I think the last time I saw Drew we were living in a different millennium. Though we attended different high schools, we went to the same church and grew up in a fantastic youth ministry that has continued shaping our lives decades later.
Drew moved to Denver, Colorado not too long after I got married and has thoroughly enjoyed being a fervent Chiefs fan in Broncos territory.
“I’m cautiously excited about this year, about Mahomes and everything,” he said. It’s hard to know what the KC football team will look like this year. I’m just hoping they are more competitive than the baseball team.
Drew works in IT and has three kids and really can’t remember the last time he played catch.
“I’m sure it was with the kids. Probably.”
On Saturday, his family celebrated his grandmother’s 100th birthday and today is Drew’s birthday. He’s got me by six weeks.
We met at Ewing Park just beyond the outfield fence of one of the softball fields. The grounds crew was prepping the fields for tonight’s games. They gave us permission to use one of the fields for batting practice or whatever we wanted. But with the temperature at 95 degrees and the heat index at 105, we kept our game of catch quite simple, trusting our hats to keep the sweat out of our eyes for at least twenty minutes.
Playing catch is a perfect way to catch up on two decades of life — on kids and jobs and church and faith and friends.
Since it’s his birthday, I asked for his birthday wishes.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more pragmatic. I’d really like for the kids to have a good year this next year.”
I asked him to dream bigger.
“Well, I hope my car makes it to the end of the year.”
I laughed hard at this one, because this is one of my perpetual wishes. Then I asked him to dream bigger.
“My wife and I are celebrating our 20th anniversary in August, and I’d really like to take her on an awesome trip. Somewhere with a beach.”
Drew, as you enjoy your birthday blackberry cobbler tonight, I hope you blow out all of the candles and all three wishes come true.
Send me a postcard from the beach.
