Joe Montano
Fiction Workshop

     "Where the hell is Marks, the bus leaves in fifteen minutes!" D.J. said loudly. He stood their scratching his thin blond hair or what was left of it.  D.J. walked around the lockeroom as if he was expecting to find someone or something.  "Steve you and Marks usually hang out together do know where he is?" D.J. said in a more softer tone of voice.  Steve replied, "Well coach, Joe said that he had to take care of something before we left." D.J. had sort of a puzzled look on his face, you could see he was wondering what Joe was up to at seven in the morning on a wednesday.  "Do you know where he went?," D.J. asked. "He said he was going to the cemetery for a few minutes," Steve answered.  "Oh, I hope he doesn't catch a cold standing out there in the pouring rain," D.J. said.
     The rain was coming down more now then when I arrived here at the cemetery.  I can see the water beading down off the bill of my black baseball cap.  The ground is really wet now and I can tell because my socks are getting soggy in my shoes. Your probably wondering why I'm in the middle of a cemetery standing in the rain.  I came her because I made a promise to myself and to my grandparents that I would come her someday when I've accomplished my goal.  It's not easy for me to do this, but I have always kept my promises and I'm not going to stop now.  It's a long story about my life and who I am and why I am here. It was kind of like what my father told me one day he said, "Joe you need take full advantage of this opportunity you never know when or if it will come back around this maybe your last chance to do something about it." That's why I have come here and you will understand soon enough.  This all started about two years ago and it was my senior year in highschool.
     "Joe you better get down here soon or else you won't have time for breakfast," Sherry yelled up the stairs. "I'll be right down mom," Joe said. Joe stood there looking at himself in the mirror trying put his tie on right. He became a little frustrated with his tie and finally took off and put in his black gym back which had his number five printed on it.  He grabbed the bag and went out his door and down the stairs towards the kitchen, where his mom, brother, and sister were eating breakfast.  "What's for breakfast," Joe asked.  His mom replied, "Eggs and bacon, just the way you like them, the eggs are scrambled and the bacon is burnt." Joe sat down in the chair being careful that he didn't wrinkle his brown slacks or his navy blue bugleboy button up shirt either.  He still felt a little uncomfortable wearing all these nice clothes, it was like he going to church.  Why did he have to wear them to school, just because his baseball coach said they had to dress up for games. "Why don't you look sharp today," Sherry commented jokingly. "You know I don't like to dress up like this, so could you please cut the smart remarks," Joe said in loud voice.  He sat next to his little brother Justin who people seemed to confuse him with and even their own parents would get their names mixed up. Molly she was the youngest of them all and also the most spoiled too. She was six and had a  single freckle on the right side of her chin. Molly looked more like her mom with dark brown hair and blue eyes not to mention short.  While Joe and Justin were more like their dad dark skinned and black hair with brown eyes.  "Did dad already go to work this morning mom?" Joe said.  She answered, "Yes and after he gets off work he will stop to pick me up at work and then we will go see your game." Joe's brother Justin turned around to look at their mom. "What about us how are we going to get to the game, is dad going to pick us up too?" Justin said.  "No, you will go to the game with grandma and grandpa, after they pick you and Molly up at after school," She answered back to Justin.
     After eating their breakfast Joe, Justin, and Molly went up stairs to there rooms to finish getting ready of school.  Joe got the rest of his baseball gear together in his black gym back and headed towards the front door.  As he at the bottom of the stairs his came mom out of the kitchen towards him. "Joe, could come here for a second?" she said. "Sure, What do want?" he asked.  She pulled out a card from her dark brown purse and handed it Joe. "It's just a little something from me and your dad," she said. Joe was kind of surprised after all they had not mentioned anything about the big game all week. "Go on open it," she said eagerly. "Mom, you didn't have to do this," he commented.  Joe opened the envelope and pulled out the card. He looked at the front examining the picture of a young kid standing on top of  building wearing a superman costume.  Instead of an "S" on his chest it had, "Number one son." Joe laughed a little and then opened the card and began to read the writing inside.
     Dear Son we know this is an important game for you being that it is for a state championship and it's your senior year.  We thought we just let you know that were proud of you and that we love you very much. So don't worry we will be there and one thing is for sure we always be there when you need us the most.

                         Love Mom and Dad.

