XLIII: Yankees Game
As they say in Jersey, "a coupla three things" from the last update before I get into the latest events of our whirlwind final days here. In recounting our visit to Weehawken (& Vicinity), I failed to mention that Hoboken, NJ is also the birthplace of Pia Zadora, who, as everyone knows, played Girmar in the 1964 classic "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians." May her fans forgive me.
Also, about four months ago, as Regis was driving near our house, she spotted a TV crew filming for the Sopranos at a gas station. She took some pictures with her phone, that, if you can believe this, looked remarkably like a photo taken by someone photographing a gas station out of the window of a moving car. Anyway, as the final season was underway, we diligently watched each week to try and spot our gas station, and every week it appeared as if those scenes must have been left on the cutting room floor. But our patience was rewarded; for anyone on the list that watched the final episode of the Sopranos this past Sunday, you'll be happy to know that Regis's gas station was the place where Phil Leotardo met his darkly comical end.
On June 10th, the boy and I headed to a Yankees game. It was his first trip to Yankees Stadium, and it was on the occasion of "Bat Day." It should be noted that during "Bat Day" at Yankees Stadium, the first 15,000 fans under the age of 14 receive a free 30" Louisville Slugger. Yes, you read that right. Every year on Bat Day, Steinbrenner's attorneys have a coronary while they wait for the game to end, hoping that 15,000 bat-wielding, sugar-hyped youngsters don't realize the leverage of their armed position and stage a coup. Wooden weaponry aside, the game was exciting. With two outs in the 4th inning, the Yankees trailed the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-5, but had Derek Jeter on 3rd and Bobby Abreu on 1st. The Pirates elected to change pitchers at that point, and the crowd rose to its feet in anticipation of Alex Rodriguez's pending trip to the plate. I leaned over and said to Jimmy, "He's going to hit a home run here." Now, in my lifetime, I've made such ridiculous predictions approximately 13,412 times (Dad can weigh in with the official number). This time, I was right. "A-Rod" proceeded to drill a line drive over the left field fence and the crowd erupted. He hit another HR in the 6th inning, to which the boy said, "we're coming back tomorrow."
The most notable parts of the Yankee trip occurred before and after the game, on the boy's first and second subway rides. Prior to the first subway ride, we took a quick trip to Trinity Church, located at the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway. Trinity Church was built during the Revolutionary War, and Alexander Hamilton and other notable people of the period are interred in its adjoining graveyard. The church is also situated over the largest buried treasure in movie history. After that, we walked about a block down Wall Street, to Federal Hall, which is across the street from the New York Stock Exchange. It was here on April 30, 1789, that George Washington was first inaugurated to the presidency. I bet you thought I was going to make a joke there. I couldn't think of one. From there, we boarded the "4 train" and headed toward Yankee Stadium.
The 4 train runs under the east side of Manhattan and into the Bronx. Upon arriving in the Bronx, the Subway train runs on elevated tracks, and one of the stops is adjacent to Yankee Stadium. On the ride up to the Stadium, we met a Pirates fan named "Buff". At least that is what his Pirates jersey, worn over a Pirates Hawaiian shirt, said on the back. We also met Buff's son, "Moron" (again, based on the back of the jersey). Buff took a liking to Jimmy, gave him a Pirates pin, and asked for a photo once we arrived at the stadium. During almost all of his conversation with Buff, Jimmy wore an exasperated look on his face, the kind which indicated a realization that his own IQ exceeded Buff's exponentially. On the way back from the game, we had a different experience. The boy unwittingly morphed into his alter ego, "Ladies Man," and charmed four Manhattan co-eds who were so smitten with him that they almost missed their stop.
Lest you think that Jimmy is having all the fun, Maggie and Annie recently attended an early birthday party for Maggie, with 7 other friends. At the party, the girls got their hair done and dressed up like princesses, and got to walk down a "red carpet." At the end of the carpet they were photographed and interviewed with questions like "what's your favorite flavor of ice cream?" I think I paid for this party in lieu of a wedding. I'm waiting for the ruling.
The fun of those days subsided as we entered the last week of school. Today was the kids' last school day, and things were obviously emotional. Regis let it show at one point, to which Annie said "Mommy are you sad, do you need to talk to my dad?" While that quote has high comedic potential, anyone who has seen how Annie looks or acts knows that she means me.
