A Mile in His Shoes Page #5

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what's best for the team. Okay? Just 'cause the governor

is going to be here doesn't mean I start the kid. I love it, Murph,

you're a purist. Maybe that's why I've

kept you around, given you so many chances.

What? The spotlight will be

on the Rats this weekend. Don't blow it. If you'll excuse me, Warren,

I have some managing to do. Mr. Murphy. Come on in, Mick, take a seat. How are you doing? How are things at the house

with the fellas? All good, Mr. Murphy. "All good"? Did Pee Wee tell

you to say that? Yes. [Chuckles] Up high. Down low. Too slow!

Oh! [Laughs] All right, you're learning

a lot of new things. All right. That's great. So the guys are

helping you out, giving you everything you need? Yeah, the guys,

they're real nice. Great. So what do you guys do

in your free time, for fun? We, uh, make dinner, watch TV. Play video games.

Video games? You know, Pee Wee can't hit

in the video games neither. [Laughs] That's great. Look, Mick, how would you like

to start today's game for us? Uh, Lefty still has

pitches left. What do you mean? Lefty threw 76 pitches

last game. Usually throws 130,

sometimes 136. Lefty still has

54 pitches left. Maybe more. Did you count his pitches? I'm good at math. You're great at math, Mick,

you're fantastic at math. How do you feel?

Your arm feeling good? You think you could start

the game for us today? It's a big game. But Lefty's pitches... I tell you what, you could borrow

Lefty's pitches, you could pay him back later. We... We do it

all the time. Okay, yeah, I could do that,

Mr. Murphy. All right, Mick,

then you're our guy. Hey, down low. Oh, too slow. [Both laugh] [Sighs] ANNOUNCER:

Ladies and gentlemen, let's extend a warm

Clayton Field welcome to our special guest

for today's game, Governor Walter Harrigan! [Cheering] GOVERNOR: Go, Rats! WOMAN: Go, Rats! ANNOUNCER: Today's starting

pitcher for your River Rats, Mickey Tussler. [Crowd cheering]

[Organ playing] Come on, now, look alive! WOMAN: Go, Mickey! Mickey! Strike one! [Cheering and applause] [Organ playing] Time! Whoa, whoa, whoa! ANNOUNCER: Time-out has been

called on the field. Let's take a look at that glove. Sherlock Holmes over here says

he wants to look at my glove. Says there's something

wrong with... Gimme that.

What is that, paint? Painting a target

on your glove? That's got to be illegal, ump.

What?! There's nothing in the rule book

says you can't have a little bit of paint

inside a glove! He's just trying to get

into my pitcher's head. A little bit?! Does that

look like a little bit? I don't think so.

That's a little bit of paint and it's not illegal. Murph, I'm sorry,

I'm at a loss here. You might be right.

But be that as it may, I gotta take the glove

out of the game. Wow, unbelievable! Give the guy a break, Murph.

He's just trying to do his job. So, what, I'm just supposed

to let him take my glove?! It's lucky, it's my charm.

I'm not gonna let him take it! All right, fine. We'll use

the extra mitt for now. After the game

we'll clean yours up. Okay? It'll be good as new. This is bush. I don't make the rules.

UMPIRE:
Let's go, let's go. [Organ playing] They're making Boxcar

change his glove. Something about the paint. Will it have an apple? You put it there. Okay?

Use your imagination. [Crowd cheering and shouting] You know, it's... it's so loud. That's because they're

cheering for you, Mick. They're all cheering for you. Just block it all out, okay? Pretend you're back

on the farm with Oscar. With Oscar? Okay. You can do this, Mick. Let's go. MICKEY: Will it have an apple?

MURPH:
You put it there. Okay? MURPH: Use your imagination. CLARENCE: Mickey,

forget about all the people. This is about you. Now let's go win a ribbon, son. Play ball! [Crowd shouting] MURPH: Use your imagination. [Grunting] MURPH: You put it there. [Crowd exclaiming and cheering] You're outta here! [Loud cheering] Wow! [Cheering continues]

MAN:
Way to go, Mickey! It must be a bad bat. Right, Murph? Yeah, or a really hard ball. I... I've never seen heat

like that before. Yeah, but at what price? Lefty, Lefty! Man, it should've been me

out there. I know, it's totally unfair. If they're not going

to let you play, shouldn't we be able to at least

sit together in the dugout? Are you bonkers? Do you have any idea what

I'm talking about right now? No. [Laughs] Is that from some girl? No. Just go home, okay? I'll call you later.

Promise? Yeah. Okay, guys, good win, good win! Way to finish it out today! Well done!

Good job, guys! Hey, Mick, you okay? A little tired,

Mr. Murphy. Well, that's understandable

after a performance like that. It was magnificent.

I've never seen a ball cut through a bat

like that in my life. I'm sorry.

It won't happen again. No. No, no, no,

that's a good thing, Mick. What you did today was great. Really, really good. Thanks, Mr. Murphy. Murph. Just call me Murph. Okay, Mr. Murph. [Laughs] Great job, Mickey. [Organ playing] [Lively chatter] Oh, hey, guys!

Listen up for a sec. Party at Fletcher Field

tonight. You guys are all invited. [Men whoop and cheer] How about you, Sauce?

Wanna come out tonight, hang with the guys?

PEE WEE:
I don't know, Lefty. I don't think Skip

would appreciate me dragging Mick out to a party. So many people and all. Come on, we're all friends,

right? Okay, Lefty. I'll come to your party. All right. See? Yeah, I like this guy. Man, he gives you trouble, you

just leave him at home, all right? See you guys tonight. [Music playing loudly]

[Lively chatter] PEE WEE: All right, Sauce, we're

not going to stay too long. We'll just say "what's up"

to the fellas, then we'll go home, okay? Okay. Hey, guys, what's up?

Thanks for coming. Sauce, you're looking fine. I can see Pee Wee here

is your fashion consultant. Nice bling.

Extremely nice bling. Nice sideburns, man. You're about an inch short

of an Elvis lawsuit. Thank you. What's going on, man? This isn't like you

to throw a party. What do you mean?

I'm throwing a party. Hey, come on, loosen up,

all right? Look, I got some friends

I want you guys to meet. Come on, come here. Ladies, this is Pee Wee

right here. Pee Wee, the ladies. WOMAN: Nice. Uh, Mick, I'll... I'll be back. He'll be back. Hey, Mick, listen,

there's somebody, uh, really special that

I want you to meet, okay? Laney, this is Mickey. Mickey, Laney. I... I know all about you, Mickey.

I'm a big fan. Ahem. Of the...

Of the River Rats. I'm a huge fan

of the River Rats, is what I meant...to say. LEFTY: You guys

have fun, okay? MICKEY: Um... Uh, so, Mickey,

you were amazing out there. What's it like to pitch

for the Rats? Uh, it's pretty good. Well, it must be hard coming up

against all those hitters. I just try to forget about

the noise and all the people. What do you think about? Throwing apples on the farm. My pet pig, Oscar. Uh, I wouldn't have

thought of that. Here, um...

Come and sit by me, Mickey. Uh, anybody ever tell you

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