All Stars

The dream night for us parents of little leaguers finally came.The last game of the season. We all gathered together in Dexter, Kansas for the Flint Hills Divison PeeWee Girls All Star game pitting the east against the west in a grand finale.We were just driving off when the coach drove by “making sure no one needed a ride.”  They said. Well, we missed one game and I think they were making sure we were up to speed. Of course we were.But, at the game, you had to actually pay to get in. My wife humbly found someone to borrow the entry fees from while I pretended to be too busy to go right in. She told me she didn’t want anyone to know about this humiliating turn of events, but then everyone we talked to she told anyway.We all finally stood for the PA system’s rendering of the National Anthem. I was going misty eyed, staring into the sun, with my cap over my chest. It was so quiet and still. Only the scratchy sounds of the music and a parent hollering, “Shut-up! Hold Still! It’s the National Anthem, now be quiet!”And finally somebody hollered, “Play ball.” And they did. We all groaned in the stands as word went around that instead of the usual 4 innings, the all star game had 6. But, time quickly flew and before we knew it we were in the 4th inning stretch. We ducked out and found a gas station that took a charge card and charged some junk food. Why is it junk food looks so appealing when you are stuck outdoors?When we got back we were derided and chided for missing the best play of the game, along with several requests for us to share our food. But in the 6th inning they opened the concessions stand. One mother sent her daughter for two pickles, “One sweet, one dill. That will be your supper, a well balanced meal.”As the golden sun was setting (right into our eyes) and the 6th inning was coming to a close, the score was tied. But somebody ever so wisely ruled that ties are allowable in little league all star games. A glorious end to our season of little league.