As I chuckled at the "Funny Things" thread near this one, it prompted a recollection of one of the best things I've ever overheard at a ballpark.
When I was in Midtown Manhattan on business a few years ago, I took advantage of a free evening, impulsively hopped on the "7 Line," and rode out to Shea Stadium to take in a game. As it happened, the ticket I purchased out front put me right beside a father and son.
It was evident from the outset that this was something the two of them did with some regularity. The son, who was probably in about the 5th grade, wore the same brand of Mets cap as his dad; and their body language said immediately that they were both very much into the game. In that close proximity, it was impossible to not overhear their conversation; and, what I heard really hit home emotionally.
The two of them talked about very little but the game. However, this wasn't just idle chatter. The dad would frequently summarize the current game situation to his son, and follow it with a question like, "So, if you were the catcher, what pitch do you think you'd call?" Then, the two of them would have a laugh over whether the son called the same pitch the pitcher threw.
This process went on throughout the game; and, both had a great time with it the whole time. Not surprisingly, it was apparent that this 5th grader was greatly advanced compared to most of his peers in understanding and appreciating the "game-within-the-game."
Of course, much more was going on than that of a teacher simply imparting the finer points of the game to an enthusiastic student. The two of them were experiencing something that both of them will carry with them the rest of their lives; engendering a closeness between them that should manifest itself in a hundred different ways down the road.
What they had in that ballpark was very special, and I feel privileged for having had the chance opportunity to witness it. For fortunate ones like the two of them, they've experienced "the game within-the-game...within-the-game."
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