Hello, Mr. Wong
So the thing about being a Cards fan living in St. Louis is that there are actually just too many intriguing opportunities to meet and observe the players in their natural – and unnatural – habitats. An example of unnatural habitat? Chesterfield Mall on a rainy Thursday night in June.
Who cares how many pennies I had to count at Vacation Bible School that morning. Or how many decibels cracked my ear drums from screaming children during three hours of hyperactive tropical-themed song-and-dance routines, while I counted those pennies. Irish and I were on a mission to get Kolten Wong’s autograph on a baseball already crowded with faded Sharpies from years past.
Running through the rain and walking quickly through Macy’s and up the escalator, we scouted out St. Louis Sports Co. across the mall before making an official appearance. The line was long and tedious. So we kept walking. Mostly because we had some unfinished business to take care of first.
The candy store.
But not for ourselves of course. We debated back and forth across the various bins of shockingly colored treats. Then loaded up on rock candy, giant jaw breakers, gumballs, Lego bricks, and ring pops. Tossed in a gummy fried egg, just for fun.
By this time it was 7:45 and we re-approached the store front. Fifteen minutes before the end of the autograph line, according to our receipt. Or so we thought.
The line was empty. So was the autograph table. We might have inwardly panicked. But then we looked inside the tiny memorabilia shop across from the table. It still held a few people. Including Kolten Wong. When we explained ourselves to the lady behind the desk, she was quickly helpful and alleviated our fears that we were late:
“Come on over, girls. You’re fine. Bourjos and Descalso just had to leave for a concert. But Kolten’s still here.”
She led us right to the man himself where Irish quickly produced the bag of candy, and handed it to him:
“This is for you…”
“Aw,” he grinned, taking it. “That’s awesome!”
After he signed the baseball below Matt Carpenter’s faded signature he walked out the door – we literally cut it that close – and thanked Irish for her thoughtfulness:
“Thanks for the goodies!”
There was also a fast photo. And of course Irish closed her eyes when I snapped it. Nothing a little Photoshop can’t fix.
“Mission accomplished.” – Kronk, Emperor’s New Groove