I wasn’t excited about the new seats at first. But after seeing them I thought we might enjoy them. The Fever’s bench is close to us, and although we are in Row 6 there are no seats in front of us. In front of our seats are a wall and a metal railing. Chairs can be stored on the other side of the wall for folks who are working during the games.
We have met lots of season ticket holders who sit in our general area and have been befriended by several staff members.
A couple of weeks ago we attended the first preseason home game of the season, which will be extended because the league will suspend games during the Summer Olympics. The Fever’s Tamika Catchings in on the Olympics team for the fourth time.
A lot of fun things go on at the games between the quarters and time-outs. Team mascot Freddie Fever and The Fever Inferno (dance and cheer group) toss T-shirts into the crowd. Freddie has an air gun that can propel T-shirts a long distance.
Late in the first preseason game and during a time-out, I told Lyn that I needed to stand up and stretch. I had only been standing a couple of seconds when I noticed a knotted T-shirt heading our way. I leaped into the air and snagged the shirt like it was line drive and I was a major league shortstop. Upon landing on the floor I began to wave to the crowd in preparation of accepting their applause.
“Hold it! Hold it!” said my better half. “That’s not even close to what happened. Your article was basically OK until you mentioned getting up to stretch. The T-shirt hit you right in the face before falling to the floor below us. One of the folks working in the area picked up the shirt and handed it to you. Everyone was laughing, not applauding.”
Wow! I felt like I was smoothly sailing in my quiet ship when all of a sudden I was taken over