Getting Over Linda

Wiggins lit a joint and handed it to me. We were walking under a two hundred fifty foot tower on the way to softball practice. Three such towers dominate the jump school grounds at Fort Benning. They are used to simulate jumping out of a plane. On weekdays there are hundreds of trainees running around, getting yelled at, swearing under their breath, learning how to land softly and what to do if their parachute has a total malfunction. Black hats, (Airborne instructors) stride about the A.O. They are slim and mean-looking rednecks for the most part. The black hats yell, occasionally give instruction, make trainees do push - ups, get in line, and do grass drills in a mud pit. You can teach just about anyone how to jump out of an airplane in about three hours. It takes three weeks to learn how to be a paratrooper. “This is good shit,” I said. “Where did you get it?”
"Ready's husband,” Wiggins said.
“I thought he quit dealing.”
“He did, until he realized he was paranoid.”
“Who wouldn’t be around here.”
We finished the joint. Wiggins ate it and we walked up to the backstop. "You’re late,” Norman said.
Norman and I go back a ways. First day in the Company I got assigned to his room. He got Sergeant Rickers to get me re - assigned, (To a room with the biggest Jackass in the unit) because Norman packs parachutes faster than anyone else in the Company. Fair enough, Norman isn’t a bad guy or that bad of a softball coach but he gets on my nerves and I didn’t want to practice.
“Take some swings and replace someone in the field.” Norman said.
Barry hit first. He swung at and missed the first eight pitches. “Come on Barry, swing easy.” Norman yelled.
Wiggins hit the ninth pitch to the pitcher.
"That's more like it" I said.
”Replace Graves in right center.” Norman said.
I grabbed a bat and hit five line drives, three grounders and two fly outs.
“Good job, take left field.” Norman said.
I picked up my glove and walked through our field to the adjacent one where the girls were practicing.
“Turner!” Norman yelled.
Linda was waiting to hit
“What are you doing here?” She asked.
“Same thing you are.”
“Turner!”
“No, you're not." Linda said.
“I have to talk to you.”
"I'm busy. Norman wants you."
"I don't care."
“You don’t care about anything.” Linda said. She replaced Washington in the batter's box.
“How’s it going Washington?” I asked.
“Good, Turner.” Washington said and took third base.
I sat down on a bench and watched Linda hit. When she finished, I asked her, “who’s playing shortstop?”
“Her name is Betty?”
“Is she a rigger?”
“Yes, she has been here for three weeks.”
“How come I haven’t seen her?”
“Because you don’t pay attention.” Linda said, picked up her glove and took first base.
“Linda.”
“What?”
“I have to talk to you.”
“I’m busy.”
Fuck I thought and walked back to my field. There were five balls laying there because I wasn’t. I threw them in. Graves hit a ball I could have caught, but let drop in front of me. “Goddamn Turner!” Norman yelled. I made a nice catch on Graves' next swing. “That’s more like it.” Norman yelled. The next one dropped between Siebert and I. “You should have had that.” Siebert said. I walked back to the other field. Betty was waiting to hit. “How do you like Fort Benning?” I asked.
“It’s O.K.”
“You’re better than our shortstop.”
Betty laughed, “Aren’t you supposed to be in left field?”
She went to hit. Siebert sat down. “Turner, Siebert!” Norman yelled.
“You got any dope?” Siebert asked.
“No but Wiggins does. Ready’s husband is dealing again. Will you give me a ride out there tonight?”
“Yeah,” Siebert said, “I gotta go talk to Wiggins.”
Betty hit eight line drives, popped one up and hit another line drive and took over for the pitcher, Trish.
“Hey Trish.” I said.
Trish smiled. “How are you, Mac?”
“Good, what are you doing tonight?”
“Steve and I are going to a movie.”
