The Good Guys embarked on their next road trip, this time to the middle of the country. After winning two of three in Pittsburgh, they dropped two of three in both Chicago, and St Louis. They returned home, on a Sunday night, to begin a nine game homestand, against the California teams.
After the supposedly major progress Mitch had made during the last homestand, instant message conversations the couple had, while Mitch was on the road, served to get Mitch in trouble with Naomi again. It seemed that he was in the "Take one step forward, and take two steps back" mode, and while Naomi claimed that she was not in the mode of "dumping him yet", his position seemed extremely precarious, for someone who had been married for 24 years. Many of Mitch's male friends, and some of his other family members, who were not his children, were urging him to leave Naomi, and cut his losses, as they all felt that she could one day wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and file for divorce, stunning and devestating him with her decision. Mitch, however, was in a state of emotional dependency, and just couldnt make that decision. He kept rationalizing to himself that, despite all their problems, and her criticisms of him, that Naomi must still love him, or, she would have left, long ago. It was a rationalization that didnt serve him well.
When Mitch got home to Paradise, on Sunday night. He went into his bedroom, and Naomi and he talked, for hours. When it came time to go to bed, Naomi said:" Can you please go sleep on the couch. I'm basically pissed with you right now, and hurt, and I dont want you sleeping here" Mitch sheepishly took his pillow, and went to the couch. Before he went to bed, Naomi said:" If this was a baseball analogy, Mitchell, you are in the ninth inning, losing by one run, and you are the last hitter. You are at a full count, and keep fouling off pitches, oh, so weakly, to stay alive. Just remember, I can call strike three, and call you out, for good, anytime I so choose, but, it has not reached that point yet, so, you are still in the game, for now" She said.
The next night, the Good Guys opened their homestand, with a series against the Giants. Kate Hudson was on the mound, and she got hit hard, allowing four runs in six innings, and losing, 4-3. Gil Bellows pitched the next night, and did much better, shutting out the Giants for eight innings, in a 5-0 win. Charlize Theron took her turn on Wednesday night, and she, too, did a good job. She permitted two runs in seven innings, and struck out nine, in an eventual 6-2 triumph.
Thursday was an off day. Mitch and Naomi showed up at counesling that morning. Naomi told the couneslor that Mitch had taken steps back on the previous road trip, with his cyber conversations with her. She gave him a step by step guide of what to do to win her love back, including telling him that she had taken all his pictures, and their pictures together, out of her wallet, and out of her sight, and put them in a box. She claimed that she had to see the man every day when he was home, but didnt want to be reminded of happier times. She had even taken to calling him "Mitchell" on an ongoing basis, where as when they had been happier, she always called him "Mitch, sweetie, honey, or baby". It was almost to Mitch like he was living with someone whom he had a formal connection with, due to having children, and a life, together, for 24 years, but for whom there was no real feeling left. Mitch knew he still loved Naomi, and she claimed that she still loved him, but, yet, there were just these mountains that they couldnt seem to move.
San Diego came to town on Friday night. Neve Campbell was on the mound. She pitched a decent game, allowing three runs in five innings, in an eventual 5-3 win. Rachel Leigh Cook was hit hard on Saturday night, permitting five runs in six innings, and taking a 5-3 loss. Kate Hudson was on the mound, on a sunny Sunday, in front of a sellout. After pitching poorly in her previous outing, Kate was dominant that day, allowing but one run, and striking out eleven, as the Good Guys got only three runs, but didnt need many, in an eventual 3-1 victory.
The Dodgers entered Paradise on Monday, for the final series of the homestand. Gil Bellows took the ball on Monday night. He allowed three runs in seven innings, but the Good Guys didnt hit much that night, and lost, 3-2. Charlize Theron took her turn on Tuesday night. She was very solid, giving up four hits, and one run, over seven innings, and striking out nine, in a 4-1 win. Neve Campbell took the mound on a sunny Wednesday, in front of a sellout. Neve was hit fairly hard that day, and at first, it looked like the Good Guys were going to succumb. The team, however, had fire in them on that Wednesday afternoon. They rallied from a 5-1 deficit, to tie the game, in one swoop, with four eighth inning runs. The game remained tied, 5-5 into the tenth, when Center Fielder Ed Burns hit a long homer, to secure a 6-5 ten inning Good Guy win, that completed a six and three homestand. On field, it was business as usual. Off field, anything but.
