| May 1964 |
| "Hurry up, Stevie", Jeff called up the stairs to his oldest son. Jeff walked into the kitchen as Ginger was putting a pot roast into the refrigerator. She shut the fridge door & took the jar of peanut butter out of Tommy's dirt covered hands. "Ok, Jeff, remember that when you get home from the game that the pot roast needs to go into a 350 degree oven for about 2 hours.Susie is over at Sallie's house & Mrs. Sanderson said she would be fine there until you get home. I should be home from the taping of 'Aunt Ginny' around 6pm." "Ginger, take a deep breath, everything will be just fine. I can handle everything. Pot Roast, 2 degrees for 350 hours?" Jeff saw the look of frustration on her beautiful face, "I was kidding, Ginger, have a great show." Ginger could only looked at Jeff bewildered as she headed out the door. Jeff looked at his 7-year-old son, he reached over & pulled the cap off of Tommy's dark hair. "Are you ready to go watch Stevie's game?" "I wanna play, Daddy!!" "Next year, Tommy, I promise." The front door opened up, Charlie Hailey walked through, "Mutt, let's go!! I got Doug & Petey waiting in the car." Charlie walked back out to wait with his sons. Steve Metcalf walked in the kitchen, Jeff looked at his son. Steve looked exactly like his brother Hank did at the age of 12. "Good Lord, Steven Henry, what took you so long to get ready? Charlie & his boys are waiting outside for us & I am sure that Robert & Bobby are already at the ball park." Robert had moved back to River Run after losing his wife Perrette to some illness Jeff could never remember the name of. His son Bobby was Steve's best friend in the world. Daddy?" "Yes, Tommy?" "I want to play baseball with the other boys" "This is for 11-, 12- & 13-year-olds & the last time I checked you were only 7-. Next year you can play with the 8-year-olds, I promise. OK?" Jeff hated to see that look on Tommy's face he looked so sad, but just in an instant his frown gave way to the biggest grin ever. "Daddy?" "Yes, Tommy?" "Will you be my coach, too? Cuz that I would love!" "I would be proud to, Son!" Tommy reached up & put his grimy, little hand in Jeff's & they headed out the door to go to a ballgame. |