Although Mitch had settled things with Naomi on the surface, he still was feeling incredibly unhappy to be back on the road. The Good Guys next journey took them to Washington, Philadelphia, and Cincinnatti. Paradise did go five and four on the trip, and Mitch had a couple of decent hitting games, but he still felt empty, and lost, and had many sleepless nights on the road. For, although he had on the surface, seemingly resolved some of his problems with Naomi, he still felt insecure, unloved, and unwanted, and almost like a horse's ass, for not only his teammates, but his family as well.
When Mitch returned home on Sunday night, Naomi was there waiting for him. Although they made love, and there were no restrictions on the tickling, feet, or other activities, Mitch, even though he was getting what he loved and needed, began to have silent thoughts that Naomi was simply engaging in behavior he loved and needed out of pity, or obligation, and not out of love. For some reason, the Good Guy Right Fielder could not get a grip on himself. Mitch had always been made of the strongest character on the face of the planet, facing family tradegy, death, divorce, the loss of his job when the team folded the first time, and his marriage, once, with more dignity and class then most people could in ten lifetimes, and bouncing back with incredible resolve. Although Naomi continually vowed her love and commitment to him, Mitch lived in continual paranoid fear that once baseball ended, and Naomi's success once again became center stage, she would lose interest in him, and find a younger, or more virile man. He couldnt imagine her wanting to live with a depressed, old former baseball player, who would likely end up as most retired players do, at a broadcasting or front office job, by the team that essentially had a moral obligation to find their icon a place in the organization. Mitch couldnt see himself going to events with Naomi, and having her say: "Oh, this is my husband of 23 years, Mitch, he's a broadcaster, or front office person." Having a wife say: "This is my husband of 23 years, home run hitter surpreme, Hall of Famer, who helped the Good Guys win ten World Championships" sounded much better. Mitch would be those things too, always, but his identity was shattered. Additionally, while Naomi made it perfectly clear that she always wanted openness, and never wanted anything hidden in their marriage, Mitch feared, perhaps justifiably, that if he rocked the boat too much, Naomi, who was still one of the most beauttiful women in the world, would finally get fed up, and tell him to go fuck himself, leaving him alone, and lost.
All of these unproductive thoughts raced through Mitch's mind, as Naomi lied naked in bed next to him. He became very silent, even though he was holding her, and she tried to kiss him to get him to talk about his feelings. "Come on, out with it. Something is bothering you. Tell me what it is". She said, trying to prod his emotions from him. "Nai, I feel like I have lost it. What happened to me? Where the fuck is my personality? I used to be everyone's rock. Yours, the team's, my own. Now, I am just this scared, lost person, with a little boy's personality inside the body of a man 40 years old. I thank God every day that you are putting up with my bullshit and my depression, but I just cannot get a grip. I fear that if I go on like this much longer, you are going to leave me, and tell me to go fuck myself" Mitch said.
"Will you stop that. I am not going to tell you to go fuck yourself, and I am not going anywhere. You aren't beating me, or abusing me. You are merely going through a mid life crisis, at a time when your whole life is probably a few short months away from changing. I completely understand, and, whatever I need to do to help you through this, I will. That is my job as wife. I am sorry that I fought with you so much on the last homestand. I did a lot of thinking while you were away, and, truthfully, except for me, you really have no one else. So, if you are a pain in the ass for a while, I can live with that. Look how much trouble I caused you. I was a druggie, an adulterer, I was raped, I killed a man in self defense, I retired for a while, when through career changes, and we were divorced, and yet, you still married me again, and are still here with me after all these years. I havent forgotten those things. This to me isnt any different from you having a medical illness. Say, for instance, you had a heart attack, or an operation, would I pick up and leave you then? No. Maybe if you started beating the kids, and me, every night, I would leave then, but depression over a legitimate issue, not enough to drive this strong bitch away. I might be a sweet, ticklish, Australian, but Iam also steady as a rock. I can deal with this, and, if I need to go the extra mile, that's what I will do. Mitch kissed Naomi on the top of her head. "You are amazing, you know that? God, at the end of this road, having you will be the thing that gets me through. Can I perhaps ask you to do something for me?" Mitch inquired. "Anything, name it" Naomi said. "Oral sex?" Mitch said, pensively, knowing it was not one of Naomi's favorite activities in the world. "You just fucked me, but, if you feel you can physically handle it, yes, just for you, I will. I dont love it, as you know, but because I love you, I know it is the right thing to do" Naomi said. So, with that, Naomi gave Mitch a session of oral sex. Through it all, although Mitch was still incredibly depressed, he had to count his blessings. He had his ever loyal wife, at his side, at a time when he was not able to be much of a husband emotionally.
