The Pressure Is On  I'm watching an intramural softball game at Brimson. There is a crowd there, including my professor Marianne Stash and a young woman. A foul ball is hit, and I grab it. I want to look like I can make a good throw. I throw the ball back to my classmate Adam Heffen, between some trees. I'm on a team then, and realize we have one we can have one more player on the field than we actually have. My classmate Lance Drift is playing second base. I run out to try to help by filling the empty position and playing in the field. I think Lance may move to shortstop and I'll play second base. I run back off the field, feeling self conscious of my actions. The people on my team scold me. Suddenly I am up to bat. My team is losing. It's the bottom half of the last inning with two outs and the bases are loaded! What pressure! I think: I can hit a home run. It's a fairly simple thought, and I know I can hit a home run. My friend Melvin Dahlheimer is after me in the batting order.