The News from Heaven

Two 90-year-old women, Bertha and  Betty, had been friends all of their lives.

  

 When it was clear that Bertha was dying, Betty visited her every day.

  

 One day Betty said, 'Bertha, we  both loved playing softball all our lives, and we played all through high school.  Please do me one favor: when you get to heaven, somehow you  must let me  know if there's women's softball  there.  

 Bertha looked up at Betty from her deathbed and said, 'Betty, you've been my best friend for many years.  If  it's at all possible, I'll do this favor for you.

   

 Shortly  after that, Bertha  passed  on.

  

 A  few nights later, Betty  was awakened from a sound sleep by a blinding flash of white light and a voice calling out to her, 'Betty, Betty.'

  

 'Who  is it?' asked Betty, sitting up suddenly. 'Who is it?'

  

 'Betty -- it's me, Bertha.'  

  

 'You're not Bertha. Bertha just  died.'

  

 'I'm telling you, it's me,  Bertha,' insisted the voice.

  

 'Bertha! Where are you?'  

  

 'In heaven,' replied Bertha. 'I  have some really good news and a little bad news.'

  

 'Tell me the good news first,'  said Betty.

  

 'The good news,' Bertha said, 'is  that there's women's softball in heaven. Better yet, all of our old buddies who died before me are here, too.  Even better than that, we're  all young again.  Better still, it's always springtime and it never rains  or snows.  And best of all, we can play softball all we want, and we  never get tired.'

  

 'That's  fantastic,' said  Betty. 'It's beyond my wildest dream! So what's the bad news?'  

  

 'You're  pitching Tuesday.'