Take me out to the ballgame....

As I've stated before, I like to spend my days off living the OC life. So last night when Court suggested we go to the Angel game today, I was stoked! What better way to get us into summer ( yes we do have seasons here that aren't summer!) than to hit Angels stadium for an afternoon game?  And let me add this..they will always be the Anaheim Angels!  The Indians were in town (Cleveland) so there were plenty of tickets available..and plenty of empty seats. Just try getting a ticket when the Yankees or Redsox are in town.  You won't find those "loyal season ticket holders" selling their tickets on ebay or stubhub for those games!  Not to mention the ANAHEIM Ducks were playing in the Stanley Cup Finals across the freeway.  And it was an afternoon game,so some people were probably working..either way the stadium wasn't very full. 
  So we drove for like 5 minutes, payed our 10 bucks to park, and bought our very inexpensive tickets at the box office.  We chose the Right Field Pavilion..based on price and the fact that it is actually called the Budweiser Pavilion.  I also have a fond affinity for Right Field from a players perspective..for those of you who knew me during my short lived little league career..that was always where I was placed.  Given the fact that there were very few left handed batters in little league.  My athletic ability, among others, is much better now and I in fact play Third Base, Shortstop and Left Center..in my psuedo adult co-ed softball league..living the dream! 
   We found our seats, and immediately began the discussion of "who will get the beer and who will get the food"?  We decided that there would be "No man left behind", she would go for beers,and I would go for food..well it's not really "food" but it works great with beer and baseball.  She gave me some money.  We met back at our seats. She had $20 worth of 2 large beers in "collectible" Angels plastic mugs that light up...and I had $21 worth of 2 hotdogs, 1 bag of peanuts, and 1 order of "build your own nachos" complete with baggies of jalapeno peppers.  Play Ball!  oh yeah, I forgot to mention that during the national anthem, if you are walking to your seats you are "expected" to stop, remove cover(hats..it's a military term), and turn your attention to the nearest American flag.  I love this, and it's actually very moving to witness..unless you are dead center centerfield at Angels Stadium..this is where..timing with the performance, they SHOOT OFF FIREWORKS!  The rockets red glare isn't the issue..it's the smoke that consumes you..and you can't move. 
   Oh how the first 4 innings were awesome..The sun, the food, the beers, the inside the park homerun with a man on.  Me amazing my wife with my abilitly to call strikes from that distance, before the homeplate umpire could..aaah the good life.  And then the invasion.  Suddenly our nice little section was overtaken.  The seven seats in front of us became occupied by three adults and four boys..all under the age of 4!  Before the siege I had actually commented to Court that I thought we were in the "alternative lifestyle" section..based on the three lesbian couples and the one guy behind us!  Boy was I wrong.  That brings me to my point of this blog.
  You can't take children everywhere you want to go.  And you shouldn't take children where you "think" you should.  These boys are probably great kids, but they spent the entire time (before we decided to move) kicking the seats in front of them.  Could be because we watched the parents give them suckers and licorice!  The parents weren't even interested in watching the game!  At one point the "mom" actually asked the boys if they wanted to move down a few rows and to the left so they wouldn't bother the people in front of them..and behind.  Rather than realizing that they shouldn't be there in the first place..her solution was to "move" the kids away from her and their dad.  I will say that we witnessed several dad's bringing their kids to the game..and can't speak about how those kids behaved, but this was a prime example of parents not thinking.   Happens in movie theatres and restaurants all the time..but that's another blog! 
  In the process of moving seats..and getting another beer, we ran into some of Court's co-workers and finished out the game sitting with them and having a great time..We left in the 10th inning and the Angels went on to win it in 12..
  One of my favorite movies of all time is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Those of you who've seen it will probably never forget the character who was in charge of rounding up all the children and hiding them beneath the castle.  The King wanted a world without children.  If you've not seen this movie, buy it and watch it with your kids..or by yourself.  I cannot imagine a world without children.  You all know how much I love kids..I am that "uncle"!  But if they're not ready to attend a ballgame, a movie or sit at a restaurant, please don't bring them.  Their attention span is alot shorter than ours.  Besides..you can teach them alot about the game watching it on TV like my dad did...
  To the parents that brought those kids to the game only to ask them to move..."Swing and a miss" you're out!  in Tommy's World.