Baseball and the haves and have nots

Had a great time today at the USA vs. CAN baseball game.

I didn't realize that they have two baseball venues - the main field and field 2. I went to main, the game was on 2. That's me, The Natural. Get it? Baseball movie reference? Get it?

Anyway I got to the right field in the bottom top of the third, with the US down 4-0. Sat in the media section right across the barricade from three young ladies chanting all kinds of pro Canada stuff with French mixed in and shaking these hideous things that kind of looked like abacuses (abaci?). Very annoying.

Then the action started with a solo home run from the USA. Team USA went on to score 5 unanswered runs and won 5-4. Very exciting. Didn't win them a medal or anything, but a win is good. Not sure what their next step is, but they have one.

The Olympic family, VIP's and the media are all in the shade. Regular old spectators sit frying in the sun. The venues let you use an umbrella, which is pretty cool, but there are going to be some sunburnt folks tonight!

That is the way it is at a lot of events of all types, right? A real separation between the haves and have nots. Haves get special credentials, parking, vehicles, access, entrances, hospitality, etc. Have nots get sunburnt, walk a lot, eat hot dogs on a stick (not making that up) and are the ones really raising hell in support of their teams. Haves talk alot about how much money and/or connections they have. Have nots are talking about batting averages and trading pins.

Don't get me wrong, being in China is not turning me into a socialist - far from it. I'm just observing from the middle, in a sense.

See my credential is great, but walks the middle between the two. I can catch all kinds of busses and shuttles and can buy food at private concessions. Caviar is ain't, but it's better than hot dogs on a stick. And I'm not as sunburnt.