the physics of an argument
The last fight I had with Simon was probably the stupidest fight I've ever had with anyone.

It was about baseball. Baseball! And because I refused to admit that he might be right, he stormed away, cursing me in his head. I know this, the same way I know whole bunches of other things I shouldn't.

Simon argued that girls' baseball - they used to call it something different, but I don't know what, and it doesn't really matter - was a "stronger" sport than boys'. A heavier ball went a shorter distance, and therefore went faster and was therefore harder to hit.

I argued that a smaller ball going a greater distance had to be thrown with a greater force and was therefore going faster and was therefore harder to hit. It was simple physics.

He ceded to me on that point, not because I was right - I'm fairly sure I was wrong - but because he was sick of arguing.

Then I brought up the bat.

What about the bat, he wanted to know.

It's round for a reason, I said, all snotty-like.

Well, of course it is.

I explained that a flat bat, though it seems like it would make more sense, is actually less practical. With a round bat, the probability of having a well-placed hit that receives unilateral force is higher. With a flat bat, it is possible to hit the ball harder, but because of the non-unilateral shape, it's less likely.

It's funny now - I don't even remember how we started arguing about baseball. It had something to do with Jayne and his arsenal of guns, something about the speed of wax-tipped bullets versus shot, something dumb like that. Wax-tipped bullets go faster but shot destroys more, just in case you're wondering. You weren't. It's okay.

Now I'd give anything to tempt Simon into winning this argument, teasing him, smiling at him, popping out of a cabinet when he and Kaylee are trying to kiss or something gross like that. He'd like that, but he wouldn't let on. At least, not with his face or his words. But I'd know it all the same.

I think I miss him.