Not In This World

So far the game has a sense of being out of control with Hendrickson already giving up 2 doubles on 5 hits for 3 runs. He's not fooling anyone. We should be down by more, but, for some reason, we aren't. Meanwhile, we score one on a doubleplay that really just killed the inning. They gave up a run to end a threat. Now, it's the bottom of the 3rd inning with Arizona's Chad Tracy up to bat against the Dodgers. There are 2 outs. Hendrickson was able to strike out Johnson and got Estrada to hit into a grounder. Chad Tracy was the potential 3rd out- a 1 2 3 inning. Then, Hendrickson reached back and throws strike three. Dodgers up to bat. I bring up this moment not because of Hendrickson, but because of a foul ball during Chad Tracy's at bat.

He hit a ball foul towards the 3rd base side that lands in the crowd along a railing separating a section of seats. Three folks in the crowd are chasing the ball as it bounces from section to section. A young boy, maybe 7 or 8 years old, is in wild pursuit. He almost had it in his grasp, but it fell down a small wall onto a lower area. It's just a few steps below closer to the ground. So the kid jumps down with all his might. An older kid, in his teen years, chases the offering from the other side. He runs down a short set of stairs and heads for the ball. A middle aged man, in his 40's, now has a lead on both of them. He was sitting in the lower section and gets to the corner just in time to snag the prize right in front of the young kid. The child had jumped from the ledge and landed just as the old man took the leather.

This happens all the time at ballgames. It's like survival of the fittest out there. Folks will jump over seats and people to get the ball. But this moment was different. As the old man grabbed the ball the young boy stared in disbelief. He thought he had it and some grown up had taken it away. The look on his eyes was something to behold. He just continued to stare. Then, his expression changed from disbelief to hope. Would the old man do the neighborly thing? Give it to the kid. Would he provide endless moment of happiness for a child just learning the world? The old man stood up, turned around and walked back to his seat.

Then, Vin Scully made a comment that was both biting and true. He said, "not in this world young man." (or something to that effect)

The sage had spoken.