That's plenty for now. Let us know how you are doing.
Also, about four months ago, as Regis was driving near our house, she spotted a TV crew filming for the Sopranos at a gas station. She took some pictures with her phone, that, if you can believe this, looked remarkably like a photo taken by someone photographing a gas station out of the window of a moving car. Anyway, as the final season was underway, we diligently watched each week to try and spot our gas station, and every week it appeared as if those scenes must have been left on the cutting room floor. But our patience was rewarded; for anyone on the list that watched the final episode of the Sopranos this past Sunday, you'll be happy to know that Regis's gas station was the place where Phil Leotardo met his darkly comical end.
On June 10th, the boy and I headed to a Yankees game. It was his first trip to Yankees Stadium, and it was on the occasion of "Bat Day." It should be noted that during "Bat Day" at Yankees Stadium, the first 15,000 fans under the age of 14 receive a free 30" Louisville Slugger. Yes, you read that right. Every year on Bat Day, Steinbrenner's attorneys have a coronary while they wait for the game to end, hoping that 15,000 bat-wielding, sugar-hyped youngsters don't realize the leverage of their armed position and stage a coup. Wooden weaponry aside, the game was exciting. With two outs in the 4th inning, the Yankees trailed the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-5, but had Derek Jeter on 3rd and Bobby Abreu on 1st. The Pirates elected to change pitchers at that point, and the crowd rose to its feet in anticipation of Alex Rodriguez's pending trip to the plate. I leaned over and said to Jimmy, "He's going to hit a home run here." Now, in my lifetime, I've made such ridiculous predictions approximately 13,412 times (Dad can weigh in with the official number). This time, I was right. "A-Rod" proceeded to drill a line drive over the left field fence and the crowd erupted. He hit another HR in the 6th inning, to which the boy said, "we're coming back tomorrow."
The most notable parts of the Yankee trip occurred before and after the game, on the boy's first and second subway rides. Prior to the first subway ride, we took a quick trip to Trinity Church, located at the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway. Trinity Church was built during the Revolutionary War, and Alexander Hamilton and other notable people of the period are interred in its adjoining graveyard. The church is also situated over the largest buried treasure in movie history. After that, we walked about a block down Wall Street, to Federal Hall, which is across the street from the New York Stock Exchange. It was here on April 30, 1789, that George Washington was first inaugurated to the presidency. I bet you thought I was going to make a joke there. I couldn't think of one. From there, we boarded the "4 train" and headed toward Yankee Stadium.
The 4 train runs under the east side of Manhattan and into the Bronx. Upon arriving in the Bronx, the Subway train runs on elevated tracks, and one of the stops is adjacent to Yankee Stadium. On the ride up to the Stadium, we met a Pirates fan named "Buff". At least that is what his Pirates jersey, worn over a Pirates Hawaiian shirt, said on the back. We also met Buff's son, "Moron" (again, based on the back of the jersey). Buff took a liking to Jimmy, gave him a Pirates pin, and asked for a photo once we arrived at the stadium. During almost all of his conversation with Buff, Jimmy wore an exasperated look on his face, the kind which indicated a realization that his own IQ exceeded Buff's exponentially. On the way back from the game, we had a different experience. The boy unwittingly morphed into his alter ego, "Ladies Man," and charmed four Manhattan co-eds who were so smitten with him that they almost missed their stop.
Lest you think that Jimmy is having all the fun, Maggie and Annie recently attended an early birthday party for Maggie, with 7 other friends. At the party, the girls got their hair done and dressed up like princesses, and got to walk down a "red carpet." At the end of the carpet they were photographed and interviewed with questions like "what's your favorite flavor of ice cream?" I think I paid for this party in lieu of a wedding. I'm waiting for the ruling.
The fun of those days subsided as we entered the last week of school. Today was the kids' last school day, and things were obviously emotional. Regis let it show at one point, to which Annie said "Mommy are you sad, do you need to talk to my dad?" While that quote has high comedic potential, anyone who has seen how Annie looks or acts knows that she means me.
That's plenty for now. Let us know how you are doing.
posted by Watts at 9:11 PM
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