Lou Brock

I saw Lou Brock, a Hall of Fame baseball player, speak at a hospital in Maplewood earlier today. It was part of a centennial celebration. I liked getting an autograph on my hat and on a picture. These opportunities don't come along very often, so I was thankful to be reminded of it when reading about it in the St. Paul paper on Thursday. It was what prompted me to research it. There was a waffle breakfast at 9am, I arrived shortly after it began. Then Lou spoke at 10am. I liked hearing about his 2 patents, one is a special umbrella and the other a type of athletic shoe. It was a little annoying how some asked him questions about baseball that still seemed to be out of his expertise, when he is an ambassador he shouldn't be expected to know everything about the game as a business like TV contracts. But to each their own. I did speak of how my parents saw a Cardinals-Pirates doubleheader in 1974 in St. Louis, where Bob Gibson pitched one game and Lou stole a base in another. I liked having my dad describe Lou on base. 'He will look around, wiggle shiver and shake, then he's gone'. I was too young to see him play, but I still liked reading about his career. And I liked how the Whiteyball teams of the 1980s won with speed and defense. Base-stealing is a lost art. Lou also spoke about living with diabetes, referring to Ron Santo, a teammate with the Cubs, having the condition as well. Some had baseballs and pictures to sign, I had to think quick and decided on the hat I was wearing, better than the shirt.
    I went to Red Lobster for dinner with my date, along with 2 other couples. Good food there. In the evening I saw 'You've Got Mail' on DVD with my date. We shared some odd stories on dreams we've had, I had a recurring one about being back at Emerson Hough School. Another one was of destroying fences while driving as I was taking curves too sharply. She had one about going dancing at an outdoor venue, some people were rude to us. Then she found somebody from our home state wearing a Snoopy sweater. I often analyze my own dreams, aware of how some things in them are derived from current thoughts. Even though many dreams are bizarre, and far-fetched.