1 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: Hello friends, it's Mr Jim and welcome back to Kids 2 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: Short Stories. Today's story comes to us from Grayson and 3 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,319 Speaker 1: my Hey, guys, they sent me an awesome idea for 4 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 1: a story, and you can too. Just head over to 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: kids short stories dot com. Send me your idea and 6 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: maybe we'll turn it into an awesome adventure. Are you 7 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: guys ready for a game of baseball that is saved 8 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: by an underwater mermaid. I don't know how in the 9 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: world that's gonna go, but me too. Let's go. It 10 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: was a beautiful day on a Saturday afternoon and Grayson's 11 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: team was in the championship baseball game. Have you ever 12 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:57,639 Speaker 1: played baseball before? Oh? It is super duper fun. And 13 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:01,319 Speaker 1: Grayson's team was really, really good. They had played an 14 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: entire season of games that whole season let up to 15 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 1: this very game. Since this was a championship game, they 16 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: were playing on a very special field. It was in 17 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: a beautiful location, just on the edge of the ocean, 18 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: and so if you hit the ball over the fence 19 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:27,279 Speaker 1: for a home run, the ball with sail right into 20 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 1: the water. Every kid dreamed of not only playing in 21 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: this field, but smashing the ball over the fence Grayson, Grayson, Grayson. 22 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: The crowd was cheering his name as he stepped up 23 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: to the plate. It was the end of the game, 24 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: the bottom of the ninth, and their team was down 25 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: by two runs. The score was five to three. It 26 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: was up to Grayson to get on base so that 27 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: another one of his teammates could hit a hit and 28 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: drive him home. But they needed to score two runs 29 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:09,239 Speaker 1: to tie or three runs to win. Grayson's feet dug 30 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 1: into the dirt to get a better grip. As he 31 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: held onto the bat with all his might, he twisted 32 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 1: it in his fingers to get a better grip. He 33 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: rested the bat on his shoulder, and here comes the 34 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 1: first pitch. Still rock one, screamed the umpire as the 35 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: ball went right down the middle into the catcher's mint. 36 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: But Grayson was not afraid. He knew how to take 37 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: a deep breath, calm down, and get ready for the 38 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: next pitch. As the pitcher held the ball in his hand, 39 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: he got ready to throw it, so strike two, yelled 40 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: the umpire. Grayson was waiting for his pitch. He knew 41 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: that he wasn't gonna swing at something that was going 42 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: to trick him, and that is an important part of baseball. 43 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: You have to be patient. You have to wait for 44 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: a really good pitch that you can swing hard at 45 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: and crushed the ball. Grayson knew that he was down 46 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: to his last strike. That means if he gets another strike, 47 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: he's out. Well, that did not face him. The pitcher 48 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: gripped the ball. Grayson was ready. He squinted his eyes 49 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: and locked in on the pitcher's fingers. He knew the 50 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:30,919 Speaker 1: grip on the pitcher's hand and he knew what pitch 51 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 1: was going to come. As the pitcher threw the ball, 52 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: Grayson turned and swung the bat as hard as he could. 53 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: The sound of the ball hitting the bat was a 54 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: cracking sound that could be heard from miles away. As 55 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: the ball lifted off his bat, it took off like 56 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: a rocket ship. Whoa. The crowd began shouting as Grayson 57 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: started running for first base. Before he even made it 58 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: to first base, the ball had splashed into the ocean. 59 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: The score was now five to four. Their team was 60 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: getting so close to tying or even maybe winning the game. 61 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: Grayson rounded the bases and stepped on home plate as 62 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: his team was waiting for him there and jumped all 63 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: over him. That is a really good feeling when you're 64 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: on a team and you do something awesome and your 65 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: team is able to celebrate with you, or if someone 66 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,480 Speaker 1: else on your team does something awesome and you can 67 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: celebrate with them, that is a really special feeling. That's 68 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: what I love about being on a team. Like, whether 69 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: that's soccer or football, basketball or baseball, being on a 70 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: team is something pretty special. After the team sat back 71 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: down on their bench, the umpire walked over to the 72 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: coach to ask for a new ball, because remember that 73 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: old ball is now floating somewhere in the ocean. Grayson's 74 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: coach turned around to look for their bucket of balls. 75 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: You see, every team, they always carry a big bucket 76 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: full of baseballs that can they can use during the game. 77 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: And as he turned around, the bucket was missing. Where 78 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: did the bucket go? Cried the coach. Everybody started looking around, 79 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: but nobody could find any more baseballs. They are all missing. 80 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 1: The umpire walked onto the field and made an announcement 81 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: to everyone. If you're unable to find another baseball for 82 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: the game, the game will be forfeited and the other 83 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: team will win. Grayson and his whole team was completely crushed. 84 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: What are we gonna do? Where did all those baseballs go? 85 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: Said one of his teammates. I don't know, but that 86 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: ball I hid into the ocean. It's probably still floating 87 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: out there. Maybe I could go get it. Grayson took 88 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: off running as his team continued to look for any baseballs. 89 00:05:56,440 --> 00:06:00,159 Speaker 1: Without a baseball, the game would be forfeited and they 90 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: would lose. Grayson hopped over the fence to the field. 