     "Thanks, Mom," Joe said.  "Now get going or you will be late for school," she said.  Joe picked up his black gym bag and yelled up the stairs for Molly and Justin to hurry up, because he was ready to leave. Joe headed out the front door onto the porch, the sun was just beginning to rise. Their was a little bit of mist in the air, yet it already about seventy degrees this early in the morning. He head towards his big yellow two-door 1974 Nova parked in the middle of the driveway. He opened the driver's door and threw his bag in the back seat, where he seemed to have accumalted a big pile of empty aluminum cans. Joe started the car up and turned on the radio hoping to catch what the weather would be like for today's game.  As he looked up he saw his brother and sister coming out the front door and heading towards his car.  
     As he started to pull out  of the driveway they saw their mother getting into her to car, they all waved to her.  Joe took off down the street and was headed too his grandparent's house to drop his brother and sister.  He gone this same since route since he was a sophomore and he could basically drive it in his sleep.  He started west on twelfth and went a couple miles before turning to go south on Grandview.  Taking Grandview all the to Broadway where he would head back west again for about a half a mile.  Then he would turn on to Glendale and follow that for a couple of blocks before he would get to his grandparents house.  You could not miss the house it was a faded old light green house with a garage that was hanging on its last hinge.  As Joe's brother and sister got out of the car he just remembered he forgot to tell his money he was out of lunch money.  Oh well he thought he just borrow money from his girlfriend and tell his mom after the game, a chance he would never get.  
     As Joe got to the highschool he had about twenty minutes till classes would start. He took his time walking through the parking lot and into the school it was a nice morning and he wanted to enjoy it a little.  He got inside the building and saw his locker was covered with balloons and posterboard which said "Good Luck, bring home a state title."  Joe kind of laughed at the stuff and opened his locker to put his bookbag away and get his books for first period.  As he was about ready to leave Steve showed up at his locker right next to Joe's.  "Are you ready for today?" Joe asked Steve.  "Man I couldn't sleep at all last night, I kept thinking about the game," Steve replied.  "Don't worry we have Government class this morning, that will get you back some sleep," Joe commented. They both laughed and started out towards there classroom to start off this morning.  They only had to attend first and second periods because they were getting out early to go their game.  Joe didn't remember a thing that was said in either period as all he had on his mind was the game.  Second period was finally over and Joe and Steve headed down towards the locker room to change and get ready to leave for the game.  They met the rest of the team in the lockeroom and everyone was excited and couldn't wait to play.  
     The team boarded the bus and everyone had their own seat to sit on, a chance to prepare themselves for the game.  It was like the usual Joe and Steve would sit in the back and the coaches would sit in the very front. Roy the head coach stood and said, "Now I know this is a big game for everyone, so I want it to be quiet so you will be focused for the game."  This was the first time he has ever done this before, but everyone listens to coach so their was a silence.  The trip was only about forty minutes and everyone had their own way of getting ready.  Steve listened to his heavymetal on his diskman, Luis their centerfielder listen to rap music, Dan the starting pitcher listen to classical music.  While their catcher Chris usually just slept all the way to the game.  Joe most of the time listened to his R&b music, but this time it was a little different. As he sat their in his seat staring out the window Joe thought of this past weekend when him and his dad were outside in the back playing catch.  
     It was around three o'clock and eighty degrees outside, Joe wanted to throw a little to keep his arm in good shape since he didn't have practice on Saturday or that Sunday.  He just was throwing the ball around with his and talking about the championship game coming up.  "I can't wait till tomorrow, so I can show all those scouts that I can play ball, Hey maybe I'll find a division I college and go win the College World Series to what do you think, " Joe said.  "Don't worry about college right know you just concentrate on the playing the game," Joe's dad replied.  Joe nodded his head in agreement with his dad, he has always listened to his dad.  They threw for a few more minutes and Joe signaled to his dad that he was done.  As they walked towards the house his dad stopped and turned to Joe.  "Joe don't worry about tomorrow you'll do fine and as for college you find the right place for you," he said. "I know dad, just promise you'll help me move in," Joe replied. "Alright where ever you go if it's Alaska I'll be there," Greg stated.  Joe smiled and put his arm around his dad, this was to be their last time together, neither of them of course knew this.  Greg then said, "One more thing, Joe you need to take full advantage of this opportunity you never know when or if it will come back around this maybe your last chance to do something about it."
