A Good Time At JUCO Despite Minor Irritants

A night out at the JUCO World Series at Suplizio field is a lot of fun.   My wife, Carmen, and I usually get out to at least a couple of games each year, as our schedules allow. Sunday night we made it to our first game of the week and, for the most part, we had a really good time, although there seemed to be forces working against us to prevent such a happening.

For the 7:30 game, we arrived just a few minutes before 6:00. Our hope is to get a parking spot and our preferred choice of seats. We'll have a good long wait until game time, but it will be worth it.

First goal - accomplished. There are plenty of parking spaces available in the main lot. So far so good. We proceed through the gates and head toward the third base side, which is where we like to be. Scanning the bleachers in search of two seats, I shouldn't be surprised that a good number of the best seats (back support and on the end) are occupied - not by bodies but by blankets and stadium chairs. Obviously, fans were in these seats at some point earlier in the day and are wanting to save seats for their next appearance. I wonder to myself  why these people  don't have to arrive 90 minutes before game time to get a seat like the rest of us.

Nonetheless, we find two desired seats. Hooray for us. Second goal accomplished, however, I couldn't help notice a couple looking at us as we sat down and then over hearing them say, "how are we going to save all these seats?" Turns out they weren't saving just a couple of seats - they were trying to save eleven or 12  seats- an entire row. "Are you kidding me?" I thought. Fortunately, they did not ask us to move because I'm pretty sure we would have refused. Saving two or three seats is one thing, but trying to save an entire row seems extreme, and something I feel should not be allowed or tolerated.

So we have great seats just past third base. We pass the time watching people and players, listening to the tunes on the loud speakers like "You've Got Your Troubles I've Got Mine". We munch a bit on our limited snacks of red licorice and mixed nuts. The temperature is about 84 degrees, and with a gentle breeze blowing it feels pretty comfortable.

It's about 30 minutes before game time. Let's go for something really special. So I head to the concession area and return with a delicious sugar-free cherry shaved ice. This is good stuff!

About that time, the people, who's seats were being saved next to us arrived. They seemed ready for some baseball and to have a good time. The only problem was that I don't think they were aware there was a baseball game going on. The conversation was    non-stop for 9 innings of baseball. And when I say non-stop I mean there was never a break. And it was loud. And the one guy couldn't seem to talk without moving his entire body, which of course, shook the entire bench every time he spoke. I was thinking I should have taken motion-sickness pills before the game. Everyone else around us seemed to be watching and enjoying the game on the field.

As for the game, it was a good one with Neosho County Community College picking up a run in the bottom of the 8th inning and winning 2-1. Mission accomplished. A good game, and a good time.