91 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,920 Speaker 1: On the other side was a steep, pretty steep drop 92 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: of rocks all the way down to the ocean. He 93 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: carefully hopped down one by one by one and was 94 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 1: met by a big, crashing, wet wave. As the water 95 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:24,119 Speaker 1: sprayed in his face, he looked around and couldn't see 96 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: the ball anywhere. To continue the story, we actually have 97 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: to go back in time, back in time about ten 98 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: minutes ago, you know, right when Grayson hit that big 99 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: home run. As the ball was sailing through the air 100 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 1: and came churs splashing into the ocean, it actually knocked 101 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 1: onto Maya's tail. Oh who is that is that? Like? 102 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: A Oh my goodness. As Maya the Mermaid turned around, 103 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: she saw something she'd never seen before. She picked it 104 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: up in her end and swam down deeper into the ocean. 105 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 1: She couldn't wait to show all of her friends. Girls, 106 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 1: look at this, Look at this, said Maya. I think 107 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: i my tail was just hit by an asteroid from space. 108 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: Look at this crazy thing. The mermaids began passing this 109 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: baseball around, which they thought was some kind of asteroid 110 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: from space, and they were completely in awe of this 111 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: white ball. Oh my goodness, Maya, is your tail Okay 112 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: didn't catch on fire when that thing from space hit it. 113 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: They all turned around and looked at Maya's tail, inspecting 114 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: for any burn damages or maybe alien juice. No, no, 115 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: no alien juice, and and no burn marks. Huh wait 116 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: a second, Maybe it's not from outer space. Maybe it 117 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: came from somewhere else. Then Maya had a great idea. 118 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: We should go as that old turtle. He knows everything, 119 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: and I bet he would know what this thing is. 120 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: As they swam together as a flock of mermaids, um, wait, 121 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: what do you call a group of mermaids? Is it 122 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: a flock or a gang or a club? No, I'm 123 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: gonna go with flock. It kind of feels like flock. 124 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: As they're gliding through the air. It's kind of like birds. 125 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: As Maya and her friends were swimming through the ocean 126 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: looking for this very, very old turtle, they found him 127 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: swimming through some kelp forest. Hello, mr, sea turtle, it's Maya. O. 128 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: Hello Maya. I haven't seen you in years. Wow, you 129 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: look so big now. Oh how are you doing today? 130 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 1: Oh I'm I'm doing great, said Maya, except I got 131 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 1: hit on my tail with some kind of I don't know, 132 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 1: either an alien egg or an asteroid. I'm not sure 133 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:04,719 Speaker 1: what it is, and I thought maybe you would know. 134 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: Here she handed the sea turtle the baseball. Oh my, 135 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 1: that is not an alien egg and not an asteroid 136 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: that my friend is. He's a baseball. What is a baseball? 137 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: Is it like made of gold or diamonds? Or is 138 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 1: it rare? And what is it? Oh? No, no, no, 139 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: a baseball is what humans? Uh? They hit with sticks 140 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:39,559 Speaker 1: made of wood. Oh my, was this baseball mean to 141 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: the humans? She asked. Oh. I'm not sure, but it 142 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: seems to be some sort of game that they play, 143 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 1: throwing this ball around and whacking it with sticks. Wow, 144 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: humans are strange, said Maya. You should probably swim up 145 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: to the surface and just throw it back to where 146 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:06,359 Speaker 1: it came from and be done with it. Uh okay. 147 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: Maya and her friends swam away and waved goodbye to 148 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 1: the sea turtle. They swam back up to the surface 149 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 1: where Maya had been hit by that baseball. She popped 150 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: her head out of water, and there was Grayson. Remember, 151 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: Grayson had come down to the shore. He was looking 152 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: for the baseball, and now he's staring at a mermaid. 153 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:32,839 Speaker 1: Maya had never seen a person before, and Grayson had 154 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 1: never seen a mermaid before. They were just in shock. 155 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: And then Maya took the ball and threw it back 156 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: towards Grayson, who caught it in his hand. Grayson shook 157 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: the water off the baseball and then looked back up 158 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: and Maya the mermaid had vanished. He wasn't exactly sure 159 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: if he was seeing things or if that was real, 160 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:56,679 Speaker 1: but all that mattered was he had the baseball. He 161 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: ran back to the field and his team screamed in 162 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: triumph as they saw Grace and holding the ball above 163 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 1: his head. Play Ball, shouted the umpire. What an amazing adventure. 164 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:18,079 Speaker 1: This may be the end of today's story, but I 165 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: think it's just the beginning of something amazing, something maybe 166 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: even magical. That is about to happen the end. Great 167 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 1: job you listen to all the way to the end, 168 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 1: and you know what time it days, It's time for 169 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: kid shout out. I want to give a very special 170 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 1: hello to the little Seats pre K in Michigan. Hey guys, 171 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,199 Speaker 1: and I want to say hello to Annesley from South Carolina, 172 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: Becket and Foster from Canada, Moshi from New Jersey, Spire 173 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: from British Columbia, Breiden from Ontario, and Boppy and Levi 174 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: from Massachusetts. I'm so glad that you're all in the 175 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: kids short sorry, his family, and on our spy team. 176 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,960 Speaker 1: We could not stop Doctor Stinky Breath and his crew 177 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: without you, my friends, it would mean so much to 178 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: me if you left a review on Apple Podcast sharing 179 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: how much you love this podcast. Well, my friends, oh you, 180 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 1: I'm a super duper day. I'll see you next time. Bye.