     "Joe were here at the ballpark wake up," Steve said as shook Joe a little.  "Thanks man, I just was kind of thinking," Joe
commented.  As they walked off the bus and turn towards the stadium it just kind of hit them.  This is were the  double "AA" Barons a minor league team plays, this is where baseball players are discovered.  Some great names have played here like Ozzie Smith, Roberto Alomar, and Joe Carter. It was an older style ballpark with the grandstand mainly behind home plate.  It had a eight foot blue padded wall around the outfield.  They had some Ivy growing around the wall to make it look more like a ballpark.      Joe's team took the field first and Dan was able to get the first three batters out.  They all ran into the dugout giving Dan high fives for striking out the last two batters.
     "Hurry up Sherry were already a little late for the game," Greg said.  He opened the door and Sherry got in the car and they were heading to Joe's game.  "Don't worry will just listen in on 99.5, their broadcasting the game, will only miss a couple a innings," Sherry responded.  Sherry turned on the radio and caught the last part of the second inning and Joe's team was getting ready to take the field for the beginning of the third inning.
     "Man their picture is really good," Steve commented to Joe as they were heading towards the outfield.  "Just because he struck out doesn't prove anything, I could strike you out if I pitched," Joe said.  Luis who was behind them started laughing at Joe's comment.  Steve turned around as if to ignore them and headed to his spot in rightfield.  Joe stood there in leftfield
being kind of bored as he watched Dan strike out the first batter.  He thought Dan was going to steal all the glory by striking out most of the batters and he would just sit here in the outfield and do nothing.  On the second batter Dan threw a fastball and the batter was able to get a hold of it pretty hard and sent it deep in the air to leftfield.  Joe got a great jump on the ball and was moving quickly to this right he could see the ball was falling fast.  As ball started on its way to the ground, Joe took a final couple steps and dove forward on to the dark green grass.  He could feel the ball hit the pocket of his glove and he closed it make sure it  would not fall out when he hit the ground.
     "What a catch by the leftfielder, a sensational dive to rob the bulldogs of a hit," the announcer screamed over the radio.  Greg and Sherry were listening in as they were about ten minutes away from the park.  Greg was going about five miles over the speed limit he was anxious to get to the game.  "You see we won't to miss much," Sherry said.  As they were getting ready to go around a corner a semi-truck was heading towards them in their lane. The semi-truck was trying to pass a car before it got to the corner, but it was to late.  "Watch out Greg!!" Sherry screamed in the car.  Greg turned the car hard to the right and they spun around, the semi-truck clipped the back end of the car and sent over the garde rail and tumbling down the hillside.  The car rolled over about fourteen times before it was finally stopped by a tree.
     It was the bottom of the seventh inning and the game was tied at 3-3.  Joe was putting on his helmet because he was after Luis and Steve in the batting order.  He briefly glimpsed into the crowd to see if he could find his parents.  
     The ambulance had arrived quickly at the scene of the accident and were able to free Greg and Sherry from the car.  They rushed them to the hospital into the emergency room in hopes of saving Greg and Sherry's life.  
     "Come on Steve you can hit," Joe yelled as encouragement for Steve who was up to bat. After fouling off a couple of pitches Steve was able to connect for a base hit.  
     Greg was barely conscious when the doctor came in to the room, he looked up at the doctor and said, "Where's my wife, is she another room." The doctor walked over to Greg and looked at him with old wrinkled face and gray eyebrows and hair.  He put his hand on Greg's shoulder and said, "I'm sorry but your wife didn't make it, she died."  Greg didn't say anything he just laid their with all his emotion building up he was angry and sad, he was also in quite a bit of pain himself.
     Steve managed to steal second base and put himself in a better position to score. Luis was up now and he laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Steve over to third base.  As Luis headed back to the dugout he stopped and talked to Joe. "Hey do this one for me, I gave up my glory so you could be the hero don't let me down," Luis said.  "Hey don't worry I'll get Steve in some how," Joe responded.  Joe could not stop shaking this was the biggest moment in his life he thought.  Everyone was counting on him to bring in the winning run, in front of a sellout crowd.
     "I'm truly sorry, but we could not stop the internal bleeding," the doctor said.  Greg had not said a word for a few minutes, he laid their still brewing with emotions and pain.  "Get me a radio," he said.  The doctor looked a little amazed and didn't quite understand what Greg wanted.  "You want a what?" the doctor asked.  "Get me a dam radio now!!!" Greg yelled.  He coughed a couple times after that and still was a little groggy. The doctor called a nurse in to bring him a radio for Greg to use.  The nurse returned with a radio and Greg told her to turn it on and to tune to 99.5 so he could listen to the game.  "Your still not very well yourself, you should try and rest," the doctor said to Greg.   "Get out," Greg said to the doctor and the nurse pointed towards the door.
