When we left St. Louis, about an hour out of the city, it seemed like we entered a different world. There was corn lining both sides of the highway, and as far as you could see. CORN! EVERYWHERE! But it wasn't just the corn, and the lack of cars filling the interstate, there was a sense of a slower pace of life. You could see it in the way people were driving, the bumper stickers on the car, the interactions at the fast food joints and gas stations. And it was all really pleasant.
We got into Kansas City around 4pm, checked into the hotel (it wasn't our favorite of the trip), then headed to the field. Kauffman Field is the home of the Royals, and it isn't a new stadium. But from the moment we walked into the stadium, it immediately became one of my favorites. We were there early and got the really nice t-shirts we are wearing in the picture. The place wasn't going to be full, the Royals stink now (think they will be pretty decent in 2012), and it was a Tuesday night against the White Sox.
They had an awesome area for kids, including a "Little K" field where the kids could hit, run the bases and catch. The Tornado hit some pitches on the field, rode the merry go round, and did a couple other things. Then we headed in towards the seats, and tried unsuccessfully to get a batting practice ball. The Tornado enjoyed running back and forth in front of their wonderful fountains while the girls called the players looking for a ball.
Batting practice ended, we headed up to our seats behind home in the upper deck. We grabbed some barbeque for dinner, good but not as good as I was hoping to get at the real Arthur Bryants, and took our seats. The game was good, the Royals lost 4-3, and although the park wasn't full, the fans were really into it!
As the sun went down, I sat and watched the game, with the fun crowned scoreboard in front of me, I just really felt peaceful. I could see the sun setting, a slow but steady stream of cars driving by on the other side of a small field outside the ballpark, the Tornado drifting into sleep, and my three lovely ladies all sitting with me. The night was warm, but comfy, it was everything you could ask for on a summer night.
The game ended, and we left for the hotel. Everyone was just about asleep before we even got there, so it was a quick lights out once we were inside. I laid in bed and reflected on the day. 16 hours earlier we were in downtown St. Louis, spent 3 hours at the zoo, drove for 4 hours across Missouri, then spent 5 hours at the ballgame. I was amazed at how good the kids were in the car, at the zoo, and at the game with each other. Despite being tired, I think they sensed the relaxed atmosphere that I was feeling too. I've often wondered how or why people would live in a place like Kansas City. You aren't near the beach, you aren't near the mountains. You don't typically think of it as a high earning area, nor is it a growth spot. It's not a cultural hot spot, and it's not full of tourist attractions. So why live here, move here, stay here? Because it's a nice place, with nice people. It's a simple place, in a good way. We will see you again soon KC.
No comments:
Post a Comment