WeekendCoffee Bucket List

If we were having coffee today I’d be excited to tell you my news.  I got a job!

“A job?” you might ask between sips.  “I thought you were retired? You back in IT somewhere?”

No, I am realizing a lifelong dream.  As a fledgling little-leaguer, (mumble) years ago, I aspired to one day move up into professional baseball.  I am happy to report that although I have been on waivers for several more decades than I’d like to admit, a local minor league team has picked me up for the remainder of the 2019 season.

“You’re playing baseball?”

No, my dears, I am an usher for the Class-A Appalacian League Burlington Royals. Actually, before the season started, I had looked at their web page to see if they were hiring.  I never saw a notice so I figured that was it.  In past seasons it had been hard for me to go to games because my job often kept me late, but now that I’m retired I had managed to work in a few games this season.  I ran into an usher out on the concourse at the last game I attended as a civilian and asked him how they got those jobs.  He brightened right up … “We just found out today we’re losing somebody next week!”
FATE! I’ve learned to never ignore fate.

A couple of emails, and an application later… and I was in!  My darling bride likens it to me running away to join the circus.

Now, I’ve only worked one game, and I still have a lot to learn, but I had a blast.  For one thing, l need to get to know the long-time season ticket holders, who by and large prefer to be recognized and not asked for their tickets.  Then there are handfuls of scouts who show up.  Same deal.  It’s not a long season, either; come the end of August I’ll be back to retirement.

It’s exciting to be part of the organization. I get to meet people, show some minor authority, and I get to watch professional baseball.  And I get paid for it!  Minimum wage, sure, but for me, it’s just pizza money.  Hopefully, now that I’m part of the family, I’ll get to come back next season!

So that long-ignored bucket-list item can be checked off at last.  I’ve got my job in professional baseball.

Have you ever checked off one of your long-term bucket-list items, even in a roundabout way?

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Thomas Fenske is a writer living in NC.  Find out more at http://thefensk.com

October Notes

It’s Autumn and you know what that means.  No, I’m not talking about fall colors or Halloween or even Thanksgiving.  I’m talking about BASEBALL.

I’m a lifelong Houston Astros fan.  I grew up with the team.  I’ve lived in North Carolina for twenty-nine years … still a die-hard Astros fan.  Last year, finally finally finally they put it all together.  And here we are again.  The playoffs are full of ups and downs.

Baseball is a wickedly simple game.  And it is played without time limits.  The irrepressible philosopher Yogi Berra said it best (and it is entirely true), “it ain’t over ’til it’s over.”

Still, the ups and downs for fans will continue until the end, so I want to share the other most memorable, yet appropriate quote about baseball, this one from the movie Bull Durham (couldn’t find any other attribute).

Sometimes  you win
Sometimes you lose
Sometimes it rains.

All I can add at this point is another unattributable quote:  “PLAY BALL!”

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Thomas Fenske is a writer and baseball fan living in NC.
http://thefensk.com