The Phenom Page #3

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And you think everybody's nice.

Okay, well, that's not how it works.

Everybody is using everybody

all the time. Period.

- You using me?

- Yes, I'm using you.

Of course, I'm using you.

You're using me. That's how it works.

You are a cute little odd ball

that I pass my time with.

You think because

you can throw a baseball,

that you are special

in some kind of real/non-secular way.

- Non-secular, what do you mean by that?

- Well, it doesn't.

Worshiping these false American idols,

and people just buying into

this Harry Potter Syndrome,

like wanting to have a f***ing

lightning bolt on their forehead,

do you really believe in any of that?

Because nobody is more special

than anybody else.

I mean like, duh and...

You know what? I really wanna go.

How's your arm?

It's fine.

Got some new ink.

Yeah, I was bored.

Must have hurt getting it that dark, huh?

Pain is just weakness...

...leaving the body, yeah, I know.

Have you grown at all?

I don't think you've grown even a little

bit in the year since I've seen you.

Inch and a half.

You haven't grown

an inch and a half. Bullshit.

Look at you. You're thin like a reed.

You don't have any muscle on you at all.

You know the market's got

the undetectable steroids again.

You might wanna check that out.

How's... How's the great Coach Eddie, huh?

He still think he's got all the answers

'cause he had a cup of coffee at the Majors?

Hm? Didn't have what it takes to stick

so he's been sticking it

to everybody else since, right?

He had what it takes.

Batted 307 before he got injured.

Yeah. Running into a wall.

That's a brainy baby for ya.

Now he's got a job working in a school,

getting paid diddly squat.

That's a loser's game.

And he plays it 'cause he likes losing.

Like the...

freaks on the block who get their kicks

while getting banged around.

No, thank you.

You tell him I say hi.

All right, fine.

Well, you got here just in time.

Who's playing?

F*** that. You got here

just in time to get me a beer.

Take the edge off.

Appreciate it.

- Is Mom home?

- Why, you wanna cry to her?

No, just wondering

if she got home from work yet.

- You know.

- Hey, sit down.

No, I got homework.

No! I know you don't have

any homework, little liar face.

Huh, you don't have the

brains for homework.

Get your ass, your scrawny ass

to sit down on the couch.

You don't have any homework, hey.

You actually want to make me stand up

and come over there

and sit your scrawny ass down.

Is that what you want?

I don't think so, Slim.

I can't believe all these scouts are buzzing

around a little toothpick like you.

I mean that is full blown

craziness right there.

I threw 98 miles an hour on Saturday.

- Did you throw 98 miles an hour?

- Ninety-eight miles an hour.

Wow, you must think

you're pretty astonishing.

Huh?

- You can tell me. It's all right.

- No, sir.

- Well, come on, you can tell me.

- No, sir.

It will be our secret.

You think you're pretty astonishing, right?

No, sir.

- You do.

- I don't think I'm astonishing.

- You think you are astonishing.

- No, sir.

Yep, listen.

Everything that you've accomplished,

you owe to me, right. You know that.

Yes, sir.

Don't "yes, sir" me, all right?

That pisses me off.

Don't do that.

I saw you smile at that game on Saturday.

I don't think I was smiling.

Uh, I saw you.

In the photo, in the newspaper.

You are standing on the mound, smiling.

So, what happens when you break a rule?

Hm? What's rule number one?

Never show emotion on the mound.

Hm-mm.

And what do we do

when you break a rule during a game?

What do we do?

What the f***!

Huh? What do we do?

Huh? What do we do?

We run wind sprints.

That's right.

Now get your ass outside, come on.

Please don't make me chase you.

Come on, go!

Go!

Come on, man,

this is a suicide, not a jog.

Don't make me get up and chase you.

Don't make me get up and chase you!

Do not make me get up and chase you!

Go! Go!

Look, man, I'm old

and I'm faster than you, motherf***er!

Come on, now!

That's better.

What are you boys doing out here?

- Oh, nothing.

- What's going on out here?

Get inside, don't disobey me.

It ain't worth it.

Hey, there.

- What's going on out here?

- Nothing.

Where's he going?

He didn't even say hello.

Well, boys got no manners,

what'd you expect?

Shut the f*** up.

What were you doing to him out here?

What were you doing to him out here?

Junior and me have rules.

And I was remembering them to him.

Suicides?

The rules don't concern you, Susan.

It ain't your concern.

Okay.

Don't come back here

trying to make things the way they were.

Me and Hop have a certain way of doing

things now and it doesn't include suicides.

You've to get accustomed to that,

you hear me?

What? Come here.

Come here.

Hey, hey.

You know what?

We're doing dandy without you.

So you can either get with the docket

or you can get out.

Susan, you're starting to sound

a lot like my warden, Hal,

and even a little bit more

like my parole officer, Neal.

He'll be all right. Come here.

You have any love for your Daddy? Any love?

You're gonna have to

earn it this time, Daddy.

All right, Susan.

I'm still your f***ing husband, right?

I have been getting a lot of the bullshit

whiny card, none of the soft stuff.

Whole f***ing world getting Topsy turvy.

Sh*t.

Hm-mm.

Time, the great destroyer.

Hey.

You want to be the best?

Huh?

What time is it?

Do you want to be the best?

- Yeah, sure.

- All right then.

The time is now.

Get up.

Yeah, what time is it, seriously?

It's 3:
30 am, it's time to jog.

- I've school in three hours.

- Wake up, dude.

I'm not gonna ask you again.

Okay? I'm tryin' to teach you

about greatness.

I know you're pissed at me, all right?

But let me tell you something right now.

We are winning.

You hear me?

Only me, you and the ghosts

of the legends up at this hour.

One of these days,

you're going to be rich.

You are going to be in some fancy hotel.

Two Egyptian princesses

are going to be fighting over

which one gets to suck your cock first.

You're gonna lean back, you're gonna

look at the ceiling and think,

"Goddamn, I love my dad."

Huh? You hear me, son?

You're gonna put your head on the pillow,

close your eyes,

your dreams will line up just right.

I sh*t you not, son,

we are winning right now.

All right, that's good. That's good.

Take off your gear

and go catch some grounders.

Something bothering you, Hopper?

Just tired, Coach.

What happened to your head?

Ah, it's nothing, Coach.

So where is Hopper Gibson now?

He is not with the Triple-A Minor League club

as he had been for the most of the season.

He is not on the injured list.

When I asked Atlanta's GM,

David Foreman, where Gibson was,

Foreman would only say that Gibson

was taking care of a personal situation

and would rejoin the club shortly.

Thank you, Rachel.

Who knows what darkness lurks

in the heart of a man? His shadow knows.

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