Saturday in the Park

While the rest of the nation was trying to dig out from under the snow to watch a football game, 40,000+ baseball fans showed up at AT&T Park to revel in the sunshine.

The free parking lot was filled when we pulled in at 10, but the city lot near the Bay Bridge cost only $6 on Saturdays and provided an inexpensive alternative. We left the jackets in the car--in San Francisco one always brings along a jacket or sweater just in case--as we noted others walking around in T-shirts and shorts.

The crowd massed at the gate, but everyone seemed good-natured and patient. We got in quickly; what sped things along was that there was no bag inspection as there is during the games.

I asked the youngster whether he wanted to wait two hours for an autograph. Noticing that none of the superstars (Lincecum, Posey, Wilson) nor some of his favorites (Baumgartner, Cain, Sandoval) were in the booth, he performed a quick cost-benefit analysis and declined. A chip off the old green eyeshade.

We wandered through the park. We tried out and fantasized about buying expensive seats. We jogged down the first- and third-base lines, sat in the Giants dugout, and stood on the pitcher's mound.

I had an extensive to-do list that had to be completed before my trip on Monday, but on this Saturday for four hours I could be eight again. I'll stay up late on Sunday and sleep on the plane.