Renee had personal matters to take care of in Boston, and did not arrive in Central City until Friday afternoon, two days after Shane's departure. Theresa Jacquez met her at the airport, brought her to the park.

She was processed-in by Human Resources, given a photo ID, and then escorted up to my office. I welcomed her to Central City, asked her about her flight, and made small talk about airports, travel between Boston and CC, the difference in time zones.

I asked her if she'd met Fritz Meentz and Mike O'Ryan yet, and Theresa said they planned to do that next.

I could have called Mike and Fritz and ordered them to my office right then and there. I probably should have. But the chance slipped by, and I continued the small talk, asking her if she liked the apartment Theresa had found for her. She said she hadn't seen it yet because they'd come straight to the park from the airport, and I said I imagine you're pretty anxious to see your new home and get yourself settled in, etc., etc.

After leaving my office, Theresa took Renee to meet Mike, but he wasn't at his desk. She wrote him a note: we came to see you but you weren't here. Told him how to get hold of Renee. She went to her own office then and called Fritz from there. Same result. He wasn't around. So she left him a message too.

Mike was with Dick Reynolds, and Fritz was at the loading dock. With a little persistence, Theresa would have found them. And should have. But she was anxious to get out of there. It was late Friday afternoon, the weekend was starting, and she'd already spent more time with Renee than she'd expected.

They drove to the apartment, went into it, and Renee's response was instant: "I can't live here!" She didn't like the colors, the furnishings, the wallpaper, the size, the layout, the bathroom, you name it.

And why wasn't the apartment near the ballpark? And how is she supposed to get to the ballpark?

It had been a full week for her, and a long day. That's her excuse, I suppose. That's the explanation.

Renee said it's not like she doesn't know how to find an apartment on her own, she's done it before and she's willing to do it here in Central City. She talked about how they did things in her hometown. In Boston they have this and in Boston they have that, and in Boston they have the "T." And that's how you get to the ballpark.

Theresa was close to losing her temper. She felt her city was being attacked, her abilities questioned. But then she considered Renee's plight: someone away from home and in a strange city where she has no friends and doesn't know anyone. She took Renee to a neighborhood restaurant. Turned the situation around.

The meal was pleasant, and Renee was very grateful, thanked her for all she had done. Afterward Theresa drove her to a nearby motel, the El Dorado, and Renee decided it was a nice enough place to stay.

She checked in in time to watch the Champs beat the Tigers on TV. She liked what she saw. A big noisy crowd that yelled "Trust Me." A team that had a player named Bartolomeo "Bee" Jacquez. Who just had to be related to Theresa. Right?

She got on the phone and let the folks in Boston know she'd arrived and was okay and expected to start work tomorrow.