I was the manager, Schroeder was catcher, and all of the team was the same as always

Ah, but how about the game? We finished our circuit of the ballpark --- and the first time bunny_hugger and I had actually seen, like, the seats from the new patio in the outfield and all that --- and ventured into our seats. They were soaked, but bunny_hugger and I had brought towels. They weren't needed; the ushers had towels too and mopped up our seats. The sun would peek out, first, and then come out in full force, and then spend some time climbing into the stadium and smacking us silly. I would come out of the day with sunburned legs and arms. We hadn't put sunscreen on; we hadn't thought it possible we'd see more than light cloud cover all day. We also didn't think to cover exposed flesh with the towels. We probably wouldn't have anyway since once the sun came out the temperature rose to about 850 degrees and muggy.

I did ask JIM how home teams fared on his trip. I'd seen only my first, I think, Lugnuts win earlier that month. He believed they had a slight edge, so far. I was also interested what JIM made of the official Lugnuts anthem, ``Go Nuts! Lugnuts!'' which totally gives every sign of being written especially for our team and not being a mass-produced thing that every minor league team buys. (``This is our town/this is our team/if you're in our house/you're gonna get creamed!'') JIM's a fan of radio callsign jingles and other sorts of mass-produced-but-customized music like that. He didn't own up to anything. There's probably at least four minor-league team songs making the rounds.

The Lugnuts started out letting the other team (the I Forget Which, out of Somewhere; I don't think Fort Wayne because that would have been too good an in-joke for us all for me to have forgotten) get a few runs. Then the Lugnuts managed a home run, the first time I've seen them manage this at a game. Or I should have; I was out going to the bathroom and getting some hummus and pita chips. Also being disappointed that apparently the vegetarian hot dogs aren't at the hot dog stand any longer. That's all right. The Lugnuts would manage another home run, while we were watching.

The Lugnuts have fallen prey to the fad of singing ``God Bless America'' during the seventh inning stretch, alas. But they follow that up with ``Take Me Out To The Ballgame'', as is only proper. Disapproval of ``God Bless America'' in this context and insistence on ``Take Me Out To The Ballgame'' are also points on which JIM and I agree strongly. So whatever value the team lost for ``God Bless America'' they made up quickly. I pointed out the scoreboard showing the lyrics made some errors. I knew he'd appreciate that.

So the home team indeed won, and we did have a good experience, and a good chance to have some quiet time meeting him ahead of the sure madness that Pinburgh would be.

JIM had to go, off to Battle Creek to meet another friend for dinner. I can think of people bunny_hugger and I know who are near enough Battle Creek that someone would describe them as being there, but I didn't probe. It'd be too wild a coincidence were he going to someone else I knew.

As we walked back to our car, and he left the other way, we remembered that just a couple blocks from the park was Clara's. The restaurant --- which had taken everyone by surprise by closing a few weeks earlier --- was built in the former Union Train Depot. JIM's a railroad fan. We should've invited him over. For some reason though the restaurant was closed, its lights were on and there seemed to be a good number of people inside. An event booked prior to the decision to close? Something for investors or the rumored people buying the establishment? We don't know, but we can make guesses.

Trivia: The first American guns opened fire on British defences at Yorktown the 9th of October, 1781. Source: The First Salute: A View of the American Revolution, Brabara W Tuchman. Admittedly something I could get from other books.

Currently Reading: How The Post Office Created America: A History, Winifred Gallagher.