The next night, the Good Guys opened a nine game homestand with a game against the New York Mets. Kate Hudson started, and she was masterful, striking out nine, as the Good Guys got the only run of the game on a solo first inning homer, and hung on to win, 1-0. Gil Bellows was on the hlll the following night, and he, too, fared well, fanning eight in eight innings, and combining with Duff, on a 4-3 win. Charlize Theron pitched on Wednesday night, and completed the sweep of the Mets, by whiffing seven in seven innings, and hitting a home run to boot, in an eventual, 5-4 triumph.
Thursday was an off day. That day, as usual, Mitch and Naomi attended their individual and joint counseling sessions. Mitch was still feeling very unsettled, but an afternoon visit to the casino, and winning $500 at the crap table, seemed to cheer him up.
Atlanta came to town on Friday night. Neve Campbell was on the mound, and she gave the team it's fourth straight win, firing six strong innings, as the Good Guys prevailed, 6-2. The fifth starter pitched a fine game on Saturday, a rare day game for a Saturday, but two errors sent him to defeat, 2-0. The next day should have been a marquee matchup of Kate Hudson and John Smoltz on a perfect Sunday for baseball, but, unfortunately, the game degenerated into something of a farce. Smoltz encountered big trouble in the first inning, serving up a Grand Slam homerun to Ed Burns, the Good Guy center fielder, and cleanup hitter, without having recorded an out. With Atlanta down 4-0, Smoltz hit two straight batters with pitches, which the umpire deemed were intentional, and resulted in his ejection. In the second inning, Kate Hudson returned the favor, hitting Atlanta's Andruw Jones with a high fastball, which resulted in a bench clearing brawl, between the Good Guys and Braves, and caused the umpires to give both Kate, and manager Lee Sniderman, the old heave ho. In the bottom of the inning, Braves manager Bobby Cox was thumbed, when another Atlanta pitcher, hit the pitcher who had relieved Kate, with a pitch. The fans had paid their money on that Sunday to see a top pitching matchup, and what they actually saw was a hodgepodge affair marred by ejections, poor pitching and fundementals, and a lot of runs. Atlanta eventually won the game, 9-8, in the ninth, on a home run off Naomi, as the Good Guys ending up dropping two of three games in the weekend series to the Braves.
Houston came to town on Monday night. In a much more tidy affair, Gil Bellows took the ball, and gave the team what they needed, eight strong innings, and then a clean save from Duff, as a three run homer in the fourth, won the game, 3-0. Charlize Theron went to the hill on Tuesday night, and threw well, but, couldnt get any run support, as the team fell, 3-1. Neve Campbell took the mound, on a sweltering hot and humid Wednesday afternoon, in front of a near sellout. With the hot weather, the ball was jumping out of the park that day, as Houston hit four home runs, and the Good Guys five. The proceedings were tied, 6-6 in the eighth, when the Good Guys plated two runs, and then sweated out the ninth, as the team finished off an 8-7 Paradise Island win, to complete another tidy six and three homestand. It had been far from easy, but the team had perservered, and done what they had to do, in spite of all the on field drama, and off field distractions.
