The Zombie Who Loved Baseball

Leo hated spinach. Every time his mom put those green leaves on his plate, he made a face. "It's like eating little green trees," he'd grumble.

One afternoon, Leo was playing baseball in his backyard when he heard a strange sound from behind the old oak tree. *Thwack.* Someone had hit his baseball!

Leo peeked around the trunk and gasped. Standing there was a zombie! But this wasn't a scary zombie like in movies. He wore a dusty old baseball cap and held a worn wooden bat.

"Nice throw," the zombie said, his voice sounding like dry leaves. "I'm Benny. I used to play for the Pineville Pirates, back when your grandpa was a little boy."

Leo couldn't believe it. "You're a zombie... but you seem friendly."

Benny smiled, showing a slightly crooked tooth. "Being different doesn't mean being scary. I may look a bit unusual, but inside, I still love baseball. Want to play?"

They played catch all afternoon. Benny told Leo stories about the old days, when baseball was played in wool uniforms and players didn't wear helmets. Leo showed Benny his pitching technique, and Benny taught him how to bunt.

When the sun began to set, Benny looked at Leo's garden. "You know, I used to hate spinach too. But then I learned something — the things that seem yucky at first might turn out to be your greatest strengths."

"How?" Leo asked.

"Spinach gave Popeye his muscles, right?" Benny winked. "And spinach gave me the energy to hit home runs. Sometimes the things we resist the most are exactly what we need."

That night at dinner, Leo looked at the spinach on his plate. He thought about Benny — someone everyone might fear, but who turned out to be the best friend he'd ever made.

Leo took a bite. Then another. "You know, Mom," he said with a smile, "spinach isn't so bad after all. It's full of surprises — kind of like friends."