What are you doing? said Pablo. I’m hitting some grounders, said Bonny, Ditto wants to become the next Dustin Pedroia.
No, said Bonny, I didn’t know Dustin Pedroia won the gold glove at secondbase last year. Really? Twenty-one homeruns and twenty-six stolen bases? And ninety-one RBI’s? That’s a lot for a secondbaseman. No, I don’t think you’re taller than he is.
Great game! said Alex. We’re 9-2. Only a game out of first!
We should play stickball tomorrow, said Alex. Stickball? said Blurtso. Stickball, said Harlan, is the street version of baseball. Yes, said Alex, some of the greatest players in history played stickball… they say Willie Mays was a 4-sewer hitter. A 4-sewer hitter? said Blurtso. Yes, said Alex, he could hit the ball four sewer manholes from the plate. Really? said Blurtso. Yes, said Alex. That’s remarkable, said Blurtso. Yes, said Alex. What’s a manhole? said Blurtso.
And they gathered and said,
“Speak to us of Jacques Derrida.”
And Blurtso replied:
“A koan is an utterance that is devoid of logic.”
I can still remember, said Blurtso, the last time I saw her…
As you shift to the left, said Blurtso, the upper hoof extends, lets go, and is replaced by the lower hoof which becomes the upper hoof as you shift to the right… the lower hoof is yin rising to yang… the upper is yang descending into yin… in the same way that all things come and go… cupboard full… cupboard empty… stomach full… stomach empty… see the pumpkin pie… see the empty tin… pumpkin pie… empty tin… pumpkin pie…
“Have you ever had a heated exchange on twitter?” said Don.
“No,” said Jerry, “not to my knowledge.”
I suppose, thought Blurtso, this is what it’s like to become one with nature… I suppose this is what it’s like… to remember you are one with nature… I suppose this is what it’s like… not to think about what it’s like.
As you circle from side to side, said Blurtso, imagine your arms are a banner attached to a flag pole, a banner waving in a warm breeze, a banner on top of a pumpkin pie factory, announcing a pumpkin pie sale…
Wow, said Blurtso, another season! Yes, said Harlan. I heard someone say, said Blurtso, that baseball is in trouble. In trouble? said Harlan. Yes, said Blurtso, he said the game has become too slow. The game hasn’t become too slow, said Harlan. It hasn’t? said Blurtso. No, said Harlan, the rest of the world has become too fast.