Celli ([info]celli) wrote in [info]sn_playbook,
2007-05-02 23:31:00
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Prologue (Thirty-Eight Maps) by Celli Lane

Author: [info]celli
Rating: G
Pairing: Dan/Casey
Count: 430 words
Summary: This book isn't a love story in the traditional sense.
Notes: Thanks to [info]slodwick for the beta.


Prologue (Thirty-Eight Maps)
by Celli Lane

We hope it's a reflection on society and not the quality of our show that when you think of "Sports Night," you probably don't think about the stories we broke or the hard work we put into every show. Instead, you're more likely to think of tabloid headlines and Entertainment Tonight special reports. (If you haven't heard of it, type "Casey McCall kissing Dan Rydell" into any search engine on the Internet, and you'll be brought up to speed immediately. Also, we'd like to know if your desert island has any vacancies.)

It wasn't Casey's idea to go on this tour, and it wasn't Dan's either. The idea was the brainchild of a young man named Charlie McCall.

"Aren't you retired, kind of?" he asked us not long after our last show. "And isn't this what every old guy wants to do when he retires?"

We weren't (that) old, but we were retired, in a de facto sense. And, honestly, getting out of town--and out of our own heads--seemed like a wise course of action. So we loaded down a secondhand Jeep with suitcases, junk food, and thirty-eight maps, and we were off.

This book isn't a love story in the traditional sense. That part had already happened before we drove out of New York. But a trip like this gives you the opportunity to fall in love over and over again: the beauty of an open road, the crack-crack-crack of batting practice, the sheer bliss that is a game-day hot dog, the joy of a well-reasoned argument between rival fans (or at least the educational benefits of learning new insults from them).

We'll introduce you to some of the people we met along our journey. Some are ballplayers, but only a few; most you've never heard of. Most we'd never heard of until we met them in line at the concession stand or in the bleachers. A lot of them had heard about us, and we garnered our share of sidelong looks and overheard comments, but the average baseball fan couldn't have cared less about the two of us and where we came from, as long as we had a solid opinion on the pennant race. (And we did. Oh, we did indeed.)

So let's get started: it's time for a night game at Wrigley Field, and a rather shocking surprise for the St. Louis Cardinals.

You're reading Take Me Out to the Ballgame: A Journey Through an American Season. We're glad to have you along.

Casey McCall & Dan Rydell
New York City
October 30, 2004
Tags: ballgame challenge

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[info]lucia_tanaka

May 3 2007, 04:40:41 UTC 5 years ago

The opening paragraph = grr, stupid gossipy morons.

Everything else = could you write this book now, please? It'd be really quite beautiful and fun and poignant and... ♥


Very nice ficlet.

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:35:17 UTC 5 years ago

Aw, thanks so much!

[info]inmyriadbits

May 3 2007, 05:03:33 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, I love the boys so much. And I would love to read their book, despite knowing nothing about baseball, because I just know they would give me more than that. I love things like this fic, that suggest so much without needing to spell it out. I mean, you just gave us a whole book in 430 words, and that's a neat trick. *adores* Also--Charlie cameo FTW! :D This has been quite the challenge for minor character appearances, hasn't it?

(Nitpicky question: did you mean to date it October 30, 1999? Because that means you're going AU mid-S2...)

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:40:47 UTC 5 years ago

I'd love to read this book too, for the same reason. *g*

Thanks! (and double thanks for catching my date!)

[info]delurker

May 3 2007, 05:29:03 UTC 5 years ago

Awesome!

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:51:31 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you!

[info]speshope

May 3 2007, 05:34:22 UTC 5 years ago

Yes, please. Where can I buy this book? This little blurb not only oozes Casey and Dan but it tempts me with it's promise of Americana. I love me some Americana.

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:51:53 UTC 5 years ago

Americana for the win. :)

[info]lydiabell

May 3 2007, 05:52:41 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, lovely. I want this to be an audiobook I can listen to on a long car drive. :)

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:52:38 UTC 5 years ago

Thanks so much!

[info]miasnape

May 3 2007, 06:05:07 UTC 5 years ago

The tone of this is just perfect. I love the way it hints at this whole journey of experiences for the two of them, and I so want to read this book, which, you know, sucks 'cause I can't.
Also? I loved the thirty-eight maps thing. It just seems so Dan and Casey to start off on a road trip with, for whatever wacky, anal-retentive reasons, thirty-eight maps. Lovely.

