It looked a little rocky, but things went badly haywire for the Yankees in the eighth. I grounded out to third to open the inning, but the Oriole bats...got hot behind me and, with the help of three walks given up by Yankee relievers, we had taken the lead before I came up again (in the same inning), for another try.There were two out now, and the bases were loaded. We were already up, 5-3, and there was no place to put me if I was walked, or hit again by a pitched ball. The Yankee pitcher just. “Besides” she said, holding up the invitation and tapping her finger on the R.S.V.P lettering. “We have already all accepted the invite.Lenny Jackson was from the deep south and the only son of a Black farming couple. He had gotten a football scholarship to Boston College (BC) and had come to love New England, especially when he had met his, wife to be, Michelle, who was studying physiotherapy at the same college. They had now been married 25 years and had a daughter Abby, 22, currently at BC. I wanted to stop but I couldn't. The words keptcoming. And then suddenly I shuddered and I lost my sight and senses. Atthe same moment I felt the most dreadful sensation of my life, as thougha crucial part of me were being ripped away - or more that I was beingripped away from it. I was weightless and in darkness but I felthorrifically diminished, no longer whole. Then I was thrust into somenew and unfamiliar place and the something that was missing wasimproperly replaced.I could only imagine. They started arguing about something, but their voices were low and I couldn’t make out the details. I’d have left, but Vijay had my keys. Eventually, they came back to the living room; Vijay went into the back of the house while Shalini sat down next to me, taking my hand and holding it in her lap. Her eyes were very serious as she told me, “Vijay says you really don’t know what to do without your wife around. We take care of you tonight – but you have to not drink so much.” Her accent was.