Beanbag Baseball

elderly people some with walkers or canes, teams opposite each other, smiling nervously on one side all blue shirts (mostly all) on the other green shirts much chatter and laughter it’s the beanbag baseball championship Maple Ridge at Savannah Pines chairs line both sides of the hall, game space in between can Maple Ridge keep the trophy coin toss Savannah wins a tall, thin green-shirted woman approaches the red line opposite a slanted wooden board with holes labeled home run single double triple out she bites her lip concentrates first fat red beanbag slides off the board shouts of “You can do it!” second bag lands on the board but whoa! third bag goes into the hole two bases both sides cheer give high fives. excited babble a miss a home run a single double an out! nine innings walking the “bases” chairs labelled first second third home plate everyone cheers for everyone seventeen to twelve yaay! Maple Ridge keeps the cup all get a ribbon and a box of Crackerjack. date set for another match dinner with new friends hugs all around Maple Ridge residents climb into the bus already anticipating the next “championship” at Maple Ridge