Keep on Trying
Monday, May 14, 2012
OLeif worked in his personal library all day, given transport issues for the afternoon and evening’s activities.
Puck slurp-chomped a green apple popsicle while Collette finished the cleaning and light packing.
A 1:20 inspection for the motorcycle drew OLeif away from the desk, which would involve a blinker repair at another date in the near future prior to passing.
And 3:00 sent them on their way down the highway.
Puck was spending the night at the house, given the certain late to late-late hour of the evening.
Dr. Pepper for OLeif. A pack of blueberry-orange Layers for Collette.
OLeif dropped in at the seminary for his latest sermon report card, which wasn’t there as promised. Academia…
Trader Joe’s drop-in – crowded Brentwood – banana chips, cashews, and some kind of Italian-ish caramel wafer sandwich cookie.
Parking at the Arch garage provided a decent walk past the arbored grounds, several chaps with cardboard signs, past the shining silver giant, over the highway, and a few blocks around the city to baseball heaven.
Another voucher was redeemed at the window for an August game.
And through the gates.
6:05 brought the first pitch at the hand of Jake Westbrook.
And… oh boy.
It would have been pretty awesome, with Lance’s double, then RBI single to start things off after the Cubs were already up, 4-0. And then a very cool 3-4-5 double play when he charged the bunter, caught the ball, and cut off the lead runner at 3rd, then back to first, but…
Still a tough loss. 4th in a row.
The evening was fun though, and everything – even with the Cubs fans across the aisle getting their one year-old to chant, “Go Cubs! Go Cubs!”, and then looking around to see who thought it was cute.
No one thought it was cute.
Then the two year-old, barefoot, plugged up the aisle the whole night, crawling on the cement, eating popcorn out of a drink tray, swinging from the railings. His uncle saved him from a diving face plant the first time.
Some Cards fans thought he was cute, including OLeif, apparently, who was never really bothered by anyone or anything.
Although, being the courteous Cards fans that the packed stadium tended to be of course, when he inevitably fell and cut his lip, the crowd was sympathetic and directed them to a First Aid station.
With the final score, the tens of thousands drained into the warm city air of the streets chanting, laughing, and half-drunkedly doing what they do. And for the other third, it was enough to just find the car and hit the road for home before an early Tuesday work day.
But the boys in red just kept on keeping on.
The ride home was about 10:30.
QT was always open, offering cheeseburger dogs, chicken wraps, potato chips, lemonade, and root beer. Other Cards fans were also straggling in for pick-me-ups.