The one real problem was that there just was not a lot of speed on the team, so fielding and running were both on the mediocre side. Not that it was a...ll bad, even though softball tended to be a speed game, not a power game, since people that could play a power game were rare. When you got someone that could play a power game, like Brandy Evachevski, you could go far. Brandy was All-Conference in her third year at Michigan Tech this year, even carrying a full load of science and education. ..."#A few minutes later I was ready to send out a telepathic call -- thistime to ~myself.~"Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Blake, can you hear me? This is Mantra!"~"M-Mantra? I do hear you. But how can you be inside my head?"~"I have many powers, for I am Mantra!"~"Have you found Gus yet? People say that he tried to burn down theschool! Oh, Mantra! I didn't raise him to be such a bad boy. You'reour only hope. You have to bring him home so he can be taught rightfrom wrong."~"You can count on us," I. " Cindy gave Gayle a curious look. "Did you remember what I told you about how to handle boys." She giggled at the double entendre. "I mean, I guess I'm curious about you and Eddy. I remember when I was your age and it was difficult at times to keep priorities straight." Oh, that," Gayle shrugged. "We just kissed a little, that's all." That's all?" It was plain that Cindy didn't believe her for a moment."Oh, he tried to feel me up some. I let him. Some." Randy and I went a little further than. And wet. And nervous. We walked to the parking deck together, and then, out of nowhere, he started venting; no, gushing, about the shitstorm that is his current home life. I could see the helplessness in his eyes. Turns out he lives with a girlfriend (Boo!) He has come to realize that this girlfriend, once the love of his life, is, deep down, a skinny redneck whore. With a drug problem. Wow. I can see how miserable he is, and the sob story is confirming all the signals I’ve been working so hard.