Almost.

I got the call today. Sometimes, work-a-day life can become a Zen-like haze of phone rings & hellos where time loses it's scientific worth & becomes like signposts on a trip. 10:30 AM = North Platte, 2:30 = Omaha, 5:00 = home. But, on occasion, you'll get a call during the day that throws the continuum out of whack & anything seems possible.

The wife called me around Noon today & asked if I knew that the Sox got rained out last night. I interrupted with a "yes" & added that they were playing a day-night double header today & maybe she could take the kid to the early game. She hadn't finished yet. She hates it when I don't let her finish. She added that her friend with Sox season tickets couldn't make it the the night game tonight & wondered if we would like the tickets. All she would have to do is go by her friend's work & pick them up! For one second, I was ecstatic. Then, being a respectable business owner & father, I begin to look practically at the situation, which is a rather new & mostly welcome sensation for me & things became muddier. Game starts at 7:10, store closes at 8, so I'd have to close the store early which is always dicey. I've got the cellphone, so how would I be able to coordinate our arrival at the park? Speaking of getting to the ballpark, I've got the car at work, so The Wife would have to take the train down. Would she be into that? And speaking of public transportation, how would The Wife get up to her friend's work to get the tickets? And hey, the game's going to end a little late for The Child, so should we even take her? If not, will The Wife's mother or father be home to watch The Child & would they be ok with that? Hey, wait... I've got a lot of stuff to do around the store here. Can I afford to not get it done? Plus, it's kind of cold out today & I have shorts on. Won't I get cold? And well, Danks & Vazquez are the only Sox pitchers I really want to see & Vazquez is off today & Danks threw the opener.... So, I told The Wife that I didn't know if I could make it, but see about picking up the tickets & I'll get back to her....

Who thinks that way? Almost immediately after hanging up the phone, I began typing up a "Hey, we're closing at 6:30 tonight. Sorry." sign at work & working out possible logistics to make the plan a success. I'd close up early & just tell The Wife to meet me at the gate on the NW side of the Cell & we'd be golden! And you know what? It's Wanger & Contreras tonight! That will be fun. The Wife will get to gawk at Damon, while I heckle Melky (I'm sure no one else does, so why not me?). And really, is there anything better than being at the park?

NO! So we're going! Until The Wife calls at 4 & says she can't make it up to her friend's work to get the tickets...

Oh well. Back to the haze...