In the meantime, the team held it's Saturday night tickle party, following the defeat against the Braves. The featured lee would be a petite manager who manned the Good Guys team apparel store at the ballpark. Slight, and thin, with light brown hair, the girl in her 30's, Tammy, had always been a desired tickle target of the team, and now, she had finally agreed to allow it to happen. Stripped to a bra and panties, and tied to a table in the middle of the fetish club, center fielder Ed Burns began the tickle on Tammy's neck with fingers, as her head shifted, and the giggles began:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! NO! Moving down, left fielder Dawson tickled Tammy under her arms, and down her sides, ribs, and belly with fingers, as more squeals erupted, and she thrashed from side to side:HEHHAHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! OMG THAT TICKLES SO MUCH! NO! HAHAHAHAHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEE! Catcher Barney was next, tickling Tammy on her hips, thighs, and knees, causing her legs to buck. Finally, Mitch, whose mood was at least superfically better, got to have the highlight of his week, and attacked Tammy's bare beautiful soles with his fingers, a feather, ice, and an electric toothbrush over her soles and toes. Tammy went beserk, wiggling her toes every which way, and squealing with uncontrollable laughter, begging for mercy: HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! OMG I CAN 'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! PLEASE NO MORE TICKLE! I GIVE UP! NO PLEASE NO! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Finally, the tickle ended, and the exhausted Tammy was untied.
The Good Guys took off for New York and the nine game trip on Thursday night, with it having been a fairly productive homestand for both the team, and Mitch personally. He was feeling better, yet, the question was, would it last. During his doctor's visits on that homestand, there was discussion between Mitch and his therapist of perhaps placing him on an anti depressant perscription, or other natural mood altering supplement. Mitch had resisted, both because he was already on a long term medication for his blood pressure problem, and because he didnt like the idea of having to resort to drugs for his moods. The doctor agreed to wait, to ascertain the status of Mitch's mood, by the time the Good Guys returned home next.
So, as the big jet taxied from Nassau International toward it's destination of La Guardia Airport in New York, and a weekend series with the Mets, aboard it was a baseball player who had encounted a productive week, yet, was still not stabilized or confident about his situation. Would it be a struggle through the rest of the season, or would Mitch finally find himself, and encounter inner peace, and be able to go through the rest of the season calmly? Stay tuned for those answers in upcoming segments of the Tickle Team from Paradise Island.
The End
When Mitch returned home on Sunday night, Naomi was there waiting for him. Although they made love, and there were no restrictions on the tickling, feet, or other activities, Mitch, even though he was getting what he loved and needed, began to have silent thoughts that Naomi was simply engaging in behavior he loved and needed out of pity, or obligation, and not out of love. For some reason, the Good Guy Right Fielder could not get a grip on himself. Mitch had always been made of the strongest character on the face of the planet, facing family tradegy, death, divorce, the loss of his job when the team folded the first time, and his marriage, once, with more dignity and class then most people could in ten lifetimes, and bouncing back with incredible resolve. Although Naomi continually vowed her love and commitment to him, Mitch lived in continual paranoid fear that once baseball ended, and Naomi's success once again became center stage, she would lose interest in him, and find a younger, or more virile man. He couldnt imagine her wanting to live with a depressed, old former baseball player, who would likely end up as most retired players do, at a broadcasting or front office job, by the team that essentially had a moral obligation to find their icon a place in the organization. Mitch couldnt see himself going to events with Naomi, and having her say: "Oh, this is my husband of 23 years, Mitch, he's a broadcaster, or front office person." Having a wife say: "This is my husband of 23 years, home run hitter surpreme, Hall of Famer, who helped the Good Guys win ten World Championships" sounded much better. Mitch would be those things too, always, but his identity was shattered. Additionally, while Naomi made it perfectly clear that she always wanted openness, and never wanted anything hidden in their marriage, Mitch feared, perhaps justifiably, that if he rocked the boat too much, Naomi, who was still one of the most beauttiful women in the world, would finally get fed up, and tell him to go fuck himself, leaving him alone, and lost.