In the meantime, the team held it's Saturday night tickle party, following the loss to San Diego. The featured lee would be pitcher Gil Bellows. He was tied hands and feet to the bed, in the middle of the fetish club. Naomi began the tickle on Bellows neck with fingers, as his head moved, and the laughter began:HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAHAHAHAA! Working down, Amanda Bynes was next, tickling Bellows on his underarms, sides, ribs, and belly with fingers, as he howled, and thrashed:HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NO! Moving down, Hilary Duff joined in, tickling Bellows on his hips, inner thighs, and the front and backs of his knees with fingers, causing more howling, and bucking:HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAAHA! Finally, Neve Campbell got to the soles of Bellows feet, and attacked them with fingers, feathers, ice, and an electric toothbrush. Bellows went beserk, moving his feet as much as the bounds would allow, and howling with laughter:HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA! OKAY! THATS ENOUGH! I GIVE UP! NOOOOO! HAHAAHAHAHAAHAHGAHAHAAHAHA! Finally, the tickle ended, and Bellows was untied.
On Thursday, Mitch was packed, to head off to San Fransisco. "I guess it was disaster this time" Mitch said to Naomi. "Not disaster. If it was that, I wouldnt be here right now, just not good" She replied. "I'll call a cab to the airport" Mitch said. "That would be best" Naomi answered. As Mitch started to leave:" I will see you in ten days?" Mitch said, posing it as more of a question than a fait accompli. "Yes, American, I'll be here when you get back, I am not going anywhere, and lets try to have a better homestand next time, so that we can make progress". Naomi said.
So, it had been a homestand of running in place, no progress, and uncertainity. Now came a ten day road trip. Their lives hanging in the balance had become old for Mitch, but, at least he was still in the game, as the alternative for him, after 24 years, was disaster. What would happen next? Would better times ever come? That answer to come in the continuing story of the Tickle Team From Paradise Island.
The End
After the supposedly major progress Mitch had made during the last homestand, instant message conversations the couple had, while Mitch was on the road, served to get Mitch in trouble with Naomi again. It seemed that he was in the "Take one step forward, and take two steps back" mode, and while Naomi claimed that she was not in the mode of "dumping him yet", his position seemed extremely precarious, for someone who had been married for 24 years. Many of Mitch's male friends, and some of his other family members, who were not his children, were urging him to leave Naomi, and cut his losses, as they all felt that she could one day wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and file for divorce, stunning and devestating him with her decision. Mitch, however, was in a state of emotional dependency, and just couldnt make that decision. He kept rationalizing to himself that, despite all their problems, and her criticisms of him, that Naomi must still love him, or, she would have left, long ago. It was a rationalization that didnt serve him well.
When Mitch got home to Paradise, on Sunday night. He went into his bedroom, and Naomi and he talked, for hours. When it came time to go to bed, Naomi said:" Can you please go sleep on the couch. I'm basically pissed with you right now, and hurt, and I dont want you sleeping here" Mitch sheepishly took his pillow, and went to the couch. Before he went to bed, Naomi said:" If this was a baseball analogy, Mitchell, you are in the ninth inning, losing by one run, and you are the last hitter. You are at a full count, and keep fouling off pitches, oh, so weakly, to stay alive. Just remember, I can call strike three, and call you out, for good, anytime I so choose, but, it has not reached that point yet, so, you are still in the game, for now" She said.
The next night, the Good Guys opened their homestand, with a series against the Giants. Kate Hudson was on the mound, and she got hit hard, allowing four runs in six innings, and losing, 4-3. Gil Bellows pitched the next night, and did much better, shutting out the Giants for eight innings, in a 5-0 win. Charlize Theron took her turn on Wednesday night, and she, too, did a good job. She permitted two runs in seven innings, and struck out nine, in an eventual 6-2 triumph.
