When it was clear that Bill was dying, Bob visited him every day.
One day Bob said, 'Bill, we both loved playing baseball all our lives, and we played all through High School. Please do me one favor: when you get to Heaven, somehow you must let me know if there's baseball there.'
Bill looked up at Bob from his deathbed and said, 'Bob, you've been my best friend for many years. If it's at all possible, I'll do this favor for you.'
Shortly after that, Bill passed on.
A few nights later, Bob was awakened from a sound sleep by a blinding flash of white light and a voice calling out to him, 'Bob, Bob.'
'Who is it', asked Bob, sitting up suddenly. 'Who is it?'
'Bob -- it's me, Bill.'
'You're not Bill. Bill just died.'
'I'm telling you, it's me, Bill,' insisted the voice.
'Bill! Where are you?'
'In Heaven,' replied Bill. 'I have some really good news and a little bad news.'
'Tell me the good news first,' said Bob.
'The good news,' Bill said, 'is that there's baseball in Heaven. Better yet all of our old buddies who died before us are here, too. Better than that, we're all young again. Better still, it's always springtime, and it never rains or snows. And best of all, we can play baseball all day long, and we never get tired.'
'That's fantastic,' said Bob. 'It's beyond my wildest dreams!
So what's the bad news?'
'You're pitching Tuesday.'