All of these unproductive thoughts raced through Mitch's mind, as Naomi lied naked in bed next to him. He became very silent, even though he was holding her, and she tried to kiss him to get him to talk about his feelings. "Come on, out with it. Something is bothering you. Tell me what it is". She said, trying to prod his emotions from him. "Nai, I feel like I have lost it. What happened to me? Where the fuck is my personality? I used to be everyone's rock. Yours, the team's, my own. Now, I am just this scared, lost person, with a little boy's personality inside the body of a man 40 years old. I thank God every day that you are putting up with my bullshit and my depression, but I just cannot get a grip. I fear that if I go on like this much longer, you are going to leave me, and tell me to go fuck myself" Mitch said.
"Will you stop that. I am not going to tell you to go fuck yourself, and I am not going anywhere. You aren't beating me, or abusing me. You are merely going through a mid life crisis, at a time when your whole life is probably a few short months away from changing. I completely understand, and, whatever I need to do to help you through this, I will. That is my job as wife. I am sorry that I fought with you so much on the last homestand. I did a lot of thinking while you were away, and, truthfully, except for me, you really have no one else. So, if you are a pain in the ass for a while, I can live with that. Look how much trouble I caused you. I was a druggie, an adulterer, I was raped, I killed a man in self defense, I retired for a while, when through career changes, and we were divorced, and yet, you still married me again, and are still here with me after all these years. I havent forgotten those things. This to me isnt any different from you having a medical illness. Say, for instance, you had a heart attack, or an operation, would I pick up and leave you then? No. Maybe if you started beating the kids, and me, every night, I would leave then, but depression over a legitimate issue, not enough to drive this strong bitch away. I might be a sweet, ticklish, Australian, but Iam also steady as a rock. I can deal with this, and, if I need to go the extra mile, that's what I will do. Mitch kissed Naomi on the top of her head. "You are amazing, you know that? God, at the end of this road, having you will be the thing that gets me through. Can I perhaps ask you to do something for me?" Mitch inquired. "Anything, name it" Naomi said. "Oral sex?" Mitch said, pensively, knowing it was not one of Naomi's favorite activities in the world. "You just fucked me, but, if you feel you can physically handle it, yes, just for you, I will. I dont love it, as you know, but because I love you, I know it is the right thing to do" Naomi said. So, with that, Naomi gave Mitch a session of oral sex. Through it all, although Mitch was still incredibly depressed, he had to count his blessings. He had his ever loyal wife, at his side, at a time when he was not able to be much of a husband emotionally.
The next night, the Good Guys opened a nine game homestand with a game against the New York Mets. Kate Hudson started, and she was masterful, striking out nine, as the Good Guys got the only run of the game on a solo first inning homer, and hung on to win, 1-0. Gil Bellows was on the hlll the following night, and he, too, fared well, fanning eight in eight innings, and combining with Duff, on a 4-3 win. Charlize Theron pitched on Wednesday night, and completed the sweep of the Mets, by whiffing seven in seven innings, and hitting a home run to boot, in an eventual, 5-4 triumph.
Thursday was an off day. That day, as usual, Mitch and Naomi attended their individual and joint counseling sessions. Mitch was still feeling very unsettled, but an afternoon visit to the casino, and winning $500 at the crap table, seemed to cheer him up.
