[majormet]

Al Stanton was in his small backyard in Middle Village, and was watering his modest garden. This was a house he shared with his wife Melody and their now grown up son Chad. Today he is by himself, as Melody packed her bags and left as Al's idleness after selling his business changed the dynamic of their relationship... they were home together all the time. Melody did not leave for another man she just left to join an artist's community in Santa Fe.... however divorce being final, Al was a single man....

Single man? This is not something that has fully registered with Al as he was always faithful and assumed he would never be single again. What the heck there are better things to do in life.

He uplifted his spirits by blasting Beatles Dig a Pony in his back yard, who cares what the neighbors thought. Hard to fathom that the Beatles went from She Loves You to this in 6 years meanwhile it takes 7 years for another season of Curb Your Enthusiasm to come out. Unbelievable, as he bobbed his head to the intense guitar solo mid-song.

Javier his neighbor saw him and climbed the short fence that separated their homes. Javier was a newish neighbor having been next door for 3 years. He was a pleasant guy and they would play pickleball on occasion together at the park.

"Did you see the crap they are saying about Hornsby" Javier shouted

"Not true, I could have told you this was going to happen. You add 30 teams to the league in 3 years and you get very weak arms making it to the big leagues"

Javier replied "If that was the case, everyone would have those numbers, this dude is on pace for over 100 homers and over 300 RBI's, There is no way this guy is clean"

"Hornsby is clean, just a consummate hitter and he is just 23, he is learning. He was hurt the past two years"

"Hurt... because of the juice, he is juicing I tell ya... " Javier said in a chuckling manner

Al rolled up his hose and shook Javier's hands "Been waiting to shake your hand for a year with all this Covid stuff, who knows. How are things with your family"

Javier had 2 small kids that were under 5 years old "Busy not sleeping much, how is the bachelor life"

"Bachelor life??!? I am 54 years old wouldn't know where to start, not going to date using an app, I was with Melody for 33 total years, not sure where to go. I am busy with this kid Redinger, trying to steer him"

"What is going on with that" Javier was aware of the scouting assignment

"I have a good feeling about Tate, I think he is a guy that always sells himself short. Parents were very hedonistic and never focused on him. Today's kids get a ton of lessons for any sports they play, he did not have that at all. He has a lot of potential, he could have gotten scholarships to play out west like at USC, but chose Hofstra to stay home. Always trying to get his parent's attention"

Javier shrugged and responded "Yes that is a common theme in life, with the 60 teams he could end up in the league. He might need me to translate for some of those teams" Javier had been out of work since Covid, he was the head waiter at a top Manhattan restaurant but most of the city's night life vanished and never has recovered from Covid.

"In this case, it is on steriods, not Hornsby... parent issues here.. I put him on the Ducks and I just need to videotape him and get the word out to scouts. This isn't like hoops where i can send a kid to Athens or Barcelona and he can get millions playing minor league level"

"I hope it works out, I wish I had something to look forward to sounds exciting, sounds like a good journey" Javier was hopeful for his neighbor

"Thanks, hope is all we have" - Al said as he went back into the house and sent Javier off. Now a whole afternoon ahead and nothing to do but watch TV.