Chapter 3: Neologisms

     "Who's on my goddamn radio?" shouts Orville as the kitchen door slams shut, cutting off the heat of a June afternoon in the Laurel foothills. "I got the Cardinals plus one-point-five!"

"Who else, Daddy?" sighs Alice, nodding over her shoulder toward the living room from her dinner preparations on the kitchen counter.

A quick glance upward from Francis sends he and Frank scrambling up the stairs before their father can catch sight of them.

     Unique communication is common between twins, be it in expressions, signals, body language, or words. When non-verbal, such interactions can be mistaken as telepathy by those outside the immediate family. 

     In the spring of 1930 the boys were obsessed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Their team had finished second in the National League the previous year, sparking hopes for a pennant run in the first year of the new decade. Each morning they'd wait in bed until they heard their father leave for the bus garage. Then they'd race down the stairs to read the sports section of the Post Gazette, Francis scanning the game scores and standings, Frank the player statistics.

     Games were played in the late afternoon at Forbes Field before lights were installed in 1940, affording a chance for the 10-year-olds to hear the play-by-play on KDKA, the first station to broadcast professional baseball games live. As exciting as it was to listen, the threat of their father's verbal wrath drove the twins to run for cover into the stifling heat of their bedroom.

     "It's the top of the ninth with the bases loaded," whispers Francis dripping with sweat as he crawls out from under the bunk beds. 

"Up to the plate steps Pie Traynor," calls an equally drenched Frank rolling out from the other side of the bottom bed that they still share on most nights. "Cookie Cutter's on first base, Cake Plate on second, Croissant Toussaint on third."

"The Buccaneers are ahead by three as Sweaty Swetonic takes the stretch," Francis exclaims, jumping into position and acting out the pitch.  "It's a mighty curve that drops a mile into the strike zone." 

"Pie slices a surprise bunt," Frank gasps, doing the same with his air bat. "It's the suicide squeeze!"

"Rocky Rossmenko leaps from behind the plate before the ball hits the dirt," screams a diving Francis.

"He whips it to Paul Waner at first who tosses to Lloyd Waner at second who throws to Winnie Waner at third," Frank giggles at the impossible play.

"And the Waner triplets pull off the first quadruple play in baseball history for the Pirates win!"