The Last Out.
It's the bottom of the 10th.
The Cubs are up by a run on the Indians in the last seconds of the 2016 World Series.
Joe Maddon has gone through every weird ass pitching change in the world, and after using up every last drop of every last pitcher he trusts, he puts in Mike Montgomery to get that last out.
Everybody in the country is bleary-eyed and staring with open mouths at this moment.
Michael Martinez, who was put out in right an inning before as a glove, is at the plate.
Montgomery throws a hook for a strike.
Martinez doesn't look like he should be the last gasp for a really good Cleveland team.
He just looks like somebody in a... baseball outfit (I didn't say "uniform" on purpose).
Montgomery throws another hook, and Martinez hits a dribbler towards Kris Bryant that's so badly struck it's just.. that side of a bunt.
It's moving so slowly that Joe Buck actually thinks Martinez might make it to first and says something like, "That's going to be a tough play".
You know how when you look at the sun and close your eyes, the image sticks behind your eyelids?
That happened next, only instead of the sun it was Kris Bryant.
He's smiling - goofily - ear to ear.
He scoops up the ball and throws.
Martinez is out and the Cubs win the World Series.
My head pops like a bubble, but I can't get Bryant's smile off my retinas.
He had such confidence in his baseball ability that he started smiling before he made the play.
By a couple seconds, he cheated the thing that has ruined our lives for all our lives.
I swear all the Cub things, the bad things, flashed in front of my eyes while the ball was taking it's time getting to Bryant's glove.
OHHH NOOOO HE DROPPED THE BAAAALLLLL OOHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOO said Ron Santo.
MOISES ALOU IS POINTING TO A FAN IN THE STANDS said Steve Stone.
THERE'S A BLACK CAT ON THE PLAYING FIELD said somebody in the stands in '69.
But then I see Bryant's smile, and I think this is where it all changed.
The Cubs really aren't that team any more, and they knew it way before me.
They're the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs.
And we are finally free.
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