We stepped off the grass and onto
the white cobblestone walkway
that lead up to the house.

Doggy Bag shook his body briskly
to shed some of the water from the sprinklers.

"We'll go in through the basement," Polly said
opening a side door. "there we'll find towels.
Help Dawgy Bag get himself good and dried off.
Me and you too."

I stopped to admire a red bird that was perched
upon a branch in an evergreen tree.

"That be Saint Louis I call him." Polly told me.
He comes here every day to delight at the feeder
and then flutter over there to the birdbath."

"Saint Louis?" I asked.

"I made that name up, 'specially for him.
After my favorite baseball team.
Saint Louis Cardinals.
You play baseball?"

"I can't say that I can," I replied,
"Do you play?"

"Pretty near every day." she replied
with a big grin and a beaming glow in her air.
Getting pretty good at it now-a-days too you bet cha."

"Wow. How did you learn how to play?"

"Tried out for the team. Made it too.
Only girl on the team.

"Oh WOW. Polly, that's just...I mean you're just..."

"I'm just me, Polly. Except I be our catcher too."

"Catcher?"
"Thaaaat's, me."

"Why not pitcher?"
"Nah...Polly rather guard home plate.
I'm just lovin' every bit of it.

From the looks of her basement,
one would think that a real live athlete
lived there.

There were tables filled, and shelves
lined with trophies of all kinds.

The walls were almost completely
covered with athletic photographs.

Featuring, there was a large poster.
It was the largest picture of them all.

It was an airplane view of the
Saint Louis Cardinals' baseball stadium
in living color.

I just stood there, my eyes scanning everything.
To me, this was amazing.

"All the weights and stuff is my brother's.
All the baseball stuff is minez," she boasted.

"Do you play for a profession team?" I asked.
"Nah...little league....Bobcats," she replied.
"Best team in this here territory."

"My eyes surveyed a photograph of her
team's players. They were seated upon
spectators' bleachers in a group setting.

They were all in full uniform.
I tried to pick Polly out.

"Hey...There..." I exclaimed, "that's you. Right?"

Her team's uniforms were white with blue numbers.
Polly was number twenty. Her cap was navy blue
with the letter, B, in white.

"You picked out Polly, alright," she laughed,
"She ain't the cutest. But she be the livin' life
of that team. Do ya reckon?"

"Brittney reckon," I replied.

We both hugged and laughed out loud.

"Ain't never had no friend quite like Brittney."
Polly said with a gleeful chuckle.

"How old you be, Brittney?
Polly guess you be 'bout twelve or somethin', huh?"

"Oh. Please. Stop teasing. I wish.
But I'm only ten.

When we got upstairs Mom had gotten pretty much
acquainted with Tiger Lily.

Jake wasn't there. He had gone out to walk Snow-white
and would be back shortly.

Tiger Lily and Mom were relaxing in the den.
Mom was watching Tiger Lily crochet a pink bedspread.
It had an adorable floral design of red and yellow roses.

Mom was having iced tea.
Polly walked right over and hugged her.

"You're a real butterball of a young lady," Mom said
to Polly. "Just a plump little plum."

"Mighty pleased to greet you, Miss Noreen," Polly blushed.
"You just make yourself comfy like home...ya hear?"

Polly turned to her grandmother and nudged me closer to her.
"She be, Brittney, Gramma. My good friend."

"Glory be to Jesus, little gal, " Tiger Lily exclaimed,
"I seen you out there rompin' with my little Polly.
You be as frail as a rail."

"Best you and your momma stick around for supper.
Fatten youz up a mite with some of my roast chicken,
and baked potatoes."

"I like roast chicken," I replied. "I'm sure Mom
would be pleased if we stay and have dinner with you.
Thank You."

"Yes," Mom agreed, "We'd be delighted to stay for dinner.

Tiger Lily chortled a jolly laughter.

"Well now, that sounds just mighty fine.
You gals just loosen your belts...set your tummies free.
Your supper will soon be served by Polly and me."