Take Me Out At A Ballgame

It was a beautiful afternoon in late fall....We were at a semi pro-baseball game in Camden at Rivershark Stadium.... It was" Philadelphia Night"

Me and my work mates were enjoying a night out.. A Thursday Night... I'm Keith Jones, Attorney at law....

"Hey let's get some food...The seventh inning stretch is coming up." I said..

"I could go for those footlong hot dogs..."said my girlfriend, who is also an Attorney, Beatrice Evans..

"Thanks for inviting us to this Keith, This is really fun."said Sofia Garcia, also an Attorney, who was as into Baseball as her boy friend, Khalil Ahmed, also an Attorney and myself..

"This turned out to be a good game too!"said Khalil...

"You guys don't want to fill up on too much, there is the soul food diner we are going to after the game" said our beautiful supervisor, Attorney Yvette Jones...the woman who had handpicked me and my friends and got us employment at McClusky/Cozen/Connor & Pratt Law firm, where we were employed...

her Boyfriend, Gary Lockwood, an Investigator with the D.A.'s office pulled her to him every ten seconds or so and kissed her..

."Ummmmm Gary..."moaned Yvette..

"You've got more on your mind than Baseball.." whispered Yvette softly...

"Yesss I doooo...and I think you know what it is.." said Gary Raffishly....

"Calm down...not in front of the children..." joked Yvette...

in between more kisses...

 Our investigator ,Ms. Jade and her boyfriend,

Lt. Danny Ho of robbery -Homicide were sitting with us also enjoying the game...

It was a beautiful night...Great game, great atmosphere....The smell of freshly roasted hot dogs and beer was all over the area...

Bee Bee was laying up against my shoulders...

Every now and then, she would turn to me and kiss me slowly...softly......

Her room-mate, Office mate and best friend, Sofia observed...

"Bee Bee really loves Keith and she always did...Even when we were in college...Just couldn't get her to admit it...Couldn't get him to admit it either...And I would always catch him looking at her, her legs, her butt, her chest and smiling.. I knew he liked her just as much. She is head over heels happy that she finally got him.." said Sofia..

"Ohhh SHE GOT HIM?" laughed Kahlil....

"Yeah she got him...just like I got you....I knew you liked me..I knew it as far back as when we were in Temple...but you wouldn't say anything...I was losing patience...and you finally said something on graduation night...That was close...Bee and I were almost on our way to D.C."said Sofia..

"Keith hadn't said anything to Bee Bee yet...That took awhile.."said Kahlil..

"I know...She went up to his room in a short, sheer see through night gown

and uh kind of sped up the process.."laughed Sofia..

"Yeahhh, I guess that would have done it.."laughed Kahlil as they both looked at us..

We were still kissing...

II-

Sitting just a few rows down from us was Assistant District Attorney Karen Page..

She was with a young man

who I did not know....They seemed to be engaged in an animated conversation...

 "Hey Ms. Yvette, there is ADA Karen Page over there..." I said.

 "Yeah it is.." said Yvette...

"You know her right Ms. Yvette?" asked Kahlil...

'' Sure Do...We were in Law School together....Then she worked at McClusky/Cozen/Connor & Pratt for awhile..We even faced off against each other in court since she's been an ADA.. She left after she got married , moved out to San-Francisco for a few years...Then she came back to Philly after her husband's murder and got a job in the D.A.'s office..."said Yvette...

"You guys tried a case against her a few weeks ago didn't you?" said Gary..

 "Yeah, Me Keith and Calvin Hunt...

We were second and third chair...Murder trial..." said Kahlil..

"Yeah we won, but she is one tough cookie.." I said..

"Yes she is...She's a brilliant trial lawyer..I was second chair on a couple of cases wth her when she worked at McClusky...And that guy she's with looks like Sean O'Day….He's an Attorney too...Always had a thing for her...but she always viewed him as just a friend...I see they're together now...He lectured us when we were in Law School...He was very good."said Yvette...

''She may still view him as a friend...You don't know.."said Gary with a wry smile..

"True, but once upon a time, you were just a friend...and look at me and you now..."said Yvette...

"Yesssss look at us now.." said Gary....

who pulled Yvette to him and kissed her again...

"You have got a one track mind when it comes to me.."laughed Yvette in between slow,soft kisses.

Sharon Page saw us and waved...

"I just tried a case against those guys a few weeks ago...

The cute Black guy and his Arab associate..and there was another Black guy...They were really good...They work for my old firm, McCluskey/Cozen/Connor and Pratt. " she said with Pride..

'

''Oh yeah...I see they are with Yvette Jones..."

''You two were in law school together weren't you?" said the guy sitting with her..

''We were...and we worked together at the same law firm for awhile...I heard she's really grooming those four young attorneys...

She said, looking at the four of us..

I need to talk to Yvette...I haven't really seen her in four years...Since I came back to Philly.I'm going down there and say hello." gushed Karen..

''Karen before you do that...listen...Have you thought about my offer?" said Sean O'day..

