A Nest Divided: A Sam the Eagle Story

[charlietheowl]

Thank you! The next chapter will be posted by next Sunday, June 2. I know it's been awhile, but it's coming.

 

[mostlikemokey]

Thank you! The next chapter will be posted by next Sunday, June 2. I know it's been awhile, but it's coming.

Yay!

 

[charlietheowl]

Here it is! This chapter prominently features a game of baseball, but you don't have to be a fan of the sport to understand what is going on.

Also, my apologies to the sports teams, athletes, and historical figures mentioned in this chapter.

Chapter Seventeen​

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"I don't believe this."​

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"I'm speechless."​

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"When he told me he was doing this, I thought he was joking, but no. He was serious."​

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"Look at him out there. Did Jarrett tape something to his back?"​

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"Yes. I think it says 'I date penguins call me for a good time baby'."​

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"Yikes. I better go talk to Jarrett."​

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And so Rowlf headed off to the other side of the classroom to give Jarrett a stern lecture, while Hillary still watched her father, Sam, attempt to tutor the very same children she had been working with everyday since September. He had approached her recently saying he wanted to see what she did for a living since leaving the grocery store. It was not his element; children in his world were better seen and not heard, and you could not only see and hear the children at their school, but smell a lot of them as well. But Sam was insistent, and Hillary talked to Rowlf about it, who talked to the school's principal, and paperwork was signed and filed, and Sam was able to come in and tutor for an afternoon.​

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"Jarrett, how many times have I told you only to put signs on people's back with their consent," said Rowlf as he yanked the crudely written sign off of Sam's feathered back.​

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"Thank you, Rowlf, but unfortunately that appears to be the only act of discipline I've seen all day here. I've seen people run tighter ships in carnivals than here!"​

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"They have floating carnivals now? Why would there be a boat in a carnival?"​

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"It's not meant to be a literal metaphor!"​

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Rowlf smiled and winked. "Now let me steer this conversation in a different direction. Jarrett, Mrs. Timmons told me today that you are two worksheets behind in American History. Have you done any of those yet today?"​

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"Sort of."​

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"Looks like you just wrote your name on them."​

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"It's a start."​

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"No, wait, you answered Question Three. Let's check that answer. The War of 1812 was fought between whom?"​

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"The winner and the loser. Boom!"​

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"I don't think that answer is as detailed as Mrs. Timmons would like."​

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"You can't tell me it's wrong though!"​

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Rowlf shook his head as Sam jumped back into the conversation.​

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"Look here, the War of 1812 affirmed that this country was able to stand on its own two legs and defend itself against the looming international threats of the world. No longer was America the new kid on the block! It was a country to be feared, to be revered. Have you heard of the Battle of New Orleans?"​

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"Yeah, that was when the Saints played the Vikings on Thursday Night Football, right? Drew Brees did it to them! Cut up that Vikings defense. Helped me win my fantasy league that week."​

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"No! We are not talking about football! The Battle of New Orleans was the decisive battle of the war. The United States were led by Andrew Jackson. Do you know who he is?"​

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"If I can have your wallet I can point him out to you." Jarrett then slapped hands with his friends around him, obviously proud of his own joke.​

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Sam's sigh was interrupted by the yell of his daughter.​

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"All right, start cleaning up now! Put your things in your pack and line up at the door for recess."​

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The classroom soon boiled over into a pot of noise and laughter, though productive noise. After a minute, everyone's belongings were packed up and Rowlf, Hillary and Sam led everyone outside.​

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A few students chose to sit and talk in the bleachers nearby a baseball field, but most students chose to organize teams for an impromptu game of baseball.​

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"We'll take Sam!" yelled a lanky anteater who seemed to be captain of one of the teams.​

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"Go ahead and take him," yelled Jarrett from the other side of the field.​

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"Looks like you've got yourself a spot on Miguel's team," said Hillary.​

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"I haven't played baseball in years! Don't you need an umpire?"​

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"That would be me!" Rowlf materialized from inside a nearby shed with a chest protector and face mask on. "Haven't got a call wrong yet."​

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"Is all that really necessary," Sam said while burying his face in his wings.​

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"I'd feel naked without it."​

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"Says the man who wears only a tie to work!"​

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"Let's get going. We're wasting time here," yelled Miguel from behind everyone.​

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"Fine, I'll play, but I am quite rusty. What about you, Hillary?"​

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"I'm on Jarrett's team." She ran out to the field and took a position at second base.​

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"Miguel's team will bat first. Let the game begin," Rowlf yelled as he triumphantly took his position behind home plate.​

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The top half of the inning moved briskly. Miguel and his team scored two quick runs early, and had players on first and second with two outs when no one came to the plate. Jarrett stood on the mound confused until Rowlf realized whose turn it was.​

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"Sam! You're up."​

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"Oh! Me? Well, okay." He picked up the bat from the ground and strolled up to the plate, where Jarrett stared him down, despite Sam being far off the plate. The first pitch sailed by Sam right into the catcher's mitt without even a blink from Sam.​

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"Strike one," called Rowlf. "You might want to step in a little closer."​

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"I think I'm fine here."​

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Jarrett reared back and fired again, same pitch, same location, same result.​

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"Strike two. You know you only get three strikes right?"​

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"Yes. I just am waiting for my pitch, that's all."​

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Miguel walked up towards home plate with a fierce look on his face. "You better swing at this next pitch! I can't have someone on my team take a called third strike! Now you move inside and move the bat!"​

