Just Another Rainy Day

Saturday evening my good friend and travel partner and I went to PNC Park to see the Pittsburgh Pirates take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. On the way there we stopped at Denny’s Restaurant in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Sometimes we stop either on our way to evening games or on our return trip for the day games. We were fortunate enough to have a wonderful server, polite, cordial, and very astute to our needs. I didn’t see his name tag, so I can’t give him more than this for a shout out, but he seemed genuinely interested in us as his customers.

After was arrived at the park we found there was a severe weather delay. During the delay I was able to talk and make the acquaintance of several of the ballpark staff, including a police officer who was providing security on the field. As usual, I introduced myself and shared a business card. While we talked, I told him several of my books were about a homicide detective who’d retired from the Pittsburgh police force and that my character could only investigate mysteries. I shared business cards and chatted with some of the grounds crew as I waited.

I took a sign I’d made to the game addressing Jung Ho Kang, but because of the weather delay and restrictions, I couldn’t share the greeting with him. I did catch the eyes of an oriental couple who were apparently media personnel with cameras hanging around their necks. When they saw my sign, they smiled and shot several photographs of me. I was able to slip a business card to them. Who knows, I may be a famous person in South Korea someday.

Another pair of oriental spectators in the stands did the same. Then the rains came and drove the crowd to the relative safety under the cantilevered parts of the stadium. As some old country folk used to say, “It was a frog strangler for sure.” The rain came down in blinding sheets. We were fortunate that there was no lighting. However, the Buc’s bats were silent nearly all night and the Dodgers won the game 7 to 2. It was a damp and disappointing evening, but I was still able to find some enjoyment at the game.

The television weather channel says we are to have another week of rain. Think the rain will hurt the rhubarb?