Cubs Proposal

G Money
10-16-02

Cubs Proposal

She didn’t think anything of it as they at in traffic on 294. They’d gone to games before, like her first game the summer after her freshman year of college. No one else would be home until the end of the May and she knew couldn’t wait that long to sit in those green seats right on the third base line, see the TORCO straight ahead over the right field wall, and the Bud House off to her left. It had become their ritual now, and their group of friends came if they could, which was seldom. Secretly she enjoyed the time the two of them had by themselves, but had tried to keep her feeling hidden, remembering some other girl he was seeing.
“Know who’s pitching?” Larry asked as he flipped through her CD’s. He already knew, having worked the schedule out in advance so her favorite pitcher would be on the mound today.
“Lieber,” Julie said.
“Sweet.”
“Aw yeah. It’s their year man. I can feel it.”
Larry chuckled. “You’ve been saying that every year.”
“Damn straight. Almost had it in ’98 too. I swear Harry was lookin’ out for us.”
Larry nodded in agreement, and stuck a CD in with no label. U2 resounded through the car stereo speakers.
“How’s the College of Last Chance treating you?” she asked with a chuckle.
“It’s cool. It’s cool. And that fine state of Missourah?” He was impressed with his southern accent.
“Please man. Don’t get me started. I can’t get out of that damn state fast enough.”
The album had cycled through by the time they turned down Clark and headed toward their normal parking spot.
“Damn I’ve missed this place,” she said as they got out and walked to the ballpark. “There is a sight for sore eyes. You have no idea how many times I’ve watched The Blues Brothers and paused it at the Wrigley sign just so I can stare at it.”
He laughed. “Every day. Every day.” She smiled, and he put his hands in his pants pocket, making sure he hadn’t forgotten.
They went inside the ballpark and found their seats. They sat in silence for awhile, watching the Cardinals go through batting practice. Larry excused himself for a moment and wandered down the sideline. She watched him with curiosity for a moment, then let her eyes roam around the field, taking it all in and refreshing the images in her mind.
“Too bad everyone else had to work today,” Julie said when he came back. “Fine day for a game.”
“Yeah.”
“It’s harder and harder to get together these days. We’re all out of state or down south during the school year. Everyone’s working and I’m stuck in Misery for the summer. Not that I hate living in an apartment or anything. It’s cool and all.”
“I’ll have to come down and see this swanky place.”
“You should. Pile everyone in a car or something, take a road trip.”
“What are you going to do after graduation?”
She sighed. “I don’t know. Business school. Law school. Something like that maybe. I know I want to come back here though you know. Hang with the folks and you and the rest of the gang. Sounds like they’ll all be back here too.”
He smiled in spite of himself. “Yeah. Stacey and Phil will be married.”
“I know. Isn’t that spooky? Man.”
“Spooky? Why is it spooky?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just spooky. Now I know how my older brothers feel. They’re college friends are getting married left and right, an’ they’re 30 and single. That’s gotta suck.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Hey! There he is!” Julie nodded to number 32. He watched her watch him go through his warm-up routine, eyes diligently recording everything.
“Yeah.”
“Anyway,” she said, turning her attention back to him. “What about you? You goin’ to Hollywood after you graduate, make your millions?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Maybe? What kind of bullshit statement is that? How can you not man?”
“I’ve got my reasons to stay in Chicago for awhile.”
She gave him that look that made him melt. “Ooh. I see. Well good for you,” she said, patting his knee. “You and what’s her name serious?”
“What’s her name? Who’s that?”
“That girl you were seeing back in January.” She had left her hand resting on his knee. “Cindy or Michelle or whatever her name is.”
“No. We weren’t ‘seeing’ each other exactly. She was just helping me with the film I was shooting.” Though he couldn’t read her eyes from behind her Oakleys, he could tell by the squeeze she inadvertently gave his leg his feelings for her were returned. He placed his hand on top of hers and felt it shiver for a moment.
The players filed off the field as the announcer started speaking. They both rose, hand in hand, and removed their Starter caps for the National Anthem. They cheered with the rest of the 32,426 fans who had shown up for this final game of the three game series, eagerly anticipating a sweep of the Cards.
“How is your film class?” she asked in between innings.
“It’s good. Lots of work. I had no idea how much time it takes to shoot, edit and then add sound. Rather time consuming but I love it.” The word left his lips with ease. He wondered if it would do the same later.
“Coo. Coo. Still working on your screen play?”
“Yeah. Your comments were very helpful.”
She smiled. “Good. Sometimes I think I’m too hard on people. I don’t give anyone shit. They want honesty they’re going to get it.”
“Nah. It was good. It was helpful. I need someone to kick me in the balls sometimes, you know? Point out the bad things, and the good things.”
“After you’ve insulted a person, you should give them some compliments so they don’t go away feeling like crap.”
He laughed. “You’re the master at that.” She laughed with him.
The crack of bat mixed with their laughter and they both turned their attention to the field. Sosa had just smacker a home run, giving the Cubs an early 1-0 lead. The crowd exploded as the ball dipped behind the fence in left-center. It was still 1-0 at the top of the seventh, a real pitchers duel.
“Excuse me,” an usher said. “Will you two come with me please?”
Julie looked at Eric who only shrugged and motioned for her to move. She obeyed and they followed the usher through the crowd and onto the field. He saw Julie’s worried look turn into confusion as the Cards and Cubs stood on the tops steps of their respective dug outs. The announcer was speaking, saying something she couldn’t quite make out as she stood on home plate.
“I hope you feel the same way about me as I feel about you,” Eric whispered into her ear. He saw them blush, and her eyes were wet when he took off her Oakleys as the meaning dawned on her.
She watched, her hands covering her open mouth as Eric pulled a small box from his pocket and kneeled. 32,426 people hushed and focused their eyes on home plate.
“Julie,” Eric said, gazing up at her. “We’ve been coming to Cubs games and have been friends for a long time, and I was wondering if you would forever be my partner so that we may come to Cubs games together for eternity?”
He held his breath as he waited for some sign from her. He watched as her eyes widened, his proposal seeping in and registering in the recesses of her brain. Her hands flew from her face and embraced him. He slipped the ring on and they kissed as the crowd exploded with cheers. Members of the Cards and Cubs came over and shook hands with them. Lieber placed a congratulatory autograph in Julie’s hand and winked at Eric. The Cubs beat the Cards 1-0 and swept the series.