Hard as it is to believe, I recently turned down the chance to throw out the first pitch at a Dodger game.
ELBEE I for one am shocked.
It was Pups in the Park night at the stadium. Since UCLA is now in partnership with the Dodgers, someone from the People Animal Connection was getting the honors. Most people who know me would assume that I’d jump at the chance. Unfortunately, the inner, shy non-athlete of my childhood couldn’t find the courage to step up to the plate.
THE DOODS That is just sad and also a terrible pun.
To be totally honest, my real fear was that I might hit a player with the ball. I’m not the most coordinated person on the planet. I could just see it on social media, “Grandmother injures Dodger” as she tries to throw out first pitch.
GUS As a huge fan, I was very disappointed.
Gus is not kidding. He truly has become a fan. He’s been to the event before but this year he was like a giddy kid from the moment we arrived. It may stem from the January morning he spent with Kenta Maeda when some of the Dodgers visited Mattel Children’s Hospital. He thinks they’re buddies.
With over 700 dogs attending, there was a festive atmosphere from the moment we walked through the gate. Gus was all over the place, greeting everyone and mingling with his buddies from PAC. He and Fred, a huge Golden Doodle, had crossed paths at hospital events but seemed to strike up a real friendship.
ELBEE OMG does she realize that they were “photo bombed” by a butt?
During the dog parade around the warning track, with his blue hair dye and Dodger t-shirt, he got a lot of smiles and a few laughs from people in the stands. I almost expected him to do a parade wave. Oh wait, that would be me.
When we got to our seats up in the all-you-can-eat pavilion, his demeanor changed. Gus actually sat down to watch the game. A lot of the dogs sprawled under the seats or scouted around for food. Not Gus. Settled on the husband’s lap, he kept his eyes on the field. If I didn’t know better, I would swear he understood baseball.
This has nothing to do with the Dodgers but it was too good not to share. Yesterday I was crossing a busy street in Tarzana with Stanley, who is big, fluffy and white like Charley was, prancing by my side. Suddenly, a woman waiting for a light called from her car, “Weren’t you in I Love You Man?” When I proudly answered “yes, I was” she said “that’s my favorite movie.”
ELBEE Really? Our self-appointed Pack Leader may be having one of the longest fifteen minutes in history!
