Just two nights back, I seized the opportunity to take some of my kids to a pro-football (*ahem* soccer ) game. It's the first I've been to since getting talked into attending a Bolton Wanderers match back in '96. We weren't supposed to have been at that game, so I had a hard time enjoying it for guilt.This time, though, was a blast.
Picture this: fans perched on plastic seats, or standing all around the field, chanting, singing, cheering, and booing. Vendor hawk their wares in the stands and out in the concourse. The oppressive sky is schizophrenic, sometimes dumping on us, other times allowing a little peek at the sun in the most brilliant of ways.
The game was relatively staid, though the home team (Real Salt Lake) had scored early in the first half. Unfortunately, finding free parking meant that we were still slogging through the evening storm when the goal was made. The whole stadium went nuts, of course, and we could hear it a block away. Still, there's something enjoyable about being at an honest-to-goodness sporting event, especially when most of the crowd is decked out in team paraphernalia
I felt a bit underdressed in my polo shirt and Dockers. Oh, and the aforementioned sandals.
Near the end of our stay, when my frozen daughter insisted on leaving, I looked up toward the canopy, and watched the slowly falling rain drifting toward us. Eventually the winds pushed the rain into our faces, but it was like standing under a massive, slow motion waterfall--the visual was really stunning. I wish my camera could have captured it well. Eh.
My sons ate it all up, though I did feel a bit bad for my cold, tired little girl, but hey--her mom had warned her to dress warm, instead of bringing a flimsy jacket and open-toed shoes. It was really her own fault. Still, no need to let her sit there and freeze, right? Suffice it to say, the boys weren't thrilled at the change of plans. Eh. They'll live.
For not having to spend a dime (other than gas), it was a remarkable little experience, and I'd dare say especially since we had to battle the elements to get into a position to cheer on our boys.
Go Real!
