The Nuts season is over. Though the Nut season is just beginning with harvest. Weird. Even weirder, the fact that I now only have one job. I really don't know what I am going to do with all my time in the evenings. It's always bittersweet for the season to end when you are working. As a fan, I never want it to end. But as an employee, one can only handle so many long extra-inning games, only so many stands packed with teeny bopper cheerleaders and their families running around and yelling "Everywhere we go...people wanna know...", only so many games with horrendous umpiring calls (and also getting teased for a friendship with an ump with an accent), only so many games where it's 100 degrees and I'm stuck wearing a polyester jersey, khaki shorts, with socks and shoes on my feet. But at the same time, I can't imagine spending my summer any other way now. What would my life be like if I didn't get paid to hang out at a ballpark? It's great. And I really do love all the fan interaction. Great stories. Here's one:
The littlest Orr kid was hanging out on the concourse by the Applegate Johnston Guest Service Counter, being his rambuncous-self. He proceeded to steal a pile of baseball cards that were sitting on the counter. Teacher Jen came out and asked him to give them back since they were not his cards. He pouted while he returned them. Then Terry the Beast who was in charge of the Applegate Johnston Guest Service Counter and owner of the baseball cards (courtesty of the Nestle Drumstick Summer Baseball Tour) said he could have them. Teacher Jen again returned to say the Orr kid could have the cards if he promised to no longer beat up/be mean to Nancy THE Promo Girl. The littlest Orr kid agreed and took his treasure of baseball cards back to his seat. I followed shortly to hang out and catch the end of the game with Nancy. As we are standing there watching the end of the game, the littlest Orr kid suddenly appeared, put the pile of baseball cards in front of me and said "I'd rather hit Nancy."
Absolutely classic. There were plenty of gems throughout the season. Many a good play made on the field. Many a bad play made on the field (the Nuts had a knack for getting thrown out at home plate. If memory serves, it happened like 4 times in a row. and again in the playoffs. Though they also couldn't turn a double play in the playoffs but I digress). Many a good time chilling in the press box (and yelling at a production crew member to pull up his pants, no one wants to see his chones). Many a Play Ball kid getting coached by me and J.W. Many a time I wished for another brawl like the extreme one we had with the Ports--during dollar beer inning. Many a microphone drop (actually only 8 on the year...pretty good considering girl pants don't have pockets like boy pants). Many a good time showing up late but making amends with bags of jenny smith cookies (new favorite quote regarding my cookies: "I don't think it's possible to love anything as much as we love your cookies"- the Beast). Many a Nut joke. Many a free snow cone.
And then...one playoff game at JTF, one game up at Stockton as a fan and then my season was done. I didn't get to go the series finale as I was directing the fun at my real job. But that was it. Suddenly, the season was over. And is over. Who knows if they'll ask me back next year and if I would say yes if they did (right now, yes) but it was a blast. Now back to civilian life as a baseball fan (I WILL see Lincecum pitch before this season is over. I WILL!) and Director of Fun. It's a hard life but someone's got to do it.
