Charlie at Bat

Charlie played Little League for me
For a season

Just one season
Because, I won't lie to you
He wasn't the best player
And I think he felt kind of embarrassed about it

It was one of those times
Where the father kind of pushes the son into it
When he probably would have been better off
Learning to play the violin or something

He just wasn't a natural athlete

I got him on the field whenever I could
But most of the time
He seemed relieved
When I'd let him sit on the bench
And just watch the game

His father would be in the stands yelling
At me to let his kid play

I only ever saw his mother once or twice

I offered to show up early for practice
To try to get Charlie caught up
To where the other kids where
But after doing that a few times
I could tell the whole thing was pointless

After awhile, I just started hoping
We'd get through the season
Without him having to suffer
Too much humiliation

Then one game, we got bases loaded
A good pitcher on the mound
And I realize Charlie's gotta bat
So I start to panic

My son played on the team back then
And him and Charlie ended up being friends
Until my kid...uh...until he passed away

Anyway, my kid tugged on my sleeve
And said--'Dad, Charlie's gonna hit a homerun'

And I said--'Yeah, let's hope so'

But I was thinking--'No chance'

So Charlie gets up to bat
And here comes the pitch
And he swings, and misses

Strike

The thing is though--it was a good swing

A real good swing

So the pitcher winds up again
Throws--and BAM!

I know in a good story
Charlie would wait until the second strike
To hit the ball
Really keep up the suspense
But this isn't a good story
It's a true story

Charlie hits that ball
And it's outta there

I mean, that mother is goonnnne!

I yelled so loud I thought I was gonna bust a vocal chord

I grabbed my kid
And the two of us
Were jumping up and down
Just screaming
While everybody ran the bases

Charlie hit a homerun

I don't cry
But let me tell you something
If I did
I'd have done it right then

Right in front of everybody
I would have balled my eyes out

Then I look in the stands

...And nobody's there

Nobody for Charlie anyway

I tried not to make a big deal out of that
And I don't even think Charlie cared much
But when his dad came to pick him up
I told him about the homerun and he said--

'Too bad we missed it.  My other son and I went fishing today.  Figures the one time Charlie decides to do something right, and I don't even get to see it.'

I could have punched that guy
Right in his friggin' teeth
But I didn't

I just walked away

You know, when my son died
There weren't a lot of people at the funeral
Because, uh, well he...

When a person takes their own life
People feel awkward

They're not sure what to do
So instead
They just do nothing

They don't show up, you know?

But Charlie showed up

Charlie was there
And he spoke
And he talked about
The day he hit that home run

How right before he went up to bat
My son told him he was gonna do it

He said, 'You're going to hit it out of the park, Charlie.  Don't sweat it.  It's nothing.'

Charlie said hearing that
From a kid like my son
Who was pretty good at sports
Pretty good at a lot of things

He said it made a big difference to him
Not just then, but always

You never know what you're going to say
That'll affect somebody like that
But the point is to say it
To say something

My son did it for Charlie
And Charlie showed up
And did it for my son

Even if he wasn't there to hear it
When it happened

And now I'm here doing it for Charlie

He stood up and spoke for my son
So now I'm here speaking for him

I hope the last thing he thought about
Before he died
Was that home run

I hope the last thing he saw in his mind
Was that ball
Going right out of the park