Take Me Out To The Ball Game (that's sarcasm)

Erin & I braved the wilds of Durham last Friday to take the boys to see a Durham Bulls game. After collecting the kids from here and yonder, we wound our way down back roads and through rush hour traffic to arrive at the game about ten minutes before the starting parade.

We were supposed to be meeting Ashlee and Matthew's Boy Scouts (or Bean Scouts, as E calls them) pack at the gate as we had pre-paid for our tix and they were picking them up. Things didn't go as planned - surprise! Ashlee was there as promised, but after waiting a good 20 minutes for someone from the Scouts to bring us our tix, Erin convinced the ticket staff to let her go into the stadium to find the Scout leader.

Another 15 minutes later and she was back with our golden tix. The good news is the boys could care less how much of the game we'd missed or that the pack were completely and totally unconcerned with the fact that they screwed us. So, we spent another 10 minutes letting them run wild all over the souvenir shop and get their pictures taken with Wool E. Bully.

By the time we finally got up to our nosebleed seats (way back behind first base, by the lawn section), the game was already into the 3rd inning. At this point, no one in our group really cared much for what was happening on the field. Mat made a bee line for his Scouts friends, Javi and E were buzzing with excitement over their new ball (Javi) and bat (E). But, what they were really focused on was Wool E Bully (or Willy Dilly as E kept calling him). They wanted to know where he was at all times and seemed restless when they couldn't spot him in the crowd - which meant they took turns taking pictures.

The food situation was crazy as well. Who knew a park could sell out of veggie dogs? I mean, I know Durham is the new bastion of hippydippy liberalness and that it's right next door to Chapel Hill, but dude. It's a veggie dog. Only one vendor still had them and we had to stand in line for a good 10 minutes to get it - and then they just warmed it in the microwave. What was really great tho was the guy who sold it to us. He was one of those who looks perpetually surprised and is super hyper to boot. Ashlee does a great impression of him.


So, after a veggie dog, cheese pizza, a plate of nachos, chocolate Goodberry's and a lemonade, every one in our group was satisfied and the game was winding to a close. By the top of the ninth, the Bulls were tied with the other team (we don't even remember who was playing) and we were packing up our stuff to beat the crowds on the way out (did I mention the 30 minute parking ordeal?).


But, despite the chaos and heat of the night, Javi's spirits weren't dampened and he had no intention of leaving the stadium without scaling the rock wall. I plunked down the $5 for 2 climbs and the child scaled the wall twice in the time it took a much older kid to get just halfway up. It was hilarious mainly because (1) Javi often pulled himself up using his arms only with his monkey legs dangling uselessly and (2) when he got down he yelled "Ninja Warrior!" Yes, we watch a lot of G4.

I thought we'd be able to leave the ball park, but Javi had other plans. There was no way he was leaving without Wool E Bully's autograph. I took him around the concourse to find the bull - and there he was, standing on top of the Bulls' dugout pepping up the crowd. What does my kid do? He runs down the aisle to the dugout, climbs on top of it, runs over to Wool E and holds his ball up. Meanwhile, I'm yelling at him to get down and Wool E is motioning for him to get down. Javi just holds his ball higher until he is placed back down on the ground.


But guess what? The child got his ball autographed, jumped back up on the dugout and ran back to the steps where I was. He was completely nonplussed by the whole experience and let me know he was ready to go. We took the back way out of the park and let the kids watch the fireworks display from there.


All in all, it was a pretty fun night even though the adults were pissed off at the Bean Scouts and the kids couldn't have cared less about the game. In fact, Javi had so much fun he asked me this morning (before his last day of school) if we could go back tonight. No thanks, kid. I'm still recovering from last Friday!