Anniversaries and Baseball

I love baseball.  I like most sports but baseball is my favorite.  I played center field for most of my baseball "career" in Norwich, coached and umpired for over 12 years, and now my career is insurance.  However, if I got a call from the Red Sox asking that I help manage the team, do front office work, or clean the dugout, I would be there in a heartbeat.  And my wife married me knowing this.  So my idea of a great anniversary?  Going to a ballgame of course.  Hers?  Not so much.

For the first time ever, my wife and I went to a Red Sox game on our anniversary.  And no, we did not plan it...it just sort of happened.  The planets aligned (my wife wouldn't necessarily agree) and we ended up with the tickets.  Actually the tickets were won by my daughter in law so she and my son were all set to go, four days before our anniversary.  How did I end up with the tickets?  My daughter in law couldn't go to the game so my son offered her ticket to me (oh darn) so I sacrificed for my son and went with him to the game. Only after we got to Fenway Pahk ("Park" to those outside of Boston) did the game get rained out.  The game was postponed until the next off day the Sox had, which happened to be our anniversary.  And since my son could not make it that night my wife sacrificed for me and used my son's ticket.  You got all that? There will be a test later on, so make sure you have it straight.

So we're off on our adventure the early afternoon of our 36th anniversary.  (Remember that number, you will need to know it later on...but I digress.)  We drive to the T (subway) station and take that into Kenmore Square.  A short walk and we're at my Home Away From Home.  We have great seats which are right below the press box behind home plate with a restaurant a few feet away.  My daughter in law really knows how to win good tickets...thanks Em!  After eating we go to our seats and settle in for the game.  A waitress comes by to ask if we would like anything.  I order a coke, and she asks if I would like to run a tab...a tab...at Fenway Pahk!  YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!  So of course I say yes thinking I would pretend to be an adult.  I don't remember the last time I ran a tab - actually I don't think I have EVER run a tab so I went wild and spent a total of $12.50 for the entire game.  Yup, that's me, the last of the big time spenders!

At the pahk there are photographers that take your picture in the hopes that you will purchase the package they show you later on.  We posed and forgot about it.  Until she came back with the photo which came out good.  C'mon, it's Fenway Pahk, how could it not come out good?!?  She said to purchase one picture would cost $25 but to buy the entire set the cost would be $36.  (Does that number ring a bell?)  My wife said "wow, it's our 36th wedding anniversary!"  The couple sitting next to us literally started to yell "what?  You GOTTA buy the pictures now!"  (No peer pressure there.)  So we did.  We began to talk to our peer-pressure pals and find out that she is a divorce attorney.  What are the chances?  She called us an "icon" and gave us big time kudos which was nice.  We explain that we were high school sweethearts (awwwww) and the photographer starts shaking her head saying "stop, you're gonna make me cry!" To which I respond "then can we have the pictures for free?"  Didn't work, but I had to try.

Oh yea, there was a game going on too.  In the middle of the 8th inning, during the singing of "Sweet Caroline" the heavens opened up and there was a 40 minute rain delay.  Being under the press box we stay dry and enjoy seeing throngs of people head under cover.  Petty?  You bet.  You got a problem with that?The Sox lost 2 to 1 on a lousy call by the umpire, who admitted it after the game.  It is always fun when you have 35,000 fans screaming at the ump...good way to get rid of your frustrations!  So the game ends and we leave to go home...only after I ask the divorce attorney for her card.  Nah, not really.  You see, my wife and I have always said we would never get divorced, for two reasons; the first is that neither one of us wanted custody of the kids.  The second?  We can't afford it!  Happy Anniversary to all, and to all a good night!