Thursday was an off day. Mitch and Naomi showed up at counesling that morning. Naomi told the couneslor that Mitch had taken steps back on the previous road trip, with his cyber conversations with her. She gave him a step by step guide of what to do to win her love back, including telling him that she had taken all his pictures, and their pictures together, out of her wallet, and out of her sight, and put them in a box. She claimed that she had to see the man every day when he was home, but didnt want to be reminded of happier times. She had even taken to calling him "Mitchell" on an ongoing basis, where as when they had been happier, she always called him "Mitch, sweetie, honey, or baby". It was almost to Mitch like he was living with someone whom he had a formal connection with, due to having children, and a life, together, for 24 years, but for whom there was no real feeling left. Mitch knew he still loved Naomi, and she claimed that she still loved him, but, yet, there were just these mountains that they couldnt seem to move.
San Diego came to town on Friday night. Neve Campbell was on the mound. She pitched a decent game, allowing three runs in five innings, in an eventual 5-3 win. Rachel Leigh Cook was hit hard on Saturday night, permitting five runs in six innings, and taking a 5-3 loss. Kate Hudson was on the mound, on a sunny Sunday, in front of a sellout. After pitching poorly in her previous outing, Kate was dominant that day, allowing but one run, and striking out eleven, as the Good Guys got only three runs, but didnt need many, in an eventual 3-1 victory.
The Dodgers entered Paradise on Monday, for the final series of the homestand. Gil Bellows took the ball on Monday night. He allowed three runs in seven innings, but the Good Guys didnt hit much that night, and lost, 3-2. Charlize Theron took her turn on Tuesday night. She was very solid, giving up four hits, and one run, over seven innings, and striking out nine, in a 4-1 win. Neve Campbell took the mound on a sunny Wednesday, in front of a sellout. Neve was hit fairly hard that day, and at first, it looked like the Good Guys were going to succumb. The team, however, had fire in them on that Wednesday afternoon. They rallied from a 5-1 deficit, to tie the game, in one swoop, with four eighth inning runs. The game remained tied, 5-5 into the tenth, when Center Fielder Ed Burns hit a long homer, to secure a 6-5 ten inning Good Guy win, that completed a six and three homestand. On field, it was business as usual. Off field, anything but.
In the meantime, the team held it's Saturday night tickle party, following the loss to San Diego. The featured lee would be pitcher Gil Bellows. He was tied hands and feet to the bed, in the middle of the fetish club. Naomi began the tickle on Bellows neck with fingers, as his head moved, and the laughter began:HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAHAHAHAA! Working down, Amanda Bynes was next, tickling Bellows on his underarms, sides, ribs, and belly with fingers, as he howled, and thrashed:HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NO! Moving down, Hilary Duff joined in, tickling Bellows on his hips, inner thighs, and the front and backs of his knees with fingers, causing more howling, and bucking:HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAAHA! Finally, Neve Campbell got to the soles of Bellows feet, and attacked them with fingers, feathers, ice, and an electric toothbrush. Bellows went beserk, moving his feet as much as the bounds would allow, and howling with laughter:HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA! OKAY! THATS ENOUGH! I GIVE UP! NOOOOO! HAHAAHAHAHAAHAHGAHAHAAHAHA! Finally, the tickle ended, and Bellows was untied.
On Thursday, Mitch was packed, to head off to San Fransisco. "I guess it was disaster this time" Mitch said to Naomi. "Not disaster. If it was that, I wouldnt be here right now, just not good" She replied. "I'll call a cab to the airport" Mitch said. "That would be best" Naomi answered. As Mitch started to leave:" I will see you in ten days?" Mitch said, posing it as more of a question than a fait accompli. "Yes, American, I'll be here when you get back, I am not going anywhere, and lets try to have a better homestand next time, so that we can make progress". Naomi said.
So, it had been a homestand of running in place, no progress, and uncertainity. Now came a ten day road trip. Their lives hanging in the balance had become old for Mitch, but, at least he was still in the game, as the alternative for him, after 24 years, was disaster. What would happen next? Would better times ever come? That answer to come in the continuing story of the Tickle Team From Paradise Island.
The End
