Brewer Fever…

I think that is what we called it back in the 1980s and while they may not have such a story book year as all that… I have enjoyed the “better then they have been in a long time” season. So when Anna Mae, on her way home from T-ball asked if we could all go to a Brewer game for her birthday, I though it was a great idea.

Grandma didn’t – she doesn’t “do Brewer games” and so I realized it was not going to be the huge tailgating affair that I first imagined. This proved to be true as the family seemed split right down the middle. Karen and Dad would be there for sure they said. Mom and Cori were Not going to be there for sure they said (in Cori’s defense she does have a new baby). I suggested that both Tim and Cori ask Brian if he wanted to go – I am guessing that neither did because he actually acted surprised that the rest of us had not included him. I am guessing that his years of avoiding typical organized team sports may have wrongly led them to believe that he wouldn’t want to go – but you know what they say about the word “assume.” Regardless, we needed Ella by request of the birthday girl, so because Mom was staying home we traded for Tru and Grace and went to the game as a group of seven.

But, let’s back up a little… The day before the game I asked Ella if she knew where we were going for Anna’s Birthday. She said, “a game.”

Good, “right.”

Anna jumped in, “Do you know what kind of game?”

“No, I do not know,” she answered in her perfectly articulated voice.

 

“We are going to a Brewer game Ella, it’s going to be your first one,” Anna explained making it sound like a major right of passage that only a select few would ever indulge in, and even fewer would actually frequent.

 

“Ella, do you know what the Brewers are?” I asked.

 

“Are they like rules? Like hold you mom’s hand when you go into the street?” she offered.

 

“No, the game, THE BREWERS,” Anna tried to say it louder as if Ella was an elderly deaf aunt and not her perfectly-able-to-hear 4-year-old cousin.

 

“Oh, like follow the rules of the game, so everyone can play,” Ella tried again.

 

“Ella, Baseball, do you know about baseball?” I asked.

 

“Yes, I do.” She said, “Mom says to be careful not to get hit by the bat when the boys are playing baseball.” Grandma jumped in with an explanation that the neighbor kids can get a little rowdy…

 

“We are going to watch the game, don’t worry you won’t get hurt,” I reassured her. Trying a new approach, “Have you ever seen a running hot dog?”

 

“Aunt Theresa, hot dogs do not run.”

Sunday morning we woke up and the race was on to get packed for the game, an over night at the lake, and make it to church by 8am.  I could hear the William Tell Overture going in head all morning… by 7:50am I needed a nap and two Advil. Denied of both we made from the car to the front pew before the first song. After church we called Cori and could hear Ella in the background getting into all kinds of trouble – I offered to pick her up early. Once we had Tru and Grace settled at Mom’s we were off to the game.

The day was filled with such cool memories… ridding the “Long Wong’s” van to the park with Anna, Ella, and Cole bouncing on the seats. The girls pointing out an old building near Miller Park and asking if it is “Holy Hill?” or “Where another princess lives?” Ridding up two escalators to the highest up seats that were half price and came with a hot dog and a soda. Losing Cole, who is afraid of heights at the bottom of the escalator and Aunt Karen trying to reassure him at the top by explaining the architectural integrity of cement. Watching Cole cling to his seat like Spiderman, until he turned around and became totally distracted by the scoreboard and fireworks – I know Norma Rockwell to say the least…

Actually the game did go pretty well – without Grandma, Dad celebrated throwing his peanut shells on the floor without being yelled at, Uncle Tim bought everyone a baseball cap (Anna and Ella even got Pink), I actually got to watch the game for a whole inning by myself, and Aunt Karen bought herself a new pair of Brewer socks so that Ella could wear them into the McDonald’s Land – type playground.  Best of all we were all there for the sausage races.

At the end of the game we went down, down, down, to the field where the kids could run the bases. Their smiles were so big their cheeks had to hurt. Finally, at home-plate they were given a magnet from the lucky sausage that, like the Brewers came out victorious for the day. After the short van ride and walk back to the car, the whole afternoon was already a memory. Three tired children were like sleepy kittens napping in their car seats, awaking only when I tried to switch from the Barbie movie to the radio post game show.

Back at the lake, the kids shared all their stories, and made it sound even better than it was in real life. Best of all was Ella who told everyone that she had a great time and even mentioned that it’s true, “Aunt Theresa doesn’t lie – there is a place where hotdogs run!”