Daily Prompt – Hike

I sat in the bleachers, laptop perched on my knees, finalizing some paperwork for my client. As a sports agent, and the child of a major league baseball player, I was a natural for the job. The only problem – I was a female in a male dominated world so I had trouble being taken seriously. I looked up at my pitcher on the mound. He was giving a final pre-draft workout. “Great job Ryan!” I clapped my hands in support as he tipped his ball cap at me.

I had focused back on my laptop when I heard a commotion on the field. Ryan was arguing with the coaches at home plate as the catcher walked to the dugout. I quickly made my way down to the field.

“What seems to be the problem gentlemen?” I looked at the men around me, their eyes boring down on me, scowls on their faces intended to intimidate me. “Our catcher’s got a cramp. Can’t get down in a squat. Sorry, Jessie, we’ll have to cut the tryout short. I’m sure everyone got a good enough look at your guy.” Like hell. He had only been on the mound for fifteen minutes. This had nothing to do with my client and everything to do with his female agent.

I stood firm and crossed my hands in front of my chest. “Then get another catcher. You’re a baseball club, I know you have more than one catcher.” I could see by the looks on their faces they were formulating the next lie to stall me and prevent Ryan from throwing anymore today. I wasn’t going to let that happen. “Never mind.” I said, grabbing a catcher’s mitt and pulling on a chest protector. “You can’t do that Jessie.” I turned to them with a determined look on my face. “Watch me.”  I strode to home plate, kicked off my heels, hiked up my skirt and squatted behind the plate. “Okay Ryan, lemme see the curve.”