By KAITLIN LAROSA
“How did it used to be, Poppy?”
Suddenly, it is 1950-something, and today is the 14U baseball city finals. He is the captain of the underdog team.
Every moment is surreal; it’s as if he himself is a Yankee. Adrenaline runs through his veins as he hits a curveball and runs the bases. He can hear the stadium of his heroes cheering for him and it makes him feel alive.
He relays all of this with a gripping voice that keeps his granddaughter on the edge of her seat.
“You see? Everything is different now.”
And as time changes so does the world around him. It happens rapidly as he stands frozen on the pitcher’s mound, watching as life leaves him behind.
Suddenly, it is 2000-something at Babe Ruth stadium, and city finals are only a star in the night sky of distant memories that continue to fade away.
But today, he sits face to face with the light of the future.
It is 2000-something and he is sitting on the sidelines, cheering on his new hero, a little redhead girl who has traded in baseballs for volleyballs –
And yet, he’s never felt more alive.
Kaitlin LaRosa is a sophomore double-majoring in Policy Studies and Environment, Sustainability, and Policy from Poughkeepsie, New York. She is a firm believer in writing to commemorate people, places, and things in life.
