like moses wandering the desert
July 9, 2006
Yesterday I thought I found my people.
I was sitting at my oldest son’s baseball game when a conversation came up about an early morning game that was being held the next day. One woman who was sitting in the stands near me, piped up that she would bring Mimosas for everyone, because that would be the perfect way to take the edge off enjoy what will be a long hot day at the field. All the other parents around her shouted and cheered their approval, adding various things (both with and without the elixir of the gods) they would bring.
I was this close to hugging them all and screaming, “I love you, people! I love you!” when I remembered that I had chosen to sit near these bleachers because they were in the shade.
But they belonged to the opposing team.
I am not sure what is worse to find your people and lose them, or to never know of their very existance and continue on in your life believing you are all alone.
But I do know now that should Rob and I ever sell this albatross lovely old home and move, before I decide on any town to live in, I will be scouting all the little league fields and various other places where parents are forced to congregate for the sakes of their children. I will ever so subtly check out the people and the contents of their coolers.
When I find a team where the parents bring mimosas, margaritas, or other refreshing alcoholic treats, I will be home. Hopefully it won’t take me 40 years of wandering the desert subsisting solely on the manna falling from the sky.
Unless mimosas are the new manna, then bring it on.
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ha ha ha-
July 9th, 2006 at 6:15 amI want to know why they can’t just sell those refreshing alcoholic treats at the concession stand? Now THAT would make the games more enjoyable (especially when your son is pitching, eh?)
Awww, that is so sad! I always felt so lost at games too because we have the super-parents who know their kids’ RBIs (huh?) and discuss the virtues of aluminum versus wood. Me? I’m just trying to keep my non-playing kids off the field and out of the road. I hate to admit it but I’m looking forward to ice hockey season again.
July 9th, 2006 at 6:42 amMy oldest two took t-ball this summer, and my four-year-old boy was the one wandering through the back field, picking flowers and doing interpretive dances. If another parent had offered me a mimosa, I’d like have hugged them, sobbing.
July 9th, 2006 at 7:01 amMy heart is crushed along with yours. You could bring the mimosas anyway and find out if there are any of your people on your team.
July 9th, 2006 at 7:19 amROTFL… as a ’sports’ mom who just survived a hellacious baseball season (I think our team is now permantely black-listed by the umpires league) I find humor and intelligence in this post.
I also am glad to see that another Mom ADMITS she SITS WITH THE OTHER TEAMS SIDE sometimes… I didn’t do it for the shade (there was none on either side) but I found myself sitting on the other teams side because the ‘wind storm’ that day wasn’t blowing dry hard sand and dirt in my eyes if I sat on their side.
(and they were very very pleasant people as well!).
July 9th, 2006 at 7:26 amIt wasn’t the long games that bothered me as much as the parents in the stands. Screaming at umpires, their own kids, coaches … maybe I should have had Mimosa’s in my cooler.
July 9th, 2006 at 8:22 amI spent several really hot summers being the official scorekeeper for the parks and rec dept. I am sincerely praying that either my son doesn’t play or I find the mimosa crowd. I’m hanging my hopes on not playing!!!
July 9th, 2006 at 9:13 amSo… Chris…since mimosas are the nectar of the gods….why not bring your own thermos to the next game? Sounds like a great idea to me, unless you have to take two cars and can’t make your husband drive. On the other hand, I could see where one of the kids might think, “ooooh! Orange juice!” and pound it.
Happy you found your people. If I a) had kids b) in LL, I’d be the President of them. So to speak. When is LL over?
July 9th, 2006 at 11:40 amI’m all for that enhanced concession stand.
July 9th, 2006 at 11:41 amOurs sold these giant popsicles for a few weeks - if they can freeze that, can a frozen grownup drink be far behind?
I’d hope not…but then again….
oh dear, thats funny. ever tought of bringing your own cooler full of fun stuff?
July 9th, 2006 at 11:42 amHa Ha! My daughter plays travel softball and after the games the parents sit around the pool w/coolers of wine coolers and beers. Not as good as a mimosa but very nice just the same!
July 9th, 2006 at 3:58 pmI meant to add ~
I think I found your bizarro world twin at a recent tournament. The father said (a little too loudly), “we can’t sit by people”. LOL Then he added, “because the kids hit people w/sticks”. ROFL He had twin two and a half year old boys and a sweet wee babe who definately wanted to get in on the fun.
I laughed and acted like my kids never hit strangers w/sticks (or loose baseballs, or flying action figures, or ice, or sand).
July 9th, 2006 at 4:00 pmChris, we have margaritas in the park during the summer……..or winter for that matter. The kids play together and we laugh and sip our margaritas.
We have chic flick afternoons complete with frozen Pomegranate martinis and red, red wine finds its way into most of our lunch dates.
Don’t even mention beer….this town lives and breathes beer. By gawd, it is the town mascot.
No, we are not alcoholics. Just happy and relaxed. :*)
July 9th, 2006 at 4:58 pmChris you have convinced me!! My son wil NEVER play little league _ I don’t think I could handle all the FUN!
July 9th, 2006 at 6:36 pmsounds to me like it is time to switch teams.
July 9th, 2006 at 6:55 pmtheir team sounds like it is significantly more fun!
your little league stories are a hoot and remind me why we haven’t signed up our twin eight year olds.
since we have chosen to ignore the whole little league thing,it is probably a guarantee that one of them will join the major league and continually remind us of the damage we did by not signing on to little league all those years ago.
ah well, have to provide something for them to telll their shrinks.
Be honest. Will your son REALLY notice if you’re a double agent? Mommy needs her “happy juice”.
July 9th, 2006 at 7:58 pmOr at least look for a gal with red wine stained lips… as that would be me…
July 9th, 2006 at 9:28 pmThe last day of school we all had a chmpagne…Holy Mother of God… Now what??? Champagne fest…
It was niiiiiiiiiicccceeee…..
Keep your eyes peeled for me. I would totally have liquor in my cooler!
July 9th, 2006 at 9:43 pmI see nothing wrong with taking your own cooler full of beers, in soda cans.
July 10th, 2006 at 1:04 amI joined a playgroup once because it was touted as a cocktail hour playgroup. I was bummed to mean that meant it started at 4 o’clock.
July 10th, 2006 at 6:03 amlearn
July 10th, 2006 at 8:16 ammaybe the other parents are closet drinkers and they are just waiting for you to break the ice??
July 10th, 2006 at 12:20 pmExtra bonus: The more you drink, the more comfortable you might feel in shorts! Whee!
July 10th, 2006 at 5:48 pmSadly, our city parks and playgrounds are alcohol prohibited. Probably that is only enforced when people get rowdy, though. I would risk it to bring a cocktail to the ball game, but with my luck, one of the kids would start begging for a sip, and then I’d have some ’splaining to do!
July 11th, 2006 at 1:05 pm[...] Chris, here is photographic evidence that your people exist. Note the red, red wine glass. [...]
February 1st, 2007 at 1:33 pm