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Alex Vesia, Tony Gonsolin, and Evan Phillips were driving back to Dodger Stadium after a quick run to Jack in the Box. The three pitchers had volunteered to grab some food for the team, but their return journey was interrupted by the notorious Los Angeles traffic.
As they sat in the car, Alex behind the wheel, Tony in the passenger seat, and Evan in the back, frustration began to grow. The traffic seemed endless, and they could see no sign of movement ahead. Horns blared, and impatient drivers began to express their frustration.
Suddenly, a car behind them honked loudly and incessantly. The sound pierced through the air, and the three pitchers turned their attention to the source of the noise. Alex's face contorted with anger. "Don't they know who we are?" he ranted, his voice filled with indignation.
"Right?" Evan snidely remarked with a raise of an eyebrow. "Famous pitchers like us deserve special treatment." An amused smile formed on his face, growing bigger when Alex seemed to take his comment seriously, nodding in agreement.
Tony, known for his laid-back demeanor, decided to defuse the tension. He leaned out of the window and flashed a friendly smile at the frustrated driver. "You're okay! You're okay!" he exclaimed cheerfully. The other driver seemed taken aback, unsure of how to respond. After a moment of hesitation, the driver relented, his honking fading into silence.
The traffic jam gradually began to break up, and the cars inched forward. Alex and Evan marveled at Tony's coolness under pressure. "How did you do that?" Evan asked, genuinely impressed.
Tony grinned and turned to them. "Treat babies like the babies they are. You'll understand when you're a father," he said cryptically.
Confused, Alex and Evan exchanged puzzled glances. Finally Evan broke the silence. "Tony, you don't have any kids," he pointed out. Then, after a moment's thought, added, "Unless you're talking about your cats."
Alex, though still substantially annoyed by the traffic, rolled his eyes playfully and exclaimed, "Of course he's talking about his cats! Goober!" The other two pitchers burst into laughter, not sure which one of them Alex was calling a goober. Alex couldn't help joining in the laughter after a beat, and the tension that had filled the car earlier began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of camaraderie and lightheartedness.
As they finally reached Dodger Stadium, their minds shifted back to the game ahead. The encounter with road rage had served as a reminder that even famous pitchers like themselves were not immune to the frustrations of everyday life. But in that moment, with their shared laughter echoing through the car, they found solace in the bond they shared as teammates and friends.
