Walking on Wrigley Field

On Saturday, October 2, 2010, I and a guest have the opportunity to play on Wrigley Field.  This once-a-year opportunity is granted through a lottery limited to residents of Wrigleyville, I happen to win this year!  Of course I take my wife (who has the fortune of already experiencing this event), my glove, a baseball, and my camera.

I step onto the field from an opening in right field near the foul pole.  I smile at all the people and families already spread out throughout the field.  I see couples taking each other pictures with various backdrops: the scoreboard, the outfield ivy and distance markers, the bases, the pitcher's mound, home plate, the visitors' dugout.  People play catch.  People throw a football around.  People offer to take pictures for other people.  It's a happy atmosphere.  I snap photos of my wife, I snap a few photos of myself, and we have our picture taken at home plate.  We run the bases.  My wife doesn't like to play to catch, but she indulges with me for a bit and throws the baseball to me a few times.  I see a kid and his father behind my wife, packing up to go.  The kid patiently waits for his father to take a few more souvenir shots.  I toss the ball in his direction, and we have an impromptu session of catch.  His father smiles approvingly, and allows his son to enjoy the day just a bit longer before heading out.

I enjoy a hot dog (or three) and a beer.  Worn out from the activity (and from a cold I am fighting), I happily nap the afternoon away.