably would’ve.   

C: I got a lot of repeat customers.