Softball Accident

It has been almost a year now. The image of that incident is still vividly flashing in front of my eyes.

It was a heated battle between the CTV Live Hits and my company softball team, Pacific Blue Sox. CTV Live Hits is amidst the middle ranking in Division B, we were the 2nd place of the weaker Division C.

The ball was popped up in the air. Jamie C. tracked it and backed up about 10 steps. She yelled, "I got it!" I ran towards her position from center field. She had her feet set and glove up. The runner on the first base had wanted to advance to 2nd, but seeing the pop-up, she slowly jogged back back to 1st. Jamie C. turned her head suddenly and blurted, "SHIT!" The ball dropped 5 steps behind her. The 1st base runner seeing the ball drop, started to run towards 2nd to avoid the force out.

I was position, bare-handed I grabbed the ball and whipped it full strength to our 2nd baseman. It was dead on. It looked like I could have gotten her out at 2nd base. The 2nd baseman reached up her glove for the ball and she missed.

*Crack*

We all heard it. It was the sound of the ball cracking her skull.

The runner, Laurie was already down on the ground, rolling side to side and letting out a moan. I ran towards her, her teammate signaled me to give her some room. After a while, with the help of her teammate, she got up and sat on the side. There was nothing I could do, I took off my cap and pressed it against my chest and murmuring my apologies incoherently.

The next week when I visited her in Laurie in Surrey with a gift basket, aside from the tender spot on her skull, she had swelling inside her eye and her vision was a bit off. Fortunately she told me that although there was a concussion, the doctor expected a full recovery.

It's been almost a year since the incident. I wrote to her again. Much to my relief, she did reach a full recovery and she was able to enjoy winter sports as well as softball this year. Although she won't be playing in the Vancouver Advertising Slo-pitch league anymore, she will continue to play the sports she love, and from now on, she'll be wearing a helmet.

I've finally found my closure.