For Love of the Game Read Online Free Page B

would almost everybody. But Billy.…”
    Chapel opened the door, came out into the room.
    Ross: “Well, Billy?”
    Chapel shook his head.
    Ross: “Billy Boy, Billy Boy, how can you quit?”
    Chapel looked round for his jacket. Go for a walk. Ole buddy.
    Ross: “What about you pitchin’ … today?”
    Chapel stopped.
    Ross: “They have you scheduled for today. Nobody’s supposed to know. But … what do you do now?”
    Chapel saw the jacket, picked it up.
    The phone rang. Gus was there, lifted it quickly.
    “Hello hello. Listen.… What? Jesus.” He looked wide-eyed at Chapel. “Hey, man. It’s Carol.” Pause. “What do I do?”
    Chapel went for the phone, hand extended. He said: “Hello?”
    Soft, breathy voice: “Billy?”
    “Yep.”
    “This is me.”
    Carol. Where?
    “Hi,” Chapel said.
    “I’m over in the park. Cross the way.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “Billy?”
    “Yep.”
    “I’m over by the fountain. I’ve been there looking up at your window.”
    Pause. Ross was tapping fingers on top of the couch; Gus was signaling him to shut up, finger at the lips.
    Carol: “You know the fountain. The one you can … almost see me from your window.”
    “Oh, yeah. I know.”
    “Well. I … didn’t want to come up there this morning. I’m sorry. Last night was … bad. Well. I just quit my job. I’m leaving town. But before I go … would you talk to me for a minute? Would you come down here and talk to me? The crowd over there … Would you do that? Please?”
    “Oh, sure,” Chapel said.
    “You will? Oh … thank you. I’ll … when will you be here? I can wait.”
    Chapel: “Be right there. A few minutes.”
    He put down the phone. Dazzled brain. Glad she called. Got to talk. What to wear? Got the jacket. Fine.
    Ross was saying: “Billy, there’s not a hell of a lot of time. What are you gonna do?”
    Chapel: “I’m goin’ down to the park.”
    Ross: “Are you gonna pitch today?”
    Gus: “Carol. Good thing, buddy. Hope it works.”
    Knock on the door: Chapel opened it: the blue-clad stewardess: Bobbie, Gus’s girl. Dark-haired, slim, trim. She gave Chapel a lovely smile.
    “Hi there.”
    Chapel started out by her. Ross came, caught his shoulder.
    “Billy, dammit, I need to know. There’s just no time.”
    Chapel: “I’ll let you know. But I’ve got to go. Maybe I’ll see you at the ballpark. By that time, maybe.…”
    But Ross hung on to him:
    “Billy, I think you’ve got the pride. I don’t think you’ll go. Not anywhere. I think you’re through, Billy. I think it’s all over.”
    Chapel turned, looked at the round white face. Moment of silence. Then Chapel said: “You may be right.”
    “Can I print that?”
    Chapel closed his eyes. Then he said: “Just a little while. I’ll tell you … at the ballpark.”
    He pulled away, started down the hall.
    Ross said: “Billy, I did you a favor. Don’t you owe me?”
    Chapel looked, paused, nodded. He said: “Soon as I can. I … appreciate it. But … well. See you.”
    He went away down the hall. The last he heard was the voice of Bobbie:
    “Hey. Did you find out? Do I have to tell everybody we’re married?”

  THE PARK

 
    T HERE HAD BEEN rain that morning, much rain; there were pools on the grass and a low gray misty sky, and Chapel thought: no ball game today? Solve everything. Thanks, Boss. Pack up tonight. Off to Colorado. Home.
    As he came out of the hotel the doorman saw him and bawled aloud: “Hey, Mr. Chapel! You pitchin’ today? Jeez, I hope not.” Heads turned to look his way, but he hopped on across the street and into the park and there were very few people there in the morning, a few joggers, and Chapel jogged himself toward the fountain where Carol was waiting, splashing his way through cold puddles. He was very glad she had called. He did not know who or what was waiting. Met her four years ago, almost to the day, at that party: flashes now in the mind’s clear eye of that tall