Chapter 10

Sandy came to the game that night and, as promised, she paid me no notice at all -- no waves, no thrown kisses, nothing. But I saw her up there, sitting in the Family section. But this time she was very close to the dugout, alongside Amy Parkison, the young woman who served as translator for our Japanese left-hander, Shiggie Nomura.

Shiggie had just joined the club recently, and it looked like he would really improve our pitching staff. Shiggie's translator, Amy, was a fine-looking young woman. Now, it looked like she and Sandy were hitting it off pretty well.

I wondered how Sandy had explained her presence there. She'd probably just said she was a "friend" of mine. Or maybe she'd told Amy I was a neurotic personality and she was my keeper.

I got no attention from Sandy, but I did get two more hits -- a single and a double -- for the night.

When I got home, I had a call from Sandy on my answering machine again. The message was the same -- don't call, but she would be at the game the next night. I wasn't sure whether the message was the same one I'd heard the night before, or whether she had re-recorded it.

But she showed up at the next game, as promised. She sat with Amy Parkison again, but this time her male "friend" was along. The three of them had a very animated conversation. I guess I looked up there a lot, especially during batting practice, but also between innings. Paul Warren noticed, and quietly told me to keep my head in the game.

I shouldn't have had to be told that.

I walked twice and got a hit -- a single over second.

When I got home, there were no messages on my machine, and I didn't call Sandy. I knew she'd show up again without being asked.

She did. She made it to all six games closing out our home stand. And I got at least one hit in every game. I now had a modest, seven-game hitting streak going, and my average was back to .377 for the season.

We were leaving the next morning for a four-game series in Boston. Our final game against Detroit was in the afternoon, so the evening was free. When Sandy once again didn't answer her phone in person, I drove out there. It was only 5:30 p.m. when I knocked on her door.

Sandy didn't seem too surprised to see me.

"Hey, Sandy! I've got you an airline ticket, here, to Boston!"

"I haven't agreed to go to Boston, Josh. You know that."

"That's why I'm here -- to give you your ticket and to beg you to go. Sandy, I've gotten a hit every night you've been at the ballpark -- every night! I've got a seven-game hitting streak going."

"You've had lots of seven-game streaks."

"Yeah. But still. After all the troubles, and the beaning, and all. It's been kind of erratic, y'know? But, when you're there, I'm OK."

"Josh, this is wrong on so many levels, I can't even enumerate them."

"Because you think I'm getting -- dependent on you."

"Well. Aren't you?"

"Yeah. I guess I am. But, jeez, Sandy, it's really working! Look, all you gotta do is go on this trip with me, and come to the games at Fenway, and we'll see what happens!"

"I have to work."

"You work on the Internet," I said. "You can do that from anywhere. You've got a laptop. You even took it with you to a couple of the games -- I saw you."

"I've also got a life," she said. "I've got a boyfriend, and appointments, and stuff, just like anybody."

I didn't like that boyfriend remark, but I let it go. "I'll pay you! I'll cover all your expenses!"

"It's not the money. Well, that's part of it. I sure can't afford to fly around the country and stay in downtown hotels and pay ballpark prices for nachos and cheese."

"I'll pay! I can afford it!"

"No, you can't. I mean, I know you make nice money, but don't you see? This will eat up your income like almost nothing else! Airline tickets -- hotels -- meals! It will cost you a fortune!"

"Sandy! Just until I take a collar! Just until then! I've got this streak going, and I think I can keep it going, if you're there!"

"I knew you were going to ask me to do this!" Sandy said. "I've already looked at the schedule. This is a 14-day road trip, to four cities! This is insane, Josh!"

"Please, Sandy! Please just come to Boston. I've got access to comp. tickets. And you'll love Fenway! You ever been to Fenway? It's a gas! We were there for two games, late in April. Great ballpark!"