Took two of the boys. Parking, free. Tickets--five bucks for me, a dollar each for the guys (8 and 11), cheaper than a movie. 3 JR Richard bobble heads, and a poster of ex-Astros with next years schedule. I buy two mini bats which the kids use to pound out cheers to the Astros on seats and railings looking at me to see how far they can go. I don't care, there's only cardinal fans around. The game is wonderful: double plays, bunts, a steal to get in scoring position that pays off--the kids love it. They love Bud's nickname and no Charlie I will not call you Shiner. We talk about the DH and the AL and Milo who seems older than God to them--hell he's older than grandpa, by a lot. Sam is into all the chants and is following the pitch count and is rooting for him to get into the later innings and earn the win. I am having so many memories wash over me looking at all the pennant flags with the tiny NL on them. The kids don't care. They're having a blast and I am too. We buy two cookies and cream waffle cones and a coke icee and sit in much better seats, largely alone with cardinal fans a few rows down. The boys ask if they can open the bobble heads. Hell yeah only creepy guys leave them in the box. I tell them about JR Richard and they are moved--his number should definitely be retired. We talk about Altuve and Charlie says he's a magic midget and then sure enough our solo all-star hits a solo shot to give the good guys a lead. And the kids love all the stupid games and contests and the season ticket holder who is dancing cause he won a big freaking tv for reupping on the tickets for next season. After a tense 8th the Astros close it out in the top of the ninth. Carlos Beltran gets booed. Milo gets applauded. Bud pitches a fantastic game and Altuve delivers. After high-fives and hugs the guys declare that this was the best baseball game ever and they want to go to opening day. Because if the Astros can beat the team that won the world series then they can beat the team that lost the world series too. Sam admits that he thought the Astros would loose and he was ashamed that there were so many cardinals fans and so few astros but we didnt give up on the astros did we and we got to see them win. I told him that he might have seen the very last game that a pitcher ever has an at bat in Houston. He thinks about that. Thanks for taking me Dad, I'll never forget it. We get in the car and the first thing we hear is that the pirates lost to the mets. Damn this is a good night. Both boys tell me that they want to play baseball now--and my sixth grader tells me on ride home that at a baseball game he forgets his worries. Me too.
