gave Anne her lines as the scene was being
shot, to give her a look of confusion. I’ve nev-
er seen La Chinoise, but I’ve read about it. It
was made in 1967 too. I was unaware of that
at the time.
My teammate, Larry Grayson, was only
slightly more capable than I was. Our in-
competence became a bond. Larry’s person-
ality was barely animate. He was lackluster
in every way. One day he asked me to come
over to his house to play catch. I didn’t have
any friends, so I went. Going over to Larry’s
meant that I would miss the travel show that
my brother and I would race home to watch.
It was a show that many kids seemed to think
was boring. It was geared for adults. Its tone
was sober, with more of an educational lean-
ing than a real entertainment feel.
My other source of entertainment was to
fi gure out batting averages. I would make
an imaginary player’s career on paper and
practice doing averages. We hadn’t learned to
do percentages in school yet, but my father
taught me when I was in the third grade af-
ter I begged him. He didn’t want me to jump
ahead of the other kids. I didn’t have any alle-
giance to the others.
When I showed up at Larry’s,
his mother gave me cookies
and Kool-Aid. She was very
nice to me. I remember her
being a bit June Cleaver-like.
Then I was introduced to his
sister Amy and their cousin
Michelle. The Graysons and
their cousin (I’m not sure if
she was a Grayson) went to
the Catholic school. Detroit
was heavily Catholic then. I
used to go to Catechism after
school on Mondays at the pub-
lic school. Almost everyone
in my class was there. The
school cafeteria served fi sh on
Fridays.
We became a little more dar-
ing with the duration each day.
Larry would be yelling for me
outside. One day, we could hear
Larry yelling in the house. We
heard his footsteps coming up
the stairs. Their mother hadn’t
been around much lately. I think
she was working part-time. It
sounded like Larry was going
back downstairs. We contin-
ued to kiss. I almost didn’t care
about Larry catching us. Then,
the door opened. It was Larry’s
father. He looked much larger
than he did behind the wheel of
a car. He was hairy and wearing
what is colloquially referred to
stop and talk for a few minutes. The girls as a wife beater. He looked at me. I had my
would come outside occasionally and talk to arm around each girl, as if I thought I was at
us. Larry was visibly annoyed by them. He the Hefner mansion.
would tell them to go in the house and help
mom. They didn’t take him any more serious- Mr. Grayson looked like steam may come out
ly than I did. Larry eventually told his mother of his head. “You little son of a bitch, who the
that they were annoying us. I was starting to hell do you think you are?” I ran out of the
hate him. His mother asked the girls come in- room and down the stairs. I ran past Larry as
side. They obeyed.
if I didn’t see him standing by the front door.
I never saw the girls again. Larry never really
The next day, when I went inside for my fi rst talked to me at our remaining games. We only
fake pee break, the girls started to knock on had a couple more games left. I ended up get-
the door and playfully asked me to hurry up. ting two hits in the last game.
Control, image courtesy of Declan Haun/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Amy was a year older than me. Michelle and
Larry were my age. Unlike Larry, who in his
defense was probably in his awkward stage,
Amy and Michelle were vibrant. They were
also beautiful. At least this is how I remember
them. I made small talk and experimented
with fl irting with them. I never went through
the “I don’t like girls” phase. As I was get-
ting to know the family, Larry was becoming
impatient and kept telling me to hurry up. I
became less interested in playing catch.
Orlando Arts & Culture, v. 2.4
I gave in and went
outside with him.
Not long after we had
started playing catch,
I made an excuse to
go inside and use the
bathroom. On the
way to the bathroom,
the girls waved at
me from the dining
room table. They
both smiled. After I
photo by Ashley Inguanta
came out of the bath-
room, I wanted to say something clever, but When I came out, Amy grabbed my arm and
couldn’t. I mumbled something about playing asked me to come with them. I, of course,
catch. They giggled.
went. We went upstairs to the guest room.
Mrs. Grayson wasn’t home. They closed the
I wanted to make another excuse to use the door and fi rst Amy kissed me on the lips and
bathroom after playing catch for a few min- then Michelle did. I then started to take turns
utes, but I was aware that it would look sus- kissing them. Then they pushed me into the
picious. When I was leaving, Larry’s father bed and started to tickle me. I was laughing.
was pulling into the driveway. He waved to Amy shushed me in a fun way, but she want-
me. He was large and had a nonplussed ex- ed me to be quiet. After a few minutes, we
pression. The next few days, I made sure that went back downstairs. For the next few days,
I could come over and play catch. I always we did the same thing. We never went any
made an excuse to use the bathroom. The further than kissing on the lips and tickling.
girls were usually in the dining room. I was I had no idea that there was a further place
getting more comfortable with them. I would to go.
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