I used to visit Castle Batting Cages with my son Jett back in the early aughts. I could tag the 40 mph fastball but only if I tried to pull it to the left, like I was trying to hit the left-field bleachers but in foul territory. But if I tried to hit it straight-on I’d always whiff. Jett could hit a few but not I. And I totally failed when I upped the fastball speed to 50 or 60 mph. Pitch after pitch after pitch…embarassing. I would try to force myself to swing early and just meet it…nope.

Some of us have a certain athletic aptitude and others just don’t. I could never dribble a basketball the way serious players do. I used to be able to play softball pretty well. I could field pretty well. I used to swim freestyle and butterfly in swim-club meets. I used to be able to throw a football pretty well but it’s been eons. You know what I really used to do well? When I was young, I mean? Drive my car fast around hairpin turns at 1 or 2 am when I was half-bombed.