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:53:17 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you so much! I'm thrilled you liked it. :)

[info]aworldinside

May 3 2007, 08:42:49 UTC 5 years ago

What an awesome idea for a ficlet. I liked this a lot. :)

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:53:28 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you!

[info]jcalanthe

May 3 2007, 09:01:07 UTC 5 years ago

Oh wow, I want that book desperately! I don't even like baseball and I want it. :) I love this bunches, especially the shout-out to Charlie.

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:53:45 UTC 5 years ago

*laughs* Thank you!

[info]laylee

May 3 2007, 09:16:03 UTC 5 years ago

OMG, I so want to read this book, it sounds fantastic!

*loves*

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:54:03 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you! *beam*

[info]janet_carter

May 3 2007, 11:01:23 UTC 5 years ago

♥

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:54:14 UTC 5 years ago

:D

[info]pun

May 3 2007, 11:03:18 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, boys!


You've gotten me all choked up, Celli!

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:54:30 UTC 5 years ago

Awwwww! Thank you!

[info]kassrachel

May 3 2007, 12:38:56 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, this is awesome! I would love to read this book. *g*

And I love how that last line echoes "You're watching Sports Night on CSC, so stick around."

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:55:01 UTC 5 years ago

Thanks so much! :)

[info]beledibabe

May 3 2007, 12:42:38 UTC 5 years ago

::starting line to buy this book::

;:realizes I might be in line for a while::

::buys thirty-eight maps::

::a cup of coffee::

::Sports Night DVDs::

::folding chair::

::waits...::

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:55:18 UTC 5 years ago

*giggles a lot* Thank you!

[info]deifire

May 3 2007, 12:58:47 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, this is awesome! And I'd dearly love to be able to add that book to my To Be Reviewed pile...

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:55:36 UTC 5 years ago

Me too! *g* Thank you!

[info]cosmic

May 3 2007, 13:06:25 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, wow. I love this.

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:55:50 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you!

[info]akamarykate

May 3 2007, 13:09:02 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, celli, I adore this. It's elegant and sweet and so very...so very Dan and Casey, and so very baseball. Guh.

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:56:09 UTC 5 years ago

Aw, that's awesome! Thank you!

[info]oriolegirl

May 3 2007, 13:17:57 UTC 5 years ago

Oh wow. I would buy that book.

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:56:27 UTC 5 years ago

hee! Awesome. :)

[info]soundslikej

May 3 2007, 13:20:38 UTC 5 years ago

Awwww, yay!

This is great...and I echo what they said! *points up* I want that book!

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:57:02 UTC 5 years ago

I wish I could give it to everyone! :) Thank you!

[info]gnomi

May 3 2007, 13:36:40 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, lovely!

I wanna read this book now!! :-)

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:57:42 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you! :D

[info]the_drifter

May 3 2007, 15:42:52 UTC 5 years ago

Wow.

Halfway through this, I was filled with the overwhelming desire to read this book.

Really lovely, C.

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:57:57 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you so much!

[info]lamentables

May 3 2007, 15:54:44 UTC 5 years ago

Beautiful!

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:58:11 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you!

[info]slodwick

May 3 2007, 16:02:04 UTC 5 years ago

I'll just say it: I don't want to read the book.




I want them to read it to me. ♥

[info]slodwick

May 3 2007, 16:03:17 UTC 5 years ago

Also? Hilariously enough? If you put "Casey McCall kissing Dan Rydell" into Google, there are ZERO results!

[info]celli

5 years ago

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[info]gothams3rdrobin

May 3 2007, 16:02:44 UTC 5 years ago

Oh wow....

Can I please echo everyone else's wish to read this book? Man, that'd be a bestseller!

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:59:01 UTC 5 years ago

I would totally read it. *g*

Thank you!

[info]jadelennox

May 3 2007, 16:33:27 UTC 5 years ago

I want them to write this book!

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:59:27 UTC 5 years ago

Me too! :)

[info]sansets

May 3 2007, 17:06:26 UTC 5 years ago

This is made of BRILLIANCE! ♥

[info]celli

May 5 2007, 18:59:49 UTC 5 years ago

Aw, thank you!
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