You know life sucks when a random Cardinal Fan pats you on your Cubs hat and says, "Don't worry, it'll get better some day."
We listened to the Saturday game at a backyard barbeque hosted by good friends John and Laura.
You already know what happened in this game.
I was having fun talking to people I hadn't seen in ages, went in the house and found the tv. Rafael Furcal and Skip Shumaker get a couple hits, and now the Cards are up 3 nothin'.
Chatting as I make my way back outside, couldn't have been 7 minutes, and John says, "You hear the score?"
"Three nothin?"
"Try ten nothin"
At the end of the 7th, twelve nothin' - 7 doubles in one inning.
Whatever.
Tomorrow's another day.
Of bad, it turned out.
Here are some photos.
Travis Wood gives up 4 in the first.
It was already over.
SO lucky I was with old friends so we could spend time catching up rather than watching the...game.
We were down the third base line, excellent seats, and in the full sun all. day. long.
The beer vendors here were nice enough to dip my hat in their cooler, even if it was a Cubs hat, and I heard someone say it was 102 out there.
I forgot to say the game started off with about 5 Cubs all jumping and clicking their heels in honor of Ron Santo.
But nobody knew that right when it happened - it looked like 5 superstitious guys jumping over the chalk line at the same time, or maybe dodo birds.
Cardinal fans all turned and looked at me in disgust, like "hey man what kind of disrespectful display was that"?
Took me a minute, then I explained.
Here's Soriano walking to his position in the scorching heat.
Pretty cool scoreboard.
I promise if you went you'd think it was a really cool park that would be so much better if only the Cubs would score more runs than those guys in the red uniforms.
Which didn't happen at all.
Cubs zeeero, Cards 7.
But at least they took me to the Broadway Oyster Bar across from Busch.
This was the bench.
Guys bought me a lager from St. Louis called SCHLAFLY.
Lagers - you think they're easy because that's what Bud and Miller is.
But a really good crafty lager isn't easy to find, and this one is amazing.
John also took me on a quick tour of...my adolescence.
This is the Belleville town square fountain.
Way back when a buddy tossed a box of soap suds in here.
Got caught.
Big trouble.
Here's the Lincoln Theater - still there.
First date with me driving a vehicle.
Parked the car blocks away.
Nervous.
Get to the long line out front to see R-Rated "Last House on the Left".
Waiting.
A car drives by - it's my friends who all know it's my first date.
"HEY SOUERS YOU LEFT YOUR LIGHTS ON! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Had to run back.
Then the lady wouldn't let us in the movie.
Too young.
Nightmare.
This is the entryway to my old subdivision, Lincolnshire.
The trees weren't so big back then, but otherwise it was the same place.
I could name most of my friend's houses, and they all have stories.
I'll tell you some day.
And lastly, we were those jags who stand up during the game to have their picture taken.
John and Ric, thanks guys.
By the way, John is sporting the classic Cardinal Fan outfit with the red polo shirt and white shorts.
I bet in about 15 years he'll go full on with the long white pants and matching white dress shoes.
Anyway, the Cubs aren't being taken seriously by most people - especially people in St. Louis.
The mood down there was super friendly, and that's why.
It'll be much nicer when Theo gets it together, and there are 9 professional baseball players on the field for Chicago who actually cause a touch of worry in other cities.
It's just not like that right now.