Tiny Stories #21: The Invisible Fast Pitch

I was mere steps into the park when I spotted it. A fast pitch aimed squarely at my head. I turned and ducked, waiting for impact. Waiting for a ball to whiz by my face. When neither happened, i turned around to see a young boy with a mitt. I saw him throw his arm into the air. I looked for the ball. Maybe he threw it so fast I just missed the it. Then I saw him do it again. I watched the throw, his eyes looking upward, his mitt reaching for the ball and the familiar swing of the mitted hand once the ball is caught.

Except there was no ball.

The boy, five, no older than six, was visualizing a ball. Practicing his pitches and his hand eye coordination. He visualized so well I couldn't help ducking when he practiced his pitches in my direction. His visualization so strong, he convinced me, even when my eyes knew better, when I knew the ball was only in his mind.