18 Innings and Holding

Eighteen innings and then it stopped. Whew! The 3^rd game in the 2025 World Series was mind bending. At 1:00 a.m. its outcome was becoming lost on me. I did not care who won, only that someone did so I could go to bed.

I love our blue Jays, Canada's team, always have since the bygone days of Exhibition stadium when tickets to the August 3-week-long Toronto Exhibition included bleacher seats to watch a Blue Jays game. Once upon a time. The team was in its infancy. We always attended the yearly fair, with a game included, leaving when I could no longer hold our two-year-old son as he napped on my lap, his two older brothers nearby.

Game 3 was a shocker to all who watched. Had anything like this ever happened before? There were games lasting 12 innings that I recall but 18? I wondered. Whoever won deserved to win. They simply lasted longer with stamina, talent and other assists. The 'loser' would be devastated, But someone had to win and someone had to lose. It is that simple. Relax. .

The 'loser' in any run to a championship title, in any contest, did not fail. Someone had to win. When comparing schools in a high performing district, for instance, when mere decimal points separate one school from another, what are you saying to your children and their teachers when their school comes in last? Think very carefully. Each school has its own unique qualities. Numbers do not always tell the complete story.

There are 30 major league teams: 29 in the US and 1 from Canada. Two teams fought to get on the podium to play. Only one will win. Only one can win. It is devastating to those who lose. What could I have done to win? Nothing. You had. Think about what you have achieved. You made thousands of fans called people excited, happy and more just by watching you 'work'. The digital age has brought everything up close and very personal.

You began as a little boy playing, practicing on weekends and most days of the weeks for hours, weeks, months then years on end. (Who drove you?) Others helped you achieve part of your dream. There were thousands of other little boys showing up in baseball marathons in small towns, cities across both countries every summer attempting to secure attention and perhaps a lucrative spot in the minor leagues. Maybe a hundred or just ten boys will be picked from this vast landscape then nurtured by  scouts, baseball royalty. Getting noticed is the name of the game. But your talent is on display while your body is being torn and twisted this way and that to play the game you love. We love it too.

You reached your goal but then others surpassed you. Remember one important fact. Millions of others did not, could not handle the rigours of playing baseball- 9 innings worth or more. Bats and balls the weapons of choice of this game can hurt you! We are now seated in the arena eating hot dogs while being entertained by your efforts and talents having evolved over the years. You won.

The World Series is not for the faint of heart. One team won. The other, sadly, did not. But each member of the team won our hearts. Be very proud of your achievements. We are. A lot of jumping, hugging, tapping, thumping, screaming, smiling, crying and laughing resulted. This game of poker, chess and gymnastics bonded a nation or two. You did it 'cause you loved it. 

We sat and watched, entertained by incredible athletes doing feats of the impossible. It took superhuman talents on your part to get here. It was not easy. You hurt along the way. Had surgery, too.....Thank you for all of it. We applaud your return - next year.

"Thank you, Barbara"

I was never so happy to hear your voice, Barbara, that of a real life human being. The other, a virtual assistant, representing a competitor of your company made it very clear that to try and cancel an appointment was impossible. I had to enter my 'card' then listen to his list of approved choices, none of which applied in my case. This I would not do. What if I was a new client? I would have no card to enter. So now what?

The machine continued, trying to exact revenge upon a simple human being -me- trying to cancel an appt. What else could I do? In five seconds Barbara did what the virtual assistant could not. An appt. for 9:00 am Monday morning for company A was cancelled, quickly and effortlessly. I was ever so grateful. The human called Barbara had come to my rescue.. “Are you real”? I asked. “Yes, I am” she responded. Thank you so much for being human. She laughed. I was comforted.

This 9:00 am slot was a premium spot so cancelling it was uppermost in my mind. I was compelled- it was my duty, after all - to cancel this time slot so others could use it. Time is money as they say. Doing it Monday morning would be too late. Premium spots are premium for a reason. I was comforted in knowing there are real people answering phones, treating the customers as they expect to be treated. Do we not matter anymore?

The bothersome virtual voice kept asking me to enter my card. I had redialed thinking I might have missed my category somehow. I had not. I listened again to the list. All I wanted was a representative to come in with the customary "May I help you?” (Wishful thinking.) What games are being played here? What if your query does not line up with what is being offered from the official list given? Oh my.

Today's phones are incredible marvels of the modern digital age. Calling the customer for information will not be done. Don't be fooled, they say. Online is easy also. Yes, it certainly is - for companies in charge not necessarily us, their clients/servants. Why can't a call be just that a call? When the grid collapses we all suffer in a myriad of ways. 

While shopping for a few grocery items, we faced  the store's internal system collapse. It was not the first time, however.  Cash was king in that moment. I had it but the customer in front of me did not. I checked my wallet for the gold standard of all. It carried us both. A sigh of relief. The customer tried to figure out a way to repay me. Pay it forward I replied. The thought of trying to meet up in today's busy world seemed silly.We would spend money and time trying. It was no big deal. (I had not bought him a car.)

We all do things to help others. Other deeds rated higher than mine did that day. I helped out a friend who would eventually help out another in need. Barbara restored my faith in common sense that day. She was real and so was I. Something to think about. A comforting thought for the future. You restored my faith, Barbara.   Thank you.