August 2, 2019: Good Question

Part of the reason I’m behind is because my boss was in from out of town.  No, not the editor in chief of this award winning blog/website, but for my real job… the one that gets in the way of this little therapy vehicle.  Getting to spend some time with my boss is not to be taken lightly… he’s a very busy man.  Getting some time, especially some face time, is to be valued, and taken advantage of.  I had my list of things I wanted to go over with him… some updates, some questions, some comments; he had information to share with me as well.  It was definitely good to see him.  He asked me a good question too… actually, one of the best questions I can ever be asked:  Do you want to go to the Cubs game?

My neck started to twitch… he knows me pretty well, but not sure how well.  To think about Wrigley Field on a Friday afternoon game at the beginning of August against the Brewers…  yeah, I was holding in my excitement.  I told him, let me check with the warden aka my wife (OK I didn’t say that); I told him I’d get back to him… so I immediately called my wife… haha.  The answer was yes, and before the day was over, he grabbed the tickets; we were all set for Friday afternoon at the cathedral of baseball…. oh yeah!

I served as a bit of a tour guide, suggesting what time we leave, how we get there, where to go to lunch before the game, etc.  They were very appreciative of my suggestions.  “They” were my boss and his daughter; it would be us 3 at the game together.  I met them at the Grand station on the Red Line, and headed north to Addison.  There are so many choices for pre-gaming…  If we were all leaving together from my job, I would have taken the Brown line, which leaves you on Southport, which sets up a nice visit to D’Agostino’s before the game, and a nice walk through the neighborhood to Wrigley.  Taking the Red Line leaves you in the belly of the beast; still plenty of options.  We ended up going to Yak-Zies; I had been there before one time before a game and liked it.  Unfortunately, the outside was packed; we ended up sitting inside.  Beers, wings, burgers, and quesadillas were on tap, with a bowl or two of popcorn.  They enjoyed it; I was happy.  Next was game time.

Great seats first of all… 5th row, 200 level, behind the Cubs dugout, perfectly placed in the shade on this warm summer day.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; I said it to him for the first time.  There are not many places I’d rather be than at Wrigley, especially for a day like this.  Just beautiful.  They enjoyed the heck out of it, which made me happy too.  They’re from Atlanta, the same county Jason Heyward is from.  It was appropriate that he lead off the game for the Cubs with a HR in the basket.  He reached on an error later in the game, and almost hit another one out.  If he had hit another one out, I told them they’d have to come back in October… 

The game was a ton of fun.  It was packed, we sang the stretch, Cubs won, and we sang again.  They had smartly went to Ross or Marshall’s, don’t remember which, before the game to get some gear; probably saved about $50.  He said his daughter picked up some more gear after.  Of course they are Braves fans, but sounds like they may be Cubs fans now too.  Problem may come in if/when they face each other in the first round this year…. haha.  We’ll cross that bridge then.  For now, Wrigley scored another W; THIS was the ultimate Wrigley experience… not the one game a couple years back in May when it was freezing that he needed blankets to watch.  Nah, THIS was the one.  Great, great time.  Thanks again, and Go Cubs!