i was never a big fan
of baseball

i remember as a kid
going to yankees games
with my dad and mom
friends of theirs
we'd sit in the bleachers
mostly
and there would be beer
and shouting
and next to me
there would be a drunk
passed out
sometimes

but i never really
watched the game

i would sit and look
at my father
and wonder how people
got so big

then
we'd go home
my dad and his friend
still going on
about winfield
or "the goose"
then he'd hug me
and put me to bed

tonight
i took six men with disabilities
to a minor league baseball game
it was the scranton/wilkes-barre red barons
against the richmond braves
i sat through the game
bored to shit
while one of my charges
kept asking me about the game

"is we winnin alezz? barons
gonna winzz?"

i pretended to know
and said "sure, frank,
'course they are."

bottom of the fourth
with bases loaded
a little mexican guy
hits a grand slam
and richmond never caught up

frank stood up
and cheered
all of my charges did
many others in the park did
too

i sat there
and watched
as people clasped each other
people they didn't know
in celebration
and the fathers
who lifted their children up
in joy

and now
i know how
people get so
big