at bat

Bo Lim stepped up to bat for the Taiwan Tigers. The pitcher stretched back, and threw a perfect curve. Bo swung and missed. Strike one.

The surrounding stadium was filled with cardboard cutout fans. Singles, families, and a pack of flamboyant cutouts even wore bright pink wigs. Out of an abundance of caution, a few cardboard fans wore face masks, just to be safe. 

The pitcher wound up once again, and threw a fastball. Bo swung… and missed. Strike two.

With this being one of the only live sporting events streaming in an otherwise sheltered world, actual fans rallied from afar. Bo, a farmer’s son from rural Taiwan, was now at the center of the world’s empty stage.

Bo refocused his energy, and met the pitcher eye to eye. The pitch was delivered with intended fury. And in a microsecond, Bo felt that satisfying connection between the maple bat and ball.

The ball soared into the distant stands for a home run. And the crowd went wild. At least, that’s what Bo hoped.

-m

May 12, 2020