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Sam reluctantly moved towards the middle of the batter's box.​

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Rowlf noticed Sam's reluctance. "Why don't you want to stand inside?"​

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"I don't want to risk getting hit by the ball. You know these kids, they don't have any control."​

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"Those last two pitches looked pretty straight to me!" Jarrett chimed in from the mound. "You scared?"​

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"Quiet him down!"​

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"Jarrett, save the trash talk for another time. And Sam, you're not going to get hit by a pitch. Just take a swing. See what happens."​

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Sam stood in at the plate, bracing himself for his upcoming swing. Meanwhile, Jarrett took offense to Sam crowding the plate.​

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"Stand inside against me?! I'll show you what happens to batters who don't respect my inside heat."​

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Jarrett reared back and let go of the pitch. Sam swallowed, and moved his bat off his shoulders and lurched into a swing. As the bat came forward, the ball moved towards the plate, and CRACK- ball met Sam's elbow. He let go of the bat in shock.​

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"Ouch! Have you no respect for your elders? Rowlf, eject him now!"​

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Rowlf took off his mask. "Jarrett, throw inside again and you're out of the game. Sam, I guess I was wrong. You did get hit by a pitch. But, you do get to take first base."​

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"But I didn't hit the ball."​

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"When the ball hits you, you get to go on base too."​

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"Oh." Sam walked down to first base, where he was met by Andrea, a polite and smart squirrel who seemed to be hatching an idea as she saw Sam take his spot on the base.​

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"Jarrett! I got the third out. Just check the runner."​

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Jarrett turned to Andrea confusedly. "Okay?"​

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Andrea winked at Jarrett and signaled for him to throw the ball to the plate before he threw to first. As he wound up and threw the pitch to home, Andrea chatted with Sam.​

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"Excuse me, Sam. You've stepped on my shoelace. Can you step off the bag for a couple seconds so I can fix it?"​

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"Sure." Sam moved two steps off of the bag, Andrea tied her shoe, and Jarrett got the ball back from the catcher.​

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"Now!" Andrea yelled to Jarrett, and before Sam could even respond, the ball went flying out of Jarrett's hand into the air.​

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Miguel's eyes went wide from the sidelines. "Run, Sam, run! They're going to tag you out! You fell for the step off the base trick! Go!"​

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Sam, normally someone who did not rely on fast reflexes in their life, stumbled over himself trying to make it towards second. Andrea then tossed the ball to Hillary at second base, who ran down towards Sam and tapped him with the ball.​

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"OUT!" Rowlf screamed from the first baseline, having run down to the play as he saw it break.​

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"Sorry, Dad," said Hillary with a shrug and a smile as the teams switched sides.​

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"Well! Well! I had no idea there was room for such treachery on the baseball field! And I thought this was AMERICA'S NATIONAL PASTIME. Perhaps the two of you better teach your children a game where there's no room for cheating. Like golf! There's a clean, all-American sport." Sam walked away in a huff, as Rowlf made his way over.​

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"You want me to tell him golf's not an American sport?"​

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Hillary laughed. "Let's give him this one. It's been a rough afternoon."​

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**********​

Coming up in Chapter 18: Sam tries to see what exactly Andrew does in the Muppet Theater, while the latest guest star gets issued a challenge from Gonzo.​

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[The Count]

Rather enjoyed that last chapter, meeting some of the other kids in Hillary and Rowlf's class. But, er... If Sam didn't move the bat at all during those first two pitches, shouldn't they have been called as "Ball 1" and "2" respectively? It's only a strike if you swing the bat and miss making contact with the ball. Or if you hit the ball and it falls past the foul line marker for the first two strikes. If you already have two strikes against you and you hit the ball past the foul line, it gets waved off and you get another pitch.

I love baseball!

 

[theSHE124]

The winner and the loser...That's hilarious! Yeah, I had a feeling this kid Jarrett isn't a real genius! Say, why is baseball considered to be America's National Pastime if football is more popular these days? That's always been a mystery to me...

 

[The Count]

Cause baseball's older by about half a century, started in or around the 1880's.

 

[charlietheowl]

Rather enjoyed that last chapter, meeting some of the other kids in Hillary and Rowlf's class. But, er... If Sam didn't move the bat at all during those first two pitches, shouldn't they have been called as "Ball 1" and "2" respectively? It's only a strike if you swing the bat and miss making contact with the ball. Or if you hit the ball and it falls past the foul line marker for the first two strikes. If you already have two strikes against you and you hit the ball past the foul line, it gets waved off and you get another pitch.

I love baseball!

I've always thought that you can take a called strike if the pitch is right down the middle and don't swing. The most famous example I can think of off the top of my head is Carlos Beltran in the final at bat of the 2006 NLCS against the Cardinals and Adam Wainwright. There's less of a margin for a called strike of course.

Thank you for reading and commenting!

 

[The Count]

Hmm, maybe, I'm ot that familiar with the "called strike". So let's just enjoy the chapter for what it was, kids playing their games. And let's get another chapter posted, please?
*Leaves cookies.

 

[mostlikemokey]

This was so cute.

 

[Slackbot]

Hah, that was fun to read. Poor Sam, he's trying, but he is on such a different wavelength from everyone else. Good work.

Side note: in an elementary school game I was on first base, and the first baseman told me that because I was the second runner I should go straight to third without going to second. I know next to nothing about baseball, but even I didn't fall for that. So, yeah, kids will try to trick you during ball games.