Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
#15 of 92: Baseball is a Metaphor for Everything
We went to our first parent-teacher conference in twenty-five years tonight. We sat in the tiny kindergarten chairs (which was not as easy as when we did it the first time) and listened to the lovely bilingual teacher launch into all the wonderful things about our granddaughter. I was on to her game though. I knew all the good stuff was preamble to the challenges.
I won’t recount them here.
After that, we came home and watched the Milwaukee Brewers win the National League pennant which they haven’t done in forty-four years. The Brewers have been magical this year. So much so that I know each player by name, how he likes his eggs, and his shoe size. Only kidding.
Commentators are fascinated by the Brewers because they play small ball, meaning they run out every hit, steal every base, challenge balls and strikes. Their coach, Pat Murphy, calls the team woodpeckers. In addition to their wood pecking, the players seem to love each other and it’s that wholesomeness that has enthralled the city, well, enthralled me.
I’ve decided we’re going to be the Milwaukee Brewers of grandparenting. Keep playing small ball, steal those bases when we can, and always run out the ball. Tonight we got the coaching report complete with a list of things to work on. How do you say get out from under the table and stop coloring on the floor in Spanish?
Nobody was born great, right? We all had to work for our greatness. Like the Brewers. They used to be scrubs and now they’re on top of the world. Or near the top. Don’t quibble.
National League Champions – our Milwaukee Brewers. Next is the World Series. We never figured to be in the World Series of grandparenting but here we are.
Play ball!
One Comment on “#15 of 92: Baseball is a Metaphor for Everything”
Leave a Reply
Recent Comments
 | Shelly on #15 of 92: Baseball is a Metap… |
| Shelly on #13 of 92: Found Behind the Ga… |
 | Deb on #13 of 92: Found Behind the Ga… |
 | Nancy Bauer-KIng on #12 of 92: Heat-Dried SEO |
 | Chris on #12 of 92: Heat-Dried SEO |
Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
My husband likes to listen to baseball instead of watching it, so I end up becoming fascinated by the Brewers’ Network voice personalities, how they unabashedly cheer for their team instead of acting all neutral. Even I got excited when the late-game homer was hit last night. I can’t remember what the players look like, but I’m sure they have worked hard for every point on that board. Same with you.