Atlanta came to town on Friday night. Neve Campbell was on the mound, and she gave the team it's fourth straight win, firing six strong innings, as the Good Guys prevailed, 6-2. The fifth starter pitched a fine game on Saturday, a rare day game for a Saturday, but two errors sent him to defeat, 2-0. The next day should have been a marquee matchup of Kate Hudson and John Smoltz on a perfect Sunday for baseball, but, unfortunately, the game degenerated into something of a farce. Smoltz encountered big trouble in the first inning, serving up a Grand Slam homerun to Ed Burns, the Good Guy center fielder, and cleanup hitter, without having recorded an out. With Atlanta down 4-0, Smoltz hit two straight batters with pitches, which the umpire deemed were intentional, and resulted in his ejection. In the second inning, Kate Hudson returned the favor, hitting Atlanta's Andruw Jones with a high fastball, which resulted in a bench clearing brawl, between the Good Guys and Braves, and caused the umpires to give both Kate, and manager Lee Sniderman, the old heave ho. In the bottom of the inning, Braves manager Bobby Cox was thumbed, when another Atlanta pitcher, hit the pitcher who had relieved Kate, with a pitch. The fans had paid their money on that Sunday to see a top pitching matchup, and what they actually saw was a hodgepodge affair marred by ejections, poor pitching and fundementals, and a lot of runs. Atlanta eventually won the game, 9-8, in the ninth, on a home run off Naomi, as the Good Guys ending up dropping two of three games in the weekend series to the Braves.
Houston came to town on Monday night. In a much more tidy affair, Gil Bellows took the ball, and gave the team what they needed, eight strong innings, and then a clean save from Duff, as a three run homer in the fourth, won the game, 3-0. Charlize Theron went to the hill on Tuesday night, and threw well, but, couldnt get any run support, as the team fell, 3-1. Neve Campbell took the mound, on a sweltering hot and humid Wednesday afternoon, in front of a near sellout. With the hot weather, the ball was jumping out of the park that day, as Houston hit four home runs, and the Good Guys five. The proceedings were tied, 6-6 in the eighth, when the Good Guys plated two runs, and then sweated out the ninth, as the team finished off an 8-7 Paradise Island win, to complete another tidy six and three homestand. It had been far from easy, but the team had perservered, and done what they had to do, in spite of all the on field drama, and off field distractions.
In the meantime, the team held it's Saturday night tickle party, following the defeat against the Braves. The featured lee would be a petite manager who manned the Good Guys team apparel store at the ballpark. Slight, and thin, with light brown hair, the girl in her 30's, Tammy, had always been a desired tickle target of the team, and now, she had finally agreed to allow it to happen. Stripped to a bra and panties, and tied to a table in the middle of the fetish club, center fielder Ed Burns began the tickle on Tammy's neck with fingers, as her head shifted, and the giggles began:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! NO! Moving down, left fielder Dawson tickled Tammy under her arms, and down her sides, ribs, and belly with fingers, as more squeals erupted, and she thrashed from side to side:HEHHAHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! OMG THAT TICKLES SO MUCH! NO! HAHAHAHAHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEE! Catcher Barney was next, tickling Tammy on her hips, thighs, and knees, causing her legs to buck. Finally, Mitch, whose mood was at least superfically better, got to have the highlight of his week, and attacked Tammy's bare beautiful soles with his fingers, a feather, ice, and an electric toothbrush over her soles and toes. Tammy went beserk, wiggling her toes every which way, and squealing with uncontrollable laughter, begging for mercy: HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! OMG I CAN 'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! PLEASE NO MORE TICKLE! I GIVE UP! NO PLEASE NO! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Finally, the tickle ended, and the exhausted Tammy was untied.
The Good Guys took off for New York and the nine game trip on Thursday night, with it having been a fairly productive homestand for both the team, and Mitch personally. He was feeling better, yet, the question was, would it last. During his doctor's visits on that homestand, there was discussion between Mitch and his therapist of perhaps placing him on an anti depressant perscription, or other natural mood altering supplement. Mitch had resisted, both because he was already on a long term medication for his blood pressure problem, and because he didnt like the idea of having to resort to drugs for his moods. The doctor agreed to wait, to ascertain the status of Mitch's mood, by the time the Good Guys returned home next.
So, as the big jet taxied from Nassau International toward it's destination of La Guardia Airport in New York, and a weekend series with the Mets, aboard it was a baseball player who had encounted a productive week, yet, was still not stabilized or confident about his situation. Would it be a struggle through the rest of the season, or would Mitch finally find himself, and encounter inner peace, and be able to go through the rest of the season calmly? Stay tuned for those answers in upcoming segments of the Tickle Team from Paradise Island.
The End
