[AZTarHeel]

As Andrew Zarzour and Josh Hamilton got ready to board their flight from Raleigh-Durham Airport to Florida to head to Spring Training, Zarzour discovered a piece of paper folded up in his jacket pocket.

He didn't remember putting anything in that pocket, so he was curious to find out what it was. He reached in and pulled out what looked to be a letter. He recognized the hand-writing immediately.


Hey Big Brother.

Well, I guess this is goodbye for a little while. I meant to tell you all this stuff last night but you know me, I'm not so good at saying gushy, mushy stuff to people, so I decided to write you a short note, which I hope you will discover sometime during your flight and not throw away thinking it's just garbage.

I just wanted to thank you for spending so much time with me during your break. Thanks for inviting me to work out with you and Josh, even though I couldn't keep up half the time.

Most of all I appreciate that you didn't want to disown me after all that happened last December. Sorry I caused you and the family so much grief over getting arrested and all that stuff. I guess it was a pretty stupid thing to do. You kept asking me why I did it, and I still don't have a good answer for you. I just saw an injustice and I tried to make it right. Or at least I tried to even the score on behalf of the victim. Hope that makes some sense. It's just how I roll, you know?

I start my community service next week. I've got to spend 80 hours over the coming months (it'll probably feel like years) working with the fire and rescue squads in Bunn. I'll probably be their grunt, washing trucks and making those guys coffee and everything. I guess it could be worse. Maybe I'll learn a thing or to. Maybe this will be the thing that, as you keep saying, turns my life around. Ha ha. Maybe not.

Also, they are making me "get involved" at my school. No, I'm not going to join the physics club or math club or anything geeky like that. I think that means I'll try out for baseball again this year after taking last year off. Maybe I should tryout for catcher after being yours so much the past couple of months. If I can catch 95 mph (my hand is still killing me) then I should be able to handle Billy Garris and Keith Whitley for a few months.

No, I'm not ready to go back to church yet. I know, I know, I'm a bad person. I just have lots of questions and don't feel ready to be around all the do-gooders there. I can't stand the stares, you know? Yes, I will call or email you if I want to talk more about that stuff. Thanks for that devotional book thing. Maybe I will look through sometime.

If I make varsity baseball, that means I'll see you in Florida in March when we come down to Vero Beach. If I don't, I'm not sure when I'll see you again. Maybe, in the playoffs in the fall! Haha.

Well, be good, Big Bro. Thanks again. I love you and all that. Since you know I don't like to hug, consider this letter as close as I come to putting my arms around another guy.

Peace. And Go Dodgers.

Timmy


Zarzour read the letter a few times over. "Ah, little brother," he said.

Now boarding first-class passengers on Flight 126, bound for Orlando. Now boarding, first-class passengers to Orlando.

Josh Hamilton picked up his bag and put an arm around Zarzour. "Alright, Big Z, let's get to Florida and kick some Major League butt. Remember our goal, Big Club by September."

At that, the two young baseball prospects high-fived one another and boarded their flight to year two of their professional careers. Zarzour stuck the letter from his younger brother safely back into his jacket pocket, a personal treasure he'll keep for a long time.

"Take care of Timmy, Lord," he whispered to himself. "He needs all the help he can get..."