The View From the Concession Stand

Part of my obligation as a baseball mom is to work the concession stand at the ball park one time during the season.  I actually enjoy doing it for some odd reason.  Perhaps it's the smell of popcorn or the fact that the freezer is stocked full of DQ buster bars.  Anyway, I had to commit to three hours today and it turned out to be quite an interesting time, for sure.  I confess I'm a bit of a people watcher, and there were lots of opportunities to observe them!

First, I had this group of kids that kept coming up to the window.  They started off with $10.00 and I've never seen anyone stretch ten bucks like these little frugal ones did!  There must have been six of them and they had water, soda, sunflower seeds, granola bars.  Fruit snacks, nerds, airheads, and cheetos.  Bubble gum, ice pops, M&Ms and a ring pop.  They figured out ways to split up the money and negotiate sharing everything so they could eat more and get more, and truly... it was impressive. 

Secondly, I ran into a former student and her mom there.  Their family has been going through a tough time over the past year, but it was good to see them happy and doing well despite tough circumstances and lots of change.

Third, I found out that one of Cody's teammates' siblings fought a rare form of leukemia and beat it.  It took three years but he was given the "all clear" in February.  Praise God!!

Fourth, I heard all about a fight that transpired between two six year-old little girls through an older, wiser 8 year-old.  "And they are, like, so totally going to get in trouble with their moms."

Next, I overcharged an umpire for his gatorade.  It was supposed to be free.  OOPS.  I wondered why he gave me a quizzical look when I asked him for $3.

Finally, I was attempting to read the book, "Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Ginger Plowman during my down times of working the stand.  (It's a book about disciplining strong-willed children.) One of Cody's classmates came over and asked, "Whatcha readin'?"  I told her the title and she started laughing.  She lost complete interest in what I was saying when I began explaining the main point of the book:  To teach your children to obey because of what God's Word says versus what Mom says.  I was hoping I could start quoting scripture to her from the concession window, but I never got my chance.  Oh well.  There's always next year.

So the moral of the story?  You just never know what the day will bring when you sit in the concession stand for three hours.  I didn't come home empty handed either.  I promised I would bring home a giant Pixie Stick for Cody, and I made good on it!