I was in love with Trish and that helped screw up my relationship with Linda. If you can call it a relationship. Steve's a good guy. I introduced him to Trish. I went out with Trish a few times. The last time we did I hit a deer on the way home from a bar. I was driving Ackerman's car. Trish told him that I was drunk. I will always kind of pine for her. “Your shortstop is better than ours,” I said.
Trish laughed. “I think Norman wants you,” Trish said and pointed. Norman was walking in our direction.
“I'm supposed to be in left field."
“Why aren’t you?”
“Cause I’d rather sit here and talk to you.”
Trish shrugged. “I have to hit,” she said and smiled.
“Get your ass in left field,” Norman said.
“See that girl pitching?” I said.
“Betty.”
“She’s a better shortstop than Foster.”
“Hi Trish.” Norman said.
Trish waved and walked up to the plate.
“Why is she pitching?”
“Cause Trish is hitting.”
Norman sat down, “Trish is looking good.”
“She always does.”
Norman is in love with her too. “Do you know where Siebert went?”
“Yeah he’s talking to Wiggins.”
“Where’s Wiggins?”
“That I don’t know. Wasn’t he in right center?”
“He was.”
I looked, Graves was in center field, he was the only guy out there. About fifteen balls were scattered in the outfield. Trish hit a hard grounder up the middle, Betty scooped it and threw it to Linda.
“Damn,” Norman said, “that was nice.”
“Look alive out there Graves,” I yelled.
Graves flipped me off.
“Can she hit?”
“Better that Foster.”
“I can’t replace Foster with a girl.”
“Do you have twenty bucks I can barrow?” I asked.
Wiggins and Siebert walked up and sat down.
“Where did you guys go?” Norman asked.
“Nice hitting, Wiggins.” I said.
“Fuck off Mac.” Wiggins said.
Ackerman appeared.
“Why didn’t you come to practice Kevin?” Norman asked.
“I had to take Jackie to the bank,” Ackerman said.
“Jackie’s in center field,” Norman said and pointed.
“Yeah I know, I’m here to pick her up.”
“You have to shorten your swing and choke up,” Siebert said.
“I couldn’t see the ball,” Wiggins said.
Trish finished hitting and practice ended.
“Every girl on this team can hit better than you Wiggins,” I said.
“You should kick Mac off the team Mike,” Linda said to Norman.
“I would if I could,” Norman said.
Linda looked at me and smiled, “Why are you here?”
“I wanted to talk to you.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Walk back to the barracks with me."
Linda laughed, “I have a ride.”
“It wouldn’t kill you to walk with me.”
“Yes it would,” Linda said, turned around, took a few steps and turned around again, “come here.”
I did.
“You’re stoned.” She whispered. “You are going to get caught.”
“What do you care?”
“I don’t,” Linda said, turned around and kept walking this time. I watched her for awhile. I could watch her walk away from me forever, under a pretty sunset on a spring night in Georgia. Well I tried, I thought.
Siebert and I helped Norman pick up the equipment. I got a ride with Siebert to the barracks. We cleaned up and drove to Ready's. I bought a half ounce and we ended up at a party at Fredrick's house. I got pretty fucked up but I was too sad to even notice. I kept wondering where Linda was and then she showed up with Norman and the company clerk. Linda and the clerk held hands, danced and made out on the couch. I drank whiskey and watched. I followed Linda into the bathroom. “Get out of here,” She said.
“I have to talk to you.”
“Not here, right now.”
“Then when? Never?”
“Maybe.”
“Why are you so mad at me?”
“I’m not mad at you. I am disappointed in you.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you don’t know how good you could be. You don’t even try. Now get out.”
I did as I was told, found my bottle of Whiskey and sat down on a couch. A pretty girl sat next to me. I didn’t know her. "What’s wrong?” She asked.
“Nothing.”
“Liar.”
I handed her the bottle. She took a little swig and gave it back.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Amanda.”
“I’m Mac, nice to meet you.”
“What’s wrong, Mac?”
“Nothing.” I handed her the bottle. “Nothing's wrong, Amanda,” I said.