It’s Wednesday, so that means kickball. Kyra goes early to squat on the fields. Kate, who originally had to stick around because of a conference call, but now the call’s been cancelled, leaves a little later. They get to the fields sometime after four. Early games start at 6:15 p.m. Our game’s at 7:00.

I mean to go home to change into sports clothing, but I get wrapped up in work at the office until after six. But I’ve got jeans on today, in case of just such an emergency, so I just change into my sneakers and I’m ready. I get to the fields about ten of seven.

Kate’s there reffing the early game, between the grey t-shirts and the yellow t-shirts. I think the yellow are Balls to the Wall. Kate’s already on beer three, of the Natural Light or whatever rank brew that Ben has brought. She’s a little loopy and has to pee.

We find nearby some sort of construction area surrounded by privacy fence. She’s able to just squeeze under a gate as I lift it up manfully. And I’ve got a pack of Kleenex, so no need to drip dry, as she puts it. She comes back under the gate and we shake hands at our mission accomplished.

Our game turns out to be a very close one, with the Parc Vista Ballers scoring one run, after which we settle in for a defensive battle. Only in the bottom of the last inning do we get a break. Ryan boots one up the third base line past both infielders and outfielders, allowing Kyra and Virginia to score before he’s tagged out at third. But we’ve won anyway.

I actually feel a little guilty at our win, snatching it away from them at the last minute. I poll the rest of our team and nobody feels even remotely bad about it like I do.