Talking Bella out of school to see The Mets

5/10/17 20:53

This was one of those events which took years to accomplish.  Three years ago, we were at church.  I was with Bella and we were walking to hall where there’s coffee and snacks after service.  I helped Ruth, an old woman retrieve her walker and she thanked me. She looked at Bella and me.  I’m not sure what triggered her memory but she said, “I remember my father taking me out of school to see the Brooklyn Dodgers play.”  That memory triggered Bella.  And on our way home, she asked if I can do the same for her.  Like I said it was years in the making.  Major League Baseball does not play many games during the game and barely any during the school year.  But I remembered.  I didn’t need to be reminded by Bella.  The child does not let anything go.  I called Ali and let her know what I wanted to do.  I put in for a day off which was approved.  She slept in that morning and we left the house around 11:00.  Before we left the house, she wanted to know who we were seeing. The Mets.  Oh, she said, I thought we were seeing the Long Island Ducks.  I explained that R.A Dickey was pitching, and he was a special pitcher since he throws a knuckle ball.  The ball floats in the air and is hard for a batter to pick up and make contact with.  I don’t think she cared.  She was off from school.  On the way in, I asked her what a full count was.  This is a question I ask her each time we are at a game.  We discussed baseball in general, the rules and the teams we were going to see.  As luck would have it, there were discount tickets in Group On, we paid $20.00 to sit at field level, but we were far back from any action, way back in the right field.  Paid $25.00 to park and I explained how The Mets use to play in Shea Stadium.  We found the bases which are marked in the parking lot.  Took pictures around the stadium and discussed Jackie Robinson.  I was at Shea when President Clinton and the commissioner retired number 42 from all teams.  She may have been off from school, but there’s always time to learn.  I bought a sausage and pepper and a Stella beer, $19.00.  She didn’t want anything to eat.  We took our seats, the sun was slightly breaking through the clouds.  It was a good day for baseball, but not for the Mets.  Matt Harvey had a great first inning and let the air out after that.  He served a three run dinger to the Brave’s catcher who was batting 166.  RA pitched well.  I saw him the day he won his 20^th on September, 27^th 2012 when he pitched for the Mets and won the Cy Young award that year.  Yes, I took that day off as well.  I read his autobiography, which is a great book.  You can say I am a fan of his, so I was happy to hear he was pitching, and it was his first start at Citi Field since he was traded five years ago.   The Mets were getting blown out of the water and we left.  We picked up Ali at work and were home in time to make it to confirmation class.   The next Sunday, I saw Ruth take her seat before service began and I made my way down to speak to her.  I have to let you know, you inspired me to take my daughter out of school to see a baseball game.  She held my hands with in her fragile grasp and remembered telling me about the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Now it’s your turn.

Thank you for reading this.