(no subject)
I was thinking the other day about what it used to be like in Montreal. I mean, I'm close to a lot of the guys here, don't get me wrong, and I figure the fighting is about equal between the two teams, same dumb topics, too. But I guess the difference is here... I have Kerry and Mark. Pitchers. And there I had Brian, who was pretty fucking amazing if I think about it.
I mean, what kind of guy does it take to help a friend learn a new position, his position, knowing that it'll cost him the starting spot? Sure, I was drafted first. But Bri was the catcher, damn. So I guess it's no big leap for me to go from respecting him to appreciating him. And they made it clear that we didn't have enough depth, and they shuttled me around, more or less, but. Here I am, ten years later, with Chicago and he's with Washington. And we're still mostly friends.
I'm not sure why. I wouldn't tolerate the way I act with him. And I know, he's mimicked me and it drives me fucking insane, some kind of real eye opener. Not like I'll change. Just... makes me like appreciate him more. Oh, and the fact that he forced me to meet Stephanie introduced me to my girlfriend just. I don't know.
Keeps telling me he wants me to be happy.
So, when we were kids. Got close pretty fast, no clue why because he never shuts up and I figured, back then, that anyone who talked that much had something to hide. Didn't much appreciate it, this being before I had the burning desire to know everything about everyone. I mean, if you had your secrets, you could damn well keep them a couple of feet away from me. It was never about feet with Brian, I was lucky if he gave me an inch of breathing room after he latched onto me.
Weird, how he did it. Just, "Hi, I'm Schneider. You're Barrett, from Georgia. Want to buy me a drink?" Think he picked up Jor in the same way, if I try really hard to remember the event. Must be effective. Worth noting, although I don't suppose the situation'll arise where I need to pick up much of anyone these days.
And then after that, yeah, we used to live out of the same hotel. Pretty cool, we had those adjoining rooms and the only time the door got shut was if one of us had a girl. I mean, we both had girlfriends for the first bit. And then, after that, people appreciate athletes. Even the Expos. Even the Expo rookies, and even if he was just as funny looking then as he is now. But still. Door open most of the time.
I was good at sleeping then, still am when I put my mind to it. He used to wake me up at, I don't know, two in the morning. If I was lucky enough to get that much rest. Down to the bar, or out into a back alley to play catch. Guess we were fortunate not to get mugged. He had this thing about watching the sun come up for a while. Like, I don't know, he was testing all these romantic girlfriend methods on me because I was so in touch with my feminine side. Or I'd always tell him when he was being a shithead. Both work. We used to watch the sun come up sometimes, if we could find a field or some place close to water. And when there wasn't a hotel, there was the bus, and that's really how I learned to play pretty much every card game under the sun. Also the first time I learned to lose gracefully.
I'm just as bad at card games as golf, if anyone needs a comparison. Not that I don't have a poker face, I'm just not big on the luck. Luck shouldn't be wasted on cards, I guess. I'd take an RBI over a good hand any day.
Anyhow. That's pretty much all done, just... What the fuck are these journals for, if I can't say things once every so often, right? Talked to him last night and all, after I finished up my beer. Brian Schneider is worse than sex, always good enough to bring you back for seconds, but with all those little things you don't want to think about attached. Like love. S'bullshit, really.
Might be getting m'girlfriend to move in a kid a dog in the off-season. It'll be cool. And now, after recording my brilliant, deep thoughts once again, I will take a nap.
I mean, what kind of guy does it take to help a friend learn a new position, his position, knowing that it'll cost him the starting spot? Sure, I was drafted first. But Bri was the catcher, damn. So I guess it's no big leap for me to go from respecting him to appreciating him. And they made it clear that we didn't have enough depth, and they shuttled me around, more or less, but. Here I am, ten years later, with Chicago and he's with Washington. And we're still mostly friends.
I'm not sure why. I wouldn't tolerate the way I act with him. And I know, he's mimicked me and it drives me fucking insane, some kind of real eye opener. Not like I'll change. Just... makes me like appreciate him more. Oh, and the fact that he forced me to meet Stephanie introduced me to my girlfriend just. I don't know.
Keeps telling me he wants me to be happy.
So, when we were kids. Got close pretty fast, no clue why because he never shuts up and I figured, back then, that anyone who talked that much had something to hide. Didn't much appreciate it, this being before I had the burning desire to know everything about everyone. I mean, if you had your secrets, you could damn well keep them a couple of feet away from me. It was never about feet with Brian, I was lucky if he gave me an inch of breathing room after he latched onto me.
Weird, how he did it. Just, "Hi, I'm Schneider. You're Barrett, from Georgia. Want to buy me a drink?" Think he picked up Jor in the same way, if I try really hard to remember the event. Must be effective. Worth noting, although I don't suppose the situation'll arise where I need to pick up much of anyone these days.
And then after that, yeah, we used to live out of the same hotel. Pretty cool, we had those adjoining rooms and the only time the door got shut was if one of us had a girl. I mean, we both had girlfriends for the first bit. And then, after that, people appreciate athletes. Even the Expos. Even the Expo rookies, and even if he was just as funny looking then as he is now. But still. Door open most of the time.
I was good at sleeping then, still am when I put my mind to it. He used to wake me up at, I don't know, two in the morning. If I was lucky enough to get that much rest. Down to the bar, or out into a back alley to play catch. Guess we were fortunate not to get mugged. He had this thing about watching the sun come up for a while. Like, I don't know, he was testing all these romantic girlfriend methods on me because I was so in touch with my feminine side. Or I'd always tell him when he was being a shithead. Both work. We used to watch the sun come up sometimes, if we could find a field or some place close to water. And when there wasn't a hotel, there was the bus, and that's really how I learned to play pretty much every card game under the sun. Also the first time I learned to lose gracefully.
I'm just as bad at card games as golf, if anyone needs a comparison. Not that I don't have a poker face, I'm just not big on the luck. Luck shouldn't be wasted on cards, I guess. I'd take an RBI over a good hand any day.
Anyhow. That's pretty much all done, just... What the fuck are these journals for, if I can't say things once every so often, right? Talked to him last night and all, after I finished up my beer. Brian Schneider is worse than sex, always good enough to bring you back for seconds, but with all those little things you don't want to think about attached. Like love. S'bullshit, really.
Might be getting m'girlfriend to move in a kid a dog in the off-season. It'll be cool. And now, after recording my brilliant, deep thoughts once again, I will take a nap.