     Joe was up to bat, he stepped into the batters box and awaited the first pitch, it was ball a little high.  He peered down the third base line to the coach to get the signals.  Joe got back in the box and was determined to get a hit.  Here came the pitch it was right down the middle, Joe took a swing at it and fouled it off into the stands.
     "One and one is the count to Marks," the announcer said.  Greg was listening trying to just concentrate on what Joe was doing. "Marks back in the box and heres the pitch and it's high for ball two," the announcer said.
     Joe stepped out of the box and took a deep breath to try and calm himself down a little.  Steve was still at third base and the count was now two and one.  The outfield and infield were both pulled in so that Steve would not be able to score when the ball is hit. Joe knew that he just need to get a fastball and he could send deep over the outfielders heads and bring Steve in.  Steve took his lead off third and the pitcher was getting set into his windup.  
     "And hears the pitch Marks swings and hits a deep fly ball over the outfielders heads, I don't think they will get to it and buffaloes have won the state title.  Thanks to some great hitting by the their leftfielder Joe Marks, who came through in the clutch when they needed him," the announcer yelled.  Greg laid his head back on his pillow, the pain was a lot worse now.  He did not bother calling a nurse, he knew it was his time.  Greg close his eyes and mumbled his last few words aloud to himself, "Great job son, great job, were proud of you."  His pain was gone and so he was finally at peace, where he had left this world to go and be reunited with his wife.
     They were all jumping up and down and Joe was in the middle of the pile.  This was a great feeling for him he was on top of the world they were the stat champs and what way to go out as seniors.  He was almost crying being that he finally reached one his goals and gave a big hug to his teammate Steve.  "We did it, we finally did it," Joe said to Steve.  "That's right were number one," Steve said.  In all this celebration Joe had forgotten his parents and grandparents who he thought were at the game.  Joe turned around and saw his brother and sister with his grandparents in the stands.  Joe ran over to the bleachers to go see them, hoping that his mom and dad were around.  "Hey isn't this great we won," Joe said to his grandparents.  They both had sort of sad look on their face, his sister was almost in tears.  "What's wrong Molly, grandma, Justin is something wrong here," Joe asked.  Right then a police officer came behind them and walked towards Joe.  Joe was a little alarmed he wondered if did something wrong.  The officer asked Joe if he was related to Greg and Sherry Marks.  Joe shook his head yes and said that they were his parents.  "I'm sorry but your parents have been in involved in accident, they are at the hospital now," the officer said.  Joe couldn't believe it, he yelled at Steve to grab his bag and he took off with the police officer to the hospital.  His brother and sister went with their grandparents, they followed behind the police car.  As the cop pulled up to the emergency room entrance Joe quickly opened the door and bolted inside the hospital.  He ran as fast he could to the information desk, he asked what room his parents were in.  The nurse said down the hall and turn left it was room 303, she kind of hesitated telling Joe this.  As soon as she finished Joe took off again running down the hall and to room 303.  There he met the doctor in front of the door, "I don't think you should go in there right now," the doctor said.  "What are talking about my mom and dad are in there," Joe yelled. The doctor once again told Joe he should not go in there. Joe did not care what the doctor said he was going in there whether he liked or not.  "Get the hell out of my way," Joe said as he pushed the doctor aside.  He walked in door and saw two beds with white sheets pulled up over the bodies. Joe was hoping this was a mistake that he had gotten the wrong room.
    He walked between the two beds and pulled both sheets down to see the faces.  Joe quickly dropped to his knees and covered his eyes with his hands, he knew it was no mistake.  He sat there crying and saying to himself, "No this can't be happening, not now of all times."  He sat there for thirty minutes crying his heart out, hoping that somehow God would here him and bring back his parents. Joe didn't what know what to do now, all this emotion build up inside him, he never got the chance to tell them he loved them.  Not even a goodbye, or even just to say thank you for all they have done for him.  Joe raised the sheets back over his parents faces and walked out of the room.  There he saw just outside the room on a bench was Molly and Justin with his grandparents.  Molly and Justin came over to him and asked to see their mom and dad.  "No," he said wiping away his tears.  "Why not Joe, we want to see them," Justin asked.  "They're gone now, you need to remember the way we last saw them, they would want that," Joe said in very unsteady voice.  Molly and Justin began to cry and Joe hugged both of them holding on tight as if he was never going to let them go.  All three of them were now unsure of what the future holds for them, especially without having mom and dad there.