Men, Baseball Home Opener, and Beer

So.  Tom went to the Royals home opener yesterday.  When he and his friends tailgate for the Chiefs, Tom is up at 6, grilling, wrapping stuff in foil, keeping it hot in an enameled cast iron casserole with cover, icing down beer, sodas, etc.  Trying to figure out what to do for baseball tailgating since they'd all be leaving from work, Joe told Tom, “I got it.  Don’t worry about it.”   Tom should have known better.  Joe was the guy who during the ‘get up and tell a funny story about Bob’ portion of his memorial service last Saturday, told about how they compared the number of ex-wives they had.  (Joe’s a great guy, but his brain obviously has no filter.)

Well, he got home after 8 last night, and came upstairs where I was watching Tab Benoit videos (since I sacrificed his concert last night for the home opener annual male ritual.  Still had his coat on and hands in its pockets. (It was cold with a capital C yesterday.)  He was grinning.  Of course he was.  Royals won the home opener.  Good omen for the season.

“Joe brought a case of beer for before the game.”  Tom just smiled that 'boy, do I have a story to tell' smile of his.

“Coors Light or do they now have Coors Light Light?” I groaned (Joe is not known for his stellar taste in beer.)

“He brought a case of Bud Light,” said Tom, slowly bringing his left hand out of his pocket.  There was something in his hand, but it was small and I couldn’t see thru the fingers clutching it.  “A case of twelve.”

“Twelve?  They make twelve packs these days?”  (My favorite brew comes in a four-pack, so what do I know? Big plug here for Tallgrass Brewery and Buffalo Sweat Oatmeal Cream Stout.)

  

“Yup, a twelve pack.  For all of us.  Before the game,” answered the mister.

“Still,” I replied, “That’s good.  It’s not like you were out there for hours beforehand, like at a Chiefs game.  That’s probably all y’all really needed.”

That’s when he held out the contents of his hand.  A Bud Light mini can.  I mean mini.  Like his hand was able to conceal the entire can like it was a tube of Chapstick.  Twelve of them.  For the group.  I started laughing hysterically.

“We went in the gate early.”