Will Fame And Love Return

When Will It Get Better

Wednesday March 25, 2008

Ocala, Florida

The Baltimore Clippers had just finished playing a spring training game with the Pittsburgh Gold Sox’s, with the results not going very well for anyone playing on the Clippers team, losing 12 to 2. The team as a whole played totally out of sync against their totally in command opponent. 

Rick Randolph’s play at bat and on the field was most undoubtedly the worst of all, committing 2 costly errors, messing up on 2 important plays, not to mention going 0 for 2 at the plate. Clippers manager Edmond Hawthorne pulled Rick out of the game in the 5th inning and substituted him with Kasi Saitan who was not any much better, committing an error himself and also going 0 for 2 at the plate.

Rick Randolph was not hitting miuch at all, having played in only 12 spring training games up to this point, having committed 5 unaccustomed errors and batting only 4 for 24, for a .167 batting average and definitely not setting spring training afire.

After leaving the rather glum clubhouse and being the recipient of some rather glaring stares from his manager, Rick was glad to get away from a place where he had always performed very well in the spring.

During spring training in 2007, Rick had the whole Alicia Reynolds situation hanging over his head, distracting his attention. With this spring training in 2008, the team’s front office was holding his previously injury riddled season over his head and it was a very serious weight that they had hung onto him.

Once Rick returned to his apartment suite, a plethora of thoughts were running rampant through his mind, wondering out loud about just what it could be that was causing him to mess up so badly and be totally out of sync from what used to be his strong points.

He started thinking about his visit and the examination by Dr. Faust the Neurologist, but the results from that test were positive.

Then Rick began thinking about what Bill Falstaf had said to him the day that they met up at the restaurant in Inverness, Florida.

Rick was wondering if the team executives, manager, coaches and some players were a part of the conspiracy against him. Could they always have, especially, if it was not for the fact that Bill Falstaf was in their way, preventing them from carrying out their scheme against Rick and once Bill had left the team, going to the Philadelphia Diamonds to become their manager and assistant general managers, it gave them a full shot to carry out their plan to make it rough for Rick.

Later on that evening Rick’s cell phone rang, it was Judy Falstaf calling, just as Bill had promised that he would have her do.

Rick answered the phone saying, “Hello my friend.” Judy replied, “Yes it is and how are you doing this evening?”

Rick spoke up saying, “Oh, it’s kind of been a rough day, nothing went well at all, then I was lifted for a guy who could not do any better than I did."

Judy said to Rick, “Yes, dad told me about the conversation that you had with him at lunch 2 weeks ago at the restaurant in Inverness. All that I can say is I am sorry that I was not there to be with you."

Rick spoke saying, “Nah, it was just two guys talking shop with one another."

Judy then spoke up saying, “Like I said before, we’ve been friends for a long time, and now that a certain someone left you high and dry I feel that we could take our relationship to another level,"

Rick replied, “That’s wonderful, but I am still trying to get past her and with the way everything went down I am still not over the disappointment and hurt that it caused me. So, let’s take it a step at a time, but I will know that I can call on you when I need someone who I can talk to."

Judy, trying to make her point said, “I was hoping for something more like getting together, say, for lunch or dinner, especially when both of us are available to meet up."

Then Judy added, “Like I had said earlier, I wish that I could have come along with my dad that day the two of you meet up for lunch, at least I could have been there with you for a little while."

Judy paused for a moment, then she asked Rick how spring training was going for him.

Rick let out a sigh, then said, “Miserable, I was thinking before you called as to what your dad was telling me that day and how it relates to what is happening. The front office is holding over my head about what happened last season, that it is just like holding a weight over your head, and it is as if they are trying to keep me in my place, that if I do not comply with them, they will make it absolutely miserable for me."

This time Judy let out a sigh, then responded with, “That’s exactly why you need me, so that my presence in your life will be like releasing the weights."

Judy paused, then added, “Through the years when you were with Alicia you never had to experience any of this, you were on top of the world, and when she left you, your world crashed. I want to be the reason that the fame and love that you enjoyed returns with me in your life." 

Hearing this, Rick sighed again, then spoke up saying, “Oh my”, then let out with another sigh, then continued, “Oh, what such wisdom you have my dear friend."

Judy said, “Thank you." then she told pick that she had to et going, but would be in touch with him.

Rick thanked Judy for being such a good friend.

Then they both said their goodbyes, ending the phone call, leaving Rick to mull over what Judy had said to him.