46 Days to Opening Day

Opening Day 2008 for the Timber Rattlers is April 3. That is 46 days from today. This off-season, the countdown will be based on books. Each day between now and Opening Day 2008, I will pick a random book out of my library and excerpt a passage off the page number corresponding with the number of days remaining to the first pitch of the new season. I will try not to repeat a book during the countdown.

Today’s book is The One Tree by Stephen R. Donaldson. This is book two in the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I had forgotten this part -- no, not the part about Covenant being at the edge of death...again. One of the characters actually ---- grins...and ---- laughs.

A chuckle widened Pitchwife’s grin. His hale aura stroked Linden’s senses with a steady confidence she could not comprehend. “There, Chosen,” he said. “Hope. We cannot bespeak Covenant Giantfriend, to say that we are well. But we can move Starfare’s Gem. Mayhap he will feel the movement and be consoled.”

Move -- ? Linden’s lips formed words she could not utter. You’re kidding.

Heft Galewrath addressed her stolidly. “I can make no beginning until dawn. We must have light. And then the answer – if I am answered – may be slow in coming. Will the Giantfriend endure so long?”

“He – “ Linden fought the extremity which closed her throat. He brain kept repeating, Move Starfare’s Gem? Without wind? “I don’t know. He has the power. Maybe – maybe what he’s doing will slow down the venom. He’s shut his mind to everything else. Maybe he’s stopped the venom too. If he has – “ She struggled to achieve a coherent assessment. “He’ll live until the venom eats through his heart. Or until he starves to death.”

Put today’s excerpt in a baseball context.