My Spring Training tickets have started to arrive. Mets went on sale yesterday so there's a delay (a long delay for me since I didn't buy any) but the rest of Florida is in the mail (Pirates go on sale next Saturday, fyi). No Arizona for me, again. I really need to get out there and eat some burritos at the game. Actually, I cannot stand burritos. I am looking forward to some Sunshine State citrus with my 2009 Grapefruit League Adventure.
Was thinking about it yesterday while I stood around with some 30 people watching the mega crane attempt to lift the jet out of the Hudson. It was about 7-degrees but I hung around for half an hour and thought about the icy river, the divers, the cameramen and news crews, the city and state police, the fireman, the EMT people, the crane operator, the helicopters, and, of course, the passengers and crew on the flight. As my brother said, "It's amazing to know that water landings are actually possible."
It's crazy that they dragged the plane down to that part of the West Side Highway where I and many other experienced September 11th. I thought about the opposite weather - that day was glorious. My grandmother just told me it's "only about 60" in south Florida now. When I stopped feeling the fingers in my right hand I walked away, walked south where other people were watching from one or two other points not blocked by fire trucks and OEM trailers. We couldn't really see anything, but everyone felt good to be part of something relatively positive.
My ticket to Florida was on hold with American Airlines when I heard/saw/felt the USAir news. I had a moment of thinking that I might not go. I have not been a good flier since September 11th, even with sedatives. But that's ridiculous, isn't it? I cried at my desk for a second thinking about all the people on the plane. I hope everyone on board had someone to go home to at the end of that day.
When I got home my Yankees Spring Training tickets were in my mailbox. They're so crappy. They're printed in Ticketmaster Yellow. No little picture or logo. They might well be for a Hannah Montana concert. Why so generic? There were 3 levels of extra fees. Take a dime from one of those and give it to a designer and at least tack on a Blue NY. We're The Yankees, damnit.
Worse: Red Sox Spring Training tickets are a hundred times nicer, and they're not even that nice. Waiting to see what the Twins have done for themselves, and I might have to get me to a Pirates game too to check out a certain first baseman who has been invited to camp. Yes, frequent readers, I'm talking about Andy Phillips.
So I did buy my flight down. Still need to get myself back. Still need to feel calm about flying. Still need to make sense of why another first baseman gets the money that should go to fans who save their tickets in a photo album. And still need food recommendations for Fort Myers. Anyone?
Comments