Stephanie is the fifth nurse who has come to a game with me this year. Like the last one, she works in an Ob/Gyn clinic. The only profession more strongly represented in attendance in Section 152 under my aegis has been “ahiftless layabout,” with 53 appearances. Unlike the last one, we didn’t get into any nurse talk at the game. Instead, this is one of those games where what we talk about is so widely varied that there’s no real narrative to be had.
The narrative of the week is getting clearer – the Giants have played five one-run games in the last week. They’ve won four of those, but the lack of hitting, even in victory, has been worrisome. You have to go back a ways for a convincing win against a good team (given Oakland’s record, the 8-3 win on 26 July hardly counts). Still, the lack of hitting has been disturbing before this season, but wins are wins, and the difference between a boring 2-1 game and a riveting 2-1 pitcher’s duel is, in many ways, subjective. Tonight’s game starts off with Geraldo Perdomo on first and Patrick Bailey eyeing him predatorily, which is exactly how last night’s game ended, which feels a little déjà vuey. The Giants will win this one 4-2, but as has been the case with most of the games recently, it never feels like it’s in the bag until it’s actually in the bag.
To say there’s no real narrative to the conversation with Stephanie is not to say it’s not interesting. The only notes I took last night are “game starts with perfomo on 1st” (misspelled) and “ballsout!” (incomprehensible), so I only have my memory to go on. Her boyfriend, who introduced us, told me by way of…not a warning, exactly, but let’s say an advisory, that if she had an opinion about something, I was going to hear it, which set me to prepare for a constant stream of commentary on anything and everything. That was not really the case. I can’t think of anything she had to offer that wasn’t a pretty reasonable take on whatever we were talking about. The boyfriend also warned me (this one actually was a warning) that she was a left-handed Aries, about which I have to admit I had fewer preconceptions, which is to say I had none.
My main fear about taking Stephanie to the game was that anyone who saw us together was going to call the police on the assumption that I was a human trafficker who had kidnapped her from a modeling shoot or possibly a burlesque show. We hadn’t met before the game, and almost every picture I’d seen of her was of a sleek, stylish retro elf. She’s posed in front of vintage cars or vamping on stage (she really is a burlesque dancer (I didn’t just say that for color), sprinkled with tattoos, hair the color of one (occasionally all) of the My Little Pony herd, Stephanie is definitely the kind of girl who rates a companion with more going on than a Mayor jersey and a different hat every day, but I’m who she’s got tonight. Fortunately, she dresses down, in just jeans and her own Giants shirt, so I’m off the hook. Sort of. She insists that her outfit represents the real Stephanie, but I still feel like I should put on a zoot suit and take her to John’s Grill.
It’s Grateful Dead Tribute Night, so before the game we take a little trip up to the third deck to pick up my special event hat, a tie-dyed number in black and orange with that Dead head patch on the side. Along the way, we pass through the club level and up the 2d Street entrance elevator; at the top, in what I guess you’d call a foyer, there is a Bill Veeck quote that says “Baseball is the only thing besides the paper clip that hasn’t changed.” A lot of the quotes posted around the park still speak to the essential spirit of baseball, but I can’t help feel like this one needs maybe an asterisk these days.
What Did You Think of the Evening, Stephanie?
“The evening was amazing! I did not know what to expect, but when I hit the BART platform I was pleasantly surprised! There waiting for me was this enthusiastic gentleman that matched my energy… I knew right away that I was completely comfortable and safe in anything that could/would happen.
The fact that our first stop was to pick up a ‘Hello Kitty’ hoodie not only put me at ease, but made me feel “seen” as this gentleman clearly paid attention to our text conversation as he offered me the sweatshirt to wear (and promptly promised to pick me one up soon in the correct size!)
It was possibly the most exciting home town team game that I have ever attended. The conversation was impeccable, the kindness and attentiveness was stellar, and not only did I get to meet a new metamour, it was the first blind date that I have ever been on! Not to mention, the Giants won! Definitely an evening to remember, and a beautiful new human to share experiences with!”
81 Dates 