"I have...and it is very tempting...A job as an Equity partner at your law firm.  The salary is twice what I'm making now working for the city...Now are there any strings attached? I mean most attorneys have to work to become any kind of partner and you're bringing me in as an Equity partner..isn't that going to ruffle some feathers?" asked Karen..

"I made Partner last year....I can make those kind of moves....and I don't care who's feathers it ruffles."said Sean O'Day...

"WOW!  Why are you doing this for me?" asked Karen Page..

"Because I love you....I always have...for years..since your second year law school and I waited as you passed me over for Lloyd Cantrell...You married him and moved to San-Francisco...I didn't think I was ever going to see you again..." said  Sean O'Day...

"You probably wouldn't have...but he was murdered....His murder was never solved...and I was pregnant at the time and miscarried...due to the stress of it all...And with no other reason to stay out there...I moved back here...You were so nice to me...Helping me get settled and all, but Sean..I told you back then...that you and I were just friends...Nothing more..I thought I made that clear...a few times...I'm just not attracted to you like that...In that way...And there is nothing wrong with you..Nothing at all..In fact you're a great guy...You'd make some lucky woman very happy...but I'm not that woman.."said Karen..

"But we said some things ,remember?  We made love that one night.." said Sean..

He remembered in her sadness , she had given in and they had spent a night together in a motel, making love well into the morning hours....

"That was a moment of weakness Sean, on my part...it never should have happened...I'm so sorry...I told you that then...We were both drinking..We both gave in to passion, horniness, whatever...but Sean that is not going to happen again.."said Karen..

"Is there a guy in your life now? " asked Sean..

"No, but it's not going to be you....I just don't have those kind of feelings for you...and if that means I can't take this job at your firm...then I won't..."said Karen..

"Karen wait...wait...I bought something for you....look at this.."said Sean, who pulled out a sparkling engagement ring..

The diamond was so big, it sparkled...

"Oh My God!  Sofia, look at that ring that guy just pulled out!!!"said Bee Bee..

The ring was sparkling...

''Wow...He must be proposing to her..."said Sofia..

''A Baseball game isn't the most romantic place, but where ever the spirit hits you." I said..

''WOW! When I propose to Sofia, I'm gonna get me a rock just like that.." said Kahlil..

"Yeah, when I propose to Bee Bee,I'm getting the same...It won't be at no Baseball game..It'll be in an Italian Restaurant with Wine and soft music."I said..

 "You hear that Bee?" laughed Sofia..

"I hear it.."said Bee Bee,as both girls laughed a conspiratorial laugh amongst themselves...

III-

The conversation continued..

 "Ohhh Sean,it's beautiful.."said Karen..

''Make me the happiest man in the world Karen, be my wife!  Marry me!" said Sean O'Day...

"Did you hear anything I've been saying?  I can't Sean....I can't...I'm sorry...I just can't...Save that ring for a girl who deserves you...A girl who loves you...I'm just not the one.."said Karen...who got up and began to walk down towards us...

Sean O'Day stood there staring at her as she began her descent down the aisles toward where we were sitting...

Karen made her way to us..

''YVETTE!!!  YVETTE!" she called out..

Yvette smiled...

"Wowww Karen....I saw you in court a few weeks ago...I wanted to stop and talk to you then, but you know how it is..I had a half a dozen things going on.." said Yvette as she hugged Karen..

"Girl, who are you telling?  I lost against two of your protoge's there.."she said , smiling and looking at me and Kahlil..

 "Here, I got a Dog for you guys and beers.." I said ..

as I passed out Hot Dogs and Beer to Bee Bee, Kahlil, Sofia and Jade..

"There wasn't any cotton candy..." said Kahlil..

"That's okay babes...I don't need it anyway."said Sofia.

"Same here...We want to be able to fit our wedding dresses." joked Bee Bee as both girls laughed..letting us know they overheard our little conversation...

 "Thanks Guys." said Jade..

"Yeah thanks." said Danny Ho..

"This is my boyfriend, Gary Lockwood...He's an Investigator in your office..."said Yvette..

''We've seen each other.."said Gary.

"I hope he is your boyfriend the way you two have been kissing every other minute." laughed Karen..

"Yes I've seen you around.....You work for Rockland Cambridge...don't you?" asked Karen..

"Guilty as charged."laughed Gary...

 "And this is my investigator, Jade Lee...

and you know ,Lt. Danny Ho of Robbery-Homicide..."said Yvette.

"Oh Yes...I know Danny..He was Sgt Ho, when I left for San-Francisco...Congratulations..."said Karen..

''Thanks" said Danny Ho...

"And last but not least, my babies....

 Attorney Beatrice Evans...We call her Bee Bee

 Attorney Keith Jones...you know him...

 Attorney Sofia Garcia, Fiesty Little Mamasita

and last but certainly not least, Kahlil Ahmed...

Like us, graduates of PENN LAW...All at the top of their class and with high Bar Scores..."said Yvette proudly..

"I've seen all four of them in court.....You've done a stellar job with them Yvette....How is our good friend Olivia Bennett?? It's Bennett-Alexander now...She's married." said Karen.

