Emmenez-moi au jeu de boule (Take me out to the ball game)

For such a short trip I feel like I was gone for ages and this week felt like it went on FOREVER! We flew into Boston Wednesday evening (I know I said I was going Tuesday in a previous entry). We got the rental car and our trusty map and pointed ourselves in the direction of Fenway Park….. along with every other Redsox fan in Boston. We found the field and then started searching for parking. We searched and searched and searched getting further and further away from the ball park and finally found a spot for only $10.00 – I thought that was pretty good for down town Boston on a game night. We started walking and walking and walking – (really we probably only walked about a block or two but it was really humid and my hair was really ugly and it felt like it was a lot further). Fortunately, the guy I was with came up with the brilliant idea to go into a hotel and ask for the best way to get to the park – what a pleasant surprise that was – a man not only being willing to ask for directions but actually thinking of it on his own. We were guided to the closest T stop and then waited in the bowels of Boston – with every other Redsox fan – for the T to show up. There was absolutely NO air circulation WHATSOEVER in the subway – I thought I was going to die. I had to spit out my gum because my body had sweated out any remaining moisture and chewing the gum was like chewing a piece of flannel.

We got to the park and held our breath while our tickets were scanned – you see, the reputable ticket distributor we went through included a little note in with our tickets that told us to have a great time, follow all the rules, be nice to the other fans, and, oh,… if, by chance, someone asks you where you got your tickets just tell them they were a gift. Yep – we were feeling real good about getting in. It appeared that lady luck was smiling on us that night because nobody said anything to us.

We were finally there and when we walked through the portal I was completely hooked. It was SO cool! The Sox played the Texas Rangers and Barbara Bush threw out the opening pitch with George Sr. acting as catcher – although we missed that part during our trek to the park. Boston won 16 – 5. 9 of those runs were scored in the 8th inning and we left at the top of the 7th to beat traffic. We even got to see live and upfront a fight. There were some Yankee fans sitting about 15 seats and a row or 2 down from us that thought it would be fun to wear their Yankee hats. Banter went back and forth for a couple of innings but when the leader of the Yankee pack lit up a cigarette it was all over – the fans around him started getting more forceful with their ‘remarks’ and a fight erupted. Luckily the big-stupid-smoking-Yankee fan was too drunk to do too much damage. Security finally made it up there and as the big-ole-Yankee was escorted out he was serenade by the fans with a rousing rendition of “Na na na na Goodbye”.

So, even though we missed the great start and grand finale – we still had a great time and I totally get why those crazy people spend all of their vacation time traveling around the country visiting the great ball parks – it really is priceless.