Karen knows Ryan needs her support, so she tries to listen. "Uh huh," she says.
"I mean, really," he says.
"I believe you. Been there," she says.
Ryan talks for a long time, explaining that Becky went back to Jack, her former boyfriend. "He's a jerk, Karen, I don't understand. Can you believe it? She went back to her old boyfriend. Jackie Baby."
"How old?" Karen asks.
"Please, Karen, this is no time for jokes. I need you to help me. Tell me what to do." He tells Karen she's his best friend, including his men friends. "You're my best girl friend," he repeats. "I mean friend who's a girl. I love you. I mean, you know what I mean. Not that way, but I love you."
Karen has known Ryan six years and considers him a close friend, but he's never actually told her that before. She feels both flattered and oddly uncomfortable. She doesn't know what to say.
"Thanks," she finally says, "ditto."
Retouch and Advance
Ryan tells Karen he's sincere. "It's true," he says. He reminds her that when he met Becky she was going out with Jack. "But she left him for me. I'm confused. Everything's going in circles." He says Jack doesn't know about him, and it seems a little unfair that he knows about Jack. He starts rambling, asking Karen to help him get Becky. "It seems like Jack has the unfair advantage, but I feel like I'm the one getting treated unfairly. Isn't that weird?"
"Are you drunk?" Karen asks.
(The ball is alive and runners may advance at their own risk, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, as with any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated as such.)
"Of course not," he answers. "But Becky acts like she might still see me. We still talk on the phone a lot, and she's even spent the night over here a couple of times since she took Jack back. Doesn't make sense. But I get this strange feeling I'm being watched. Like Jack is suspicious. Like he might pop out of nowhere and see me with Becky."
"Like Jack-in-the-box."
Ryan laughs. "Seriously, Karen, really, I feel like I'm hiding something. Weird. Jack's her first choice. I'm just a person in the closet."
(For purposes of Infield Fly, the pitcher, catcher and any outfielder positioned infield during the play are considered infielders.)
Karen empathizes with Ryan's desperation. She tells him to calm down, convinces him Becky still loves him. "You know, people don't fall out of love overnight," she says, hoping he won't interpret that insight to mean Becky still loves Jack. "The way I see it, you've got two ways to go. Two basic strategies. Either quit calling her, completely ignore her. Hard to do, trust me. Or, you can go all out, refuse to stay in the closet. Flood her with flowers, send her love letters, leave messages on her answering machine. You have to decide which way to go."
"I think I'll just step out of the picture. I'm not a fighter, you know. I've never fought for a girl. You know that. I'll just wait. That's what I'll do. Jack won't make her happy for long. I can outlast him. Don't you think?
"Why did she go back to Jack?"
Make the Catch
(When an Infield Fly is not caught, the scorer credits the out to the player he judges could make the catch.)
Ryan pauses, as if he contemplates why Becky went back to Jack. "I guess because he begged her back. Kept showing up at work, on her doorstep, you know the routine. She says she cares deeply for me but she can't tell Jack no. After she broke up with him, he finally told her what she waited a year for him to say. He finally told her he loved her, couldn't live without her. Becky says she can't stand to hurt him after he finally opened up to her."
"She should've just told him to hit the road." Karen sings, "Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more, no more."
"Karen, come on."
"So, did you ask her where you stand?"
Falls Untouched
(If a declared Infield Fly falls untouched to the ground but bounces foul before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball.)
Karen knows Ryan well enough to know he probably didn't pose such a question to Becky. She knows he fears rejection.
"No," Ryan answers.
"Why not?"
"I don't know. I don't know, Karen. Maybe I'm afraid she'll tell me. Tell me what I'm scared to hear."
"Well, Jack didn't back off when she broke up with him. He fought for her. Wouldn't you rather at least try? Then you wouldn't be upset with yourself if you don't get her. You'd know you at least tried."
"I don't know. I might feel worse. I might feel like I lost even when I tried. If I don't try to get her, I'll never know if I could've had her. See what I'm saying? There'd still be the possibility I could've had her. That might make me feel better."
"Really? It would make me feel worse," Karen says.
"I'm used to losing. Oh, God, I guess I'll just sit back and hope she gets tired of Jack. Maybe she'll miss me. Should I tell her I can't see her anymore? Tell her it's too painful to listen to her little stories about Jack?"
"Jack and the Beanstalk," Karen says. "Sorry, Ryan. Okay, yeah, that's a good plan. Cut all communication. That's one strategy. It might work. But it's hard to do. Are you sure you wouldn't want to go to the other extreme?"
"It's a tough decision, but I know I'm not very aggressive."
"You could get aggressive."
(If a declared Infield Fly falls untouched outside the baseline but bounces fair before passing first or third base, it is an Infield Fly.)
The next night, Ryan calls Karen and tells him Becky called but he didn't have the nerve to tell her he couldn't see her anymore. "I guess I'll go with plan B."
"Smother her with love? Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm going to put little sticky notes all over her car windshield. I'll call her every morning, become her alarm clock. Tomorrow, I'm taking her homemade chocolate chip cookies. And roses."
Declare Immediately
Karen feels angry with Becky, but she's also confused. She doesn't know if she's angry because Becky's hurting Jack, or if she's a little jealous. Does she want Ryan? Want him in that way? Why is she trying to help him get Becky? Is she really helping him? She would never intentionally betray him, pretend she's helping him when she's not. For Christ's sake, they're best of best friends. She feels all sorts of intense emotions. Does she love Ryan? That way? Like romance? If so, she'd tell him, wouldn't she? Yes. Maybe she feels some other emotion. A strong friendship love. Very strong. She finally decides she's confused, thinking too much. She only knows for sure she wants Ryan to be happy.
(When deemed a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the umpire shall declare immediately "Infield Fly" for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the base line, the umpire shall declare immediately "Infield Fly if fair.")
Ryan says he feels unsure about his decision to shower Becky with attention. "Do you think this will work better? I don't know what to do. I couldn't tell her not to call. It wouldn't work. I'm weak. But maybe I'm strong. Maybe it's a strength to go after someone you love."
"Either way, I think. Either ignore her or go for her. So, yes, if you go all the way, it'll work. She'll see you have more to offer than Jack-in-the box."
"You think so?"
"Yes. What do you think, Ryan? Besides not having the willpower to ignore her, do you really think the best way to get her back, really win her over, is to show her how much you still love her? Go all out?"
"Yes, Karen, I do think it's best. Saturday morning, I'm going over to her house early, taking her out of town for the weekend. I'll beg her to go. Whatever it takes. That's what Jack did, and it worked. She's with him tonight. I don't know where, but it kills me."
On Base When Touched
(If a runner is not on base when touched by an Infield Fly, both runner and batter are out. If a runner is on base when touched by an Infield Fly, the batter but not the runner is out.)
Karen decides she can help Ryan. She wants to hold him, caress him, provide comfort. It feels natural to her. It's unplanned, genuine emotion. "Ryan, what are you doing?" Karen asks.
"I just want Becky back. I want her and I want her not to want Jack. I want her to want me."
"No, I mean what are you doing right now?"
"Just lying on the bed and talking to you."
"Stay right there," Karen says, "I'll be right over."
