As I reflected on Opening Day 2013 yesterday I really felt good about it.
I took my son to the game, and it was the kind of day he will blog about in 2093 when I am gone. A nice quality father-son day.
I made Junior dress properly, and he had on a vinyl Mets jacket just like the one I had as a kid, and I now have the adult version. My mom wears my kiddie version which is a little snug on me. That’s it there in the picture.
He came to love tailgating. We visited Albert’s tailgate first, and Junior found it fascinating that we could walk up to some guys and they would give us food. He also was intrigued by cornhole.
Then we walked over to The Apple’s tailgate where Daddy had an adult beverage, and since Apple Parties don’t serve water I let Junior have a soda. A big giant Bloomberg-offending BIG CUP OF SODA. It was like Christmas for him.
We did a quick loop to see if “the t-shirt guy” was there but we didn’t see him. Up the escalator to “our seats” where we argued back and forth about Wright’s batting average vs. Murphy’s.
Then I realized how stupid baseball terminology is. I was explaining how Wright’s first at-bat wasn’t really an “at bat” because a walk isn’t an at-bat it is a plate appearance and….even I thought it made no sense.
He turned on Ike Davis after the first strike out. Ike would not have a good day with the 4th graders.
Eventually I realized I needed to go downstairs to pick up a green Mets cap that Dan had gotten from…long story…anyway I needed to meet Dan.
Dan was in The 7 Line’s section in CF. I walked right past the usher and grabbed the two seats in the row next to Randy (The Apple) and Kerel (On The Black) and we hung with Dan and Pete (the king of Mercury Mets gear).
We were in big time chatterbox mode when Cowgill homered. Junior would later tell me that was his favorite part even though he liked the seats upstairs better.
On the way out I said hi to Darren…Junior liked that I know “the t-shirt guy.”
I had to work a few hours Monday night but when I got home My Mom knew all about Albert and the soda and “the t-shirt guy.”
A really nice night.
On Tuesday when I got home from work at MI-6 there was a large box. Even I was confounded. Had I ordered another jersey?
No, it was my wife’s birthday present but I knew that I had had a good day with Junior on Monday because my youngest daughter said “it’s probably a Cowgill jersey.”
I’m glad Junior enjoyed his first tailgate experience and you enjoyed your steak sandwich. 🙂 Look forward to having you guys in years to come.
I like that jacket btw… nice post.