US trip - the ballpark

We are in the U.S. and I have already consumed the following: cheddar cheese, root beer, store-bought salsa, free ice water, fountain drinks, bagels, wheat thins, cheese curds (twice) sourdough bread and various items full of high-fructose corn syrup. I have done more here than just eating, but rather than give you the day-by-day chronicle of events, I’ll just pick a highlight or two. For today it's the ballpark.

During our first week in the U.S. we went to a Cubs game.  I am not a Cubs fan but I am a Wrigley Field fan. If I had to pick one experience of Americana, it would be a trip to the ballpark. Here’s why:

You walk in, and the person taking your ticket smiles, asks how you are doing, and waits for an answer. Inside, it smells like hot dogs and popcorn. People are talking, yelling even. They are loud. The people all look different – White, Black, Asian, Latino, and other backgrounds I can’t even guess at. They come in all shapes. Some are huge, some are tiny. Some look like they are fresh from the office, some might have just rolled out of bed. Odd-looking vendors shout out "High Life," "Hot dogs," "Chocolate malt cups" in voices toughened by a decade of baseball seasons. They pass beer down the row while fans pass cash from hand to hand until it reaches the aisle and there’s always a little extra in there for a tip. That’s all before the game begins. 

I like to watch the players when they are not being watched. When the cameras are on somebody else, they stretch and joke with each other and pull on their socks. Their heads follow every the movements of the pitcher and the ball and the catcher and the third base coach. Like everyone else, I like to watch them turn double plays without thinking and run the bases without even breathing hard.

There was no great baseball to watch in this game. The Angels beat the Cubs 13 - 2. We didn’t care. We sang take me out to the ballgame and listened to the organ at Wrigley. We bought a souvenir cup full of Pepsi, right out of the fountain and loaded with ice and high-fructose corn syrup. It was good to be home.