Sorry Dad

I made a mistake. Apparently it was a big one. I think some of you out there will understand how desperate I felt in the moment though. Riley couldn't find his baseball. He wanted to play really bad. We couldn't find a ball anywhere. His chin started shaking and those big brown eyes welled up with tears.
"You lost my baseball, mama."
"I'll find one. I promise."
I knew there had to be one around this house somewhere. I frantically searched through the garage. I found a softball. I took it to him. He shook his head no. He stood there waiting patiently but with tears streaming. "Did you find it yet, mama?"
"Not yet." I resumed my search and I could feel myself starting to panic. Then I spotted it. A ball sitting in a case. Probably not that important. After all, every single ball we play with is one of John Sidney's game balls from either highschool or college saved for some sentimental reason. He had never gotten mad before. I grabbed it. We went outside and played. He found a marker and scribbled his signature alongside the autograph on it when we got back inside. I was still unconcerned. Then I overheard this conversation when John Sidney got home from work..."Wait- YOUR MOTHER got it out of the case and GAVE it to you."
"Yeah- mama found it."
"ROBIN!!!!!"

Sorry, Sid- I know Nolan Ryan is in the Hall of Fame. But hey, think about it this way- maybe Riley will be a Hall of Famer one day and then the ball will be valuable again because it will have both of their signatures, huh?