6.4.19

“What have you been up to?” Maga asked. “How have you been keeping busy?”

“Softball just started yesterday!”

“What’s that? I didn’t catch it.”

“Softball.”

“What?”

“Baseball.”

“Oh.” She absorbed the information. “Well, what position do you play?”

“Pitcher.”

“Really?!? I didn’t know you were that good.”

“It’s slow pitch. It’s not like I’m throwing it very hard.”

“Oh, I know. I understand that.”

Great. Now she understands.

“What’s your favorite sport?” I quickly recovered.

“Tennis.” I grinned at the absolute lack of hesitation and that I knew what her response would be. “Have you seen any family lately?”

This conversation was moving faster than a tennis match!

“I get to see my parents this weekend. It’s Mom’s college reunion!”

“When are they coming up?”

“Thursday.”

“As in two days from now?”

“Yup.”

“How much of the weekend will you spend on campus?”

“Me? None. I wasn’t invited, but Mom and Dad will be there Friday through Sunday.”

“You’re not going to campus for the reunion?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s just a thing for [College] students and spouses. Not kids.”

“You didn’t go to [College]?”

“Nope. Did you go to your 50th at [Same College]?”

“Let’s see. I graduated in ’42, so that would have been 1992. That’s a long time ago! I’m sure I went, but I was living in New Jersey, so it wasn’t that close.”

“I think you were in Colorado then.”

“Oh, yes, well, then that’s an even farther trip. But I’m sure I went. It’s good to see your old friends. I wonder how many of my classmates are still living?”

“Now that is an excellent question.”

“No, I’d really like to know. Perhaps I’ll write to [College].”

“You know, I bet they’d love to hear from you!”

“When will you visit me? I’d love to see you.” (And this tennis match of a conversation continued apace…)

“In the middle of July.”

“Really?”

“Yup.”

“Will you be solo or coming here with anyone?”

“My parents and Sister E and Brother G plus his family.”

“We’ll have a good old reunion ourselves!”

And just like that, Maga handed me the perfect ending to the blog post phone call.