Dear Readers:

This is a little different than my usual post as it has nothing to do with sales, selling or sales management.  A couple of weeks ago, I decided to write a short story and publish it exclusively on Twitter.  There was no particular reason to do this.  I just wanted to see if I could develop characters and a plot using very short entries.  Over the course of four days, I published fifty (50) tweets - labeling each so that readers would know the order of the tweets.

I'm not sure how many people read the whole story as Twitter doesn't really lend itself to feedback.  So, I am re-publishing the story here and asking for your comments.  If you want to tell me what you think of the story itself, that's fine.  I am more interested in knowing if you think that there is a future for story telling on Twitter.  Would you follow a story the way you follow comic strips?

Here is Missed Opportunities and Strikeouts - my Twitter short story.

Chapter One

 

1-1  Bobby knew he was there before he saw him.  As the final out was recorded he glanced to a spot behind the dugout.  There was his Dad.

 

1-2  Standing with legs spread and arms crossed, Bobby's Dad was a general inspecting his troops. Imposing & scary to a twelve-year old boy.

 

1-3  Bobby's anxiety was already high as he was up third this inning. But, with his Dad standing there, Bobby's heart went on high alert.

 

1-4  Jimmy was blowing a Bazooka bubble as Bobby got to the bench. "Did u see your Dad?" "Yeah". Coach Randolph shouted: Michael, Joey, Bobby

 

1-5  The Maroon's pitcher stared at the catcher's signal as Michael arranged the dirt in the batter's box. Infield chatter filled the air.

 

1-6  Michael worked the count & then - crack! The ball bounded past the 2nd baseman to right field. Green had the tying run on 1st base!

 

1-7  Bobby grabbed a bat & moved 2 the on-deck circle. Across the fields, he saw his brother's Red team. The game against Blue had just ended

 

1-8  Crack! Bobby returned to his own game in time to see Joey's sharp grounder to 3rd. The throw to first. One out. Michael advanced to 2nd.

 

1-9  "Let's go, Bobby!" "C'mon, Bobby!" Encouragement rained down as he moved to the plate. "Be a hitter!" Was that his Dad's voice, too?

 

1-10 Bobby took a couple of swings & stepped into the box. With Michael on 2nd a hit to the outfield ties the game. Deep breath in. And out.

 

Chapter Two

 

2-1 Billy could see Bobby's game wasn't over. He grabbed his glove & headed to Field A. He wondered if Mom or Dad was picking them up tonite

 

2-2 Billy didn't wonder long about their ride home. He spotted the General from 500 feet & slowed down. Best 2 limit time alone with Dad.

 

2-3 As he walked Billy recounted his game performance. A walk, safe@ first on an infield grounder & hit by pitch.  "Good enough" he thought.

 

2-4 The evening was turning 2 night as Billy slowly made his way 2 the sidelines. Parents were arriving & a crowd gathered around Field A. 

 

2-5 Red was fielding so Billy knew Bobby’s team was at bat - the last at bats of the game judging by the amount of light left in the sky.

 

2-6 Billy found a spot down the 3rd baseline - away from his Dad. “How’d you play?” It was Johnny’s Dad. “Ok, Mr. Jones. I had a good day."

 

2-7 “Your Dad is over behind the dugout, Billy” said Mr. Jones.  “Ok, thanks.  I’ll catch up with him at the end of the game" Billy replied.

 

2-8 Billy figured it was better to hang out with his teammates – at least until he could get a read on what was going on with Bobby.

 

2-9 The game would be called due to darkness in about 15 minutes.  "Unless it ends first" Billy thought. What's the score and how many outs?

 

2-10 “Where is Bobby?” Billy asked. “He’s at bat,” Johnny offered. “Bobby's team is down by one, there is a man on second with one out."

 

Chapter Three

 

3-1 Bobby had faced this pitcher many times. He threw hard but he was also a little wild.  Bobby choked up on the bat and took his stance.

 

3-2 The bat felt heavy in Bobby’s hands.  He tried to forget about it.  Then he couldn’t.  “Time,” he called and stepped out of the box.

