First things first. I ran into Tommy John today. I was minding my own business, racing out to mail off some card packages before the post office closed. It's a small office. The space behind the counter is probably 10 feet-by-40 feet. There were a lot of people waiting, a collection of them off to the side and I didn't know if they were really in line or not. So I was in a state already. An older couple was at the front of the line talking to the post office worker. The man, tall with graying hair, was very animated, cracking jokes. Almost non-stop. When I walked in, he was talking about the dance "The Hustle" for some odd reason. And then he'd riff onto a totally different reference. And then another one. Then he turned to face the woman he was with, and I knew instantly: "That's Tommy John!" Suddenly I became uncomfortable. I wanted to be 11 again and run up to him and tell him that he was the first person I ever saw on a baseball card and...
Up all hours talking baseball, cardboard & collecting