I saw you guys in the paper when you went to Houston last year and then that ACLU law suit at the State Capital and that case you guys took on in San Diego...  She has her own firm now and you guys work with her and her crew 

quite a bit...She's got her niece with her and two other attorneys and a new husband...She's done quite well for herself .I remember when she used to bring her niece up to school some weekends..The weekends she wasn't going off to New York to model..Her niece was so cute...Now she's an Attorney too just like her auntie.."said Karen..

''Yes she is...I live right down the street from them..

She has a Duplex...

Her law office is on the ground floor...Her niece and her husband live a floor above the office, he's an attorney too..

 and Liv and her husband

 live above them, her husband is an investigator, ex- cop.....You know Liv and me are like sisters...We never stray too far from each other...I see you and uh Sean O'Day huh?

 He's always liked you...Ever since second year law school when he was a guest lecturer.. He was smitten with  you.. He came to our graduation... Was there when we passed the bar..He finally got you huh?" asked a smiling Yvette..

"No Vettie...He still can't take no for an answer....a few years back I may have led him on...We uh got drunk and we uh spent a night together...

I may have done too much...

It clearly meant more to him than it did to me...He's never stopped courting me and chasing after me...He proffered me an offer to join his law firm as an Equity Partner...Great salary....everything...just recently..."said Karen..

"Girrrrrrrrrrrrl  that's great...I heard awhile back that he made partner at the firm he works at..."said Yvette..

"He did ,last year....He wants me to come work with him as an Equity partner!..."said Karen..

"So what is the problem?" asked Yvette.

"He wants me to marry him..He proposed a few minutes ago...You should have seen the ring.."said Karen..

 "I saw it...That rock was brighter than the sun..."said Bee Bee..

 "Yeah and almost as large." gushed Sofia..

"Yes indeed.."said Jade..

"It was gorgeous...but I don't love him....I'm not attracted to him at all in any way...He just doesn't do it for me.. I don't want to waste his time....There is some girl out there waiting for a guy like him...I told him that..." said Karen...

"Awwwww he's been crazy about you since you were in law school....."said Yvette...

"Reminds me of how crazy

Tony Hopkins was about Sharon Ferrell..Remember? "said Karen..

"His Crazy paid off...She's Mrs. Sharon Ferrell-Hopkins now! You know she's with the FBI  and he's a Detective.....Philly PD...He's also back in law school..and they're married...They've been married for about three years now.."said Yvette..

"I knew she was in the FBI....I didn't know her and Tony got married...Wowwwww, Nice! Good for them! "said  Karen..

"By the way..Where is Sean?" I asked.

"He's sitting a few rows up....I'm going back and try to talk some sense into him..."said Karen..

"You gonna take that offer?  The job, I mean." asked Gary...

"No because then I'd be beholden to him and that wouldn't be right. .but under any other circumstances.. I'd love it!"said Karen..

IV-

There was no sign of Sean, At least not where they had been sitting...

The game came to an end....

People were filing out....

Sean walked in the other direction towards the very top row as people filed out...

He pulled a gun out of his suit jacket..

When he got to the very top row...He put the gun to his right temple and fired one shot...he toppled over the side and fell down into the street...He was dead long before he hit the ground!

There were screams....A few people on the top row saw what he had done...

''Somebody jumped!...." I said..


"Guy shot himself and fell over the side ."said one fan who was running down the steps...

"WHAT?" said Kahlil...

"Is what I heard right?" said Lt. Danny Ho...

"A woman just told me a guy in a maroon suit jacket, grey shirt and black tie shot himself in the head and flipped over the top."said Bee Bee..

"I heard the same thing.."said  Sofia...

"Oh Hell.." said Gary...

"Oh MY GOD, SEAN....NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Karen ,who was about to run up the stairs..

Jade grabbed her..

"Come on...Nothing you can do now...Come on...Let's get out of here..."said Jade...

"OH MY GOD!!!  SEAN!!!" said Yvette as we filed out...

And just like that....Our beautiful night turned into a beautiful nightmare...

 As the crowd gathered around...

ADA Karen Page identified the body as that of Attorney Sean O'Day….

Gary, Yvette, myself, Bee Bee, who was crying profusely, Sofia , who was also crying,Kahlil , who was stunned..Jade and Lt. Danny Ho stood in the crowd...and watched...

ADA Karen Page was crying profusely......

Naturally it made the 11:00 news.....

Philadelphia Attorney commits suicide after Baseball game after his proposal of marriage was rejected....

Apparently people on the row they had been sitting on saw and heard the entire exchange and were only too willing to talk to the press...

Karen refused to comment..

It was a rough night..an incredibly tragic thing to happen on a night that seemed so joyous...Needless to say, it ruined our entire night..

But it was the beginning of trouble for Karen Page like she couldn't imagine..

For watching on the news in Philadelphia was another woman...Sean O'Day's sister...Gretchen O'Day...

"My brother, my poor brother, still chasing after you , you bitch!!!.....Now he's dead and it's all your fault...You have no idea the Hell that's coming your way...Ouuuuuuu just wait!" she said..

TO BE CONTINUED