 

3-3 “Strike one.” The ump raised his right arm.  “But, I called time.”  “Son, you can ask for time but I have to grant it.  Strike one.”

 

3-4 Bobby could feel his eyes stinging as he blinked back the tears.  He looked like a fool AND he was behind the count. He stepped back in.

 

3-5 Shadows danced on the field as light leaked from the sky. Picking up the ball as it left the pitcher’s hand was hard. “Ball.” One & one.

 

3-6 Bobby glanced at the third base coach for his signals.  The call was for a bunt to get Michael to third. Bobby squared and crouched low.

 

3-7 The pitch was outside and Bobby let it go.  Ball two.  The third base coach clapped his hands in frustration. Michael retreated to 2^nd.

 

3-8 The next pitch evened the count at 2 & 2.  Now, the coach was calling for a hit and run.  Time was running out.  Green needed to score.

 

3-9 Michael took off on the delivery and Bobby shifted his weight as he prepared to swing. The pitch looked a little low so Bobby let it go.

 

3-10 The catcher moved quickly–grabbing the called 3^rd strike & fired down the line. Michael was out by 5’. A double play to end the game!

 

Chapter Four

 

4-1 Maroon-shirted players whooped and hollered as a frozen Bobby stood in the batter’s box.  The enormity of what happened dawning slowly.

 

4-2 Coach Randolph appeared. “You’ve got to protect the runner, Bobby.  A hit & run means you swing regardless of where the pitch comes in.”

 

4-3 “I’m sorry, Coach.” “I know, Bobby. Baseball’s funny. Next time we’ll be celebrating. Don’t worry about it. We’ll see you on Tuesday.”

 

4-4 In his mind, Bobby’s green shirt bore a scarlet L. As he walked to the car with his Dad & brother he pulled his cap low 2 hide his eyes.

 

4-5 An awful silence filled the station wagon.  Bobby hadn’t been paying attention & Billy jumped into the back seat.  Shotgun by default.

 

4-6 Bobby stared out the window @ the gloaming- fireflies now the main attraction @ Field A.  Finally, Dad turned the key & started the car.

 

4-7 “I’m not mad that you struck out, Bobby,” Dad said through a granite face mask. “But, I am upset.  You know why, don’t you?” “No, sir.”

 

4-8 “You don’t know why I’m upset?” Dad asked rhetorically. “We’ve been over this before. You didn’t try. Lack of effort drives me crazy.”

 

4-9 Bobby turned to face his executioner. “I did try, Dad.  You don’t know. I was trying as hard as I could. I thought the ball was low.”

 

4-10 “You call that ‘trying’. That wasn’t trying. Trying is when u swing the bat.” Dad’s face was a summer sun – hot as hell & just as fiery

 

Chapter Five

 

5-1 Tears leapt from Bobby’s face. “You didn’t see my cool catch in left or my great throw to third. You just see my bad plays. I hate you!”

 

5-2 Silence returned to the car. Broken by Bobby’s sobbing in the front & Billy’s in the back. Dad navigating through the darkness.

 

5-3 Communicating with his sons hadn’t always been this hard. Bobby was so sensitive lately & Billy, well he just didn’t know about Billy.

 

5-4 Billy’s head was down on arms crossed over his knees. Shaken by the argument he had assumed an ‘air-raid’ position in case of more bombs.

 

5-5 Bobby’s head rested against the window. Yelling & crying had exhausted him. “Why can’t Dad be more like Coach Randolph?” he wondered.

 

5-6 He wanted to stop the car & give Bobby a hug.  And Billy, too.  And tell them what he wished for them. Tell them of his dreams for them.

 

5-7 Words of comfort didn’t come easily to him.  Words of direction; yes.  Words of insistence; yes.  Words of praise & love; not so much.

 

5-8 Billy lifted his head. He wanted to say something.  To fix things.  He wished he could make everything okay between Bobby and his Dad.

 

5-9 Bobby just wanted to get home and out of the car. He was humiliated. His Dad’s lecture didn’t help – he already knew he was a loser.

 

5-10 The boys sprung from the parked car. Dad stayed behind pondering missed opportunities on the ball field and strikeouts on the way home.