pages/essays/dents-in-the-bat.md
... ...
@@ -14,17 +14,17 @@ some good,<br />
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some rough,<br />
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and one labeled “1988”<br />
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—which, respectfully,<br />
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-we do not speak of.<br />
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+we do not speak of.
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And in every scene,<br />
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God was right there beside me,<br />
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carrying this<br />
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dented aluminum baseball bat<br />
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-with my name scratched into it like a prison shiv.<br />
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+with my name scratched into it like a prison shiv.
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Finally I asked,<br />
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"Okay… seriously.<br />
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-What’s with the bat?"<br />
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+What’s with the bat?"
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God gave me *that* look.<br />
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You know the one.<br />
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@@ -32,89 +32,89 @@ The<br />
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"I love you,<br />
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but come on,
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you already know this"<br />
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-look.<br />
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+look.
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-And He said:<br />
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+And He said:
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“Listen.<br />
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My child.<br />
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-My beloved.<br />
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+My beloved.
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You do **not**<br />
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respond<br />
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-to gentle suggestion.<br />
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+to gentle suggestion.
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You do not ‘pick up on hints.’<br />
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You do not learn from<br />
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‘quiet internal nudges.’<br />
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-No, no.<br />
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+No, no.
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-**You** —<br />
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+**You** --<br />
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require percussion.”
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-I stared at the bat.
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-I stared at the dents.
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+I stared at the bat.<br />
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+I stared at the dents.<br />
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I considered my entire track record of decision-making.
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“...Okay, valid,” I said.
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-I pointed at the biggest dent.
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+I pointed at the biggest dent.<br />
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“That one… that’s when I—”
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-“Yes,” He said.
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-Immediately.
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-No hesitation.
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+“Yes,” He said.<br />
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+Immediately.<br />
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+No hesitation.<br />
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We do not need to rehash that one.
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-I pointed at another.
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+I pointed at another.<br />
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“And that one was—”
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-“Yes,” He said again,
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+“Yes,” He said again,<br />
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even faster.
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-I pointed at one that looked like
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+I pointed at one that looked like<br />
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He took a full Major League swing.
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-He didn’t even wait.
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-He just nodded,
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-slow,
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-meaningful,
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+He didn’t even wait.<br />
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+He just nodded,<br />
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+slow,<br />
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+meaningful,<br />
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like a man who has seen some things.
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-And I said,
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-“Alright, but—
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-Are these dents all the times
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+And I said,<br />
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+“Alright, but—<br />
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+Are these dents all the times<br />
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You smacked me in the head?”
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-And God laughed.
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-Not a soft laugh.
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-A **Hah ... HAH!**
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-The laugh of someone who knows exactly
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+And God laughed.<br />
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+Not a soft laugh.<br />
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+A **Hah ... HAH!**<br />
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+The laugh of someone who knows exactly<br />
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who He is dealing with.
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-“No, child,” He said.
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-Very gently.
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+“No, child,” He said.<br />
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+Very gently.<br />
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Very simply.
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-“The dents are all the times
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+“The dents are all the times<br />
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**you survived it.**”
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-And I felt it.
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-Right there.
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-Not in the head.
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+And I felt it.<br />
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+Right there.<br />
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+Not in the head.<br />
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In the ribs.
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-Because yeah.
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+Because yeah.<br />
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We’ve been doing this a long time.
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-I sighed.
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-Looked at the bat.
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+I sighed.<br />
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+Looked at the bat.<br />
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Looked at Him.
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“So ... did we have to use a bat?”
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-God just shrugged,
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+God just shrugged,<br />
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like He’s been waiting **years** to say this line:
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-“You chose the bat.
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+“You chose the bat.<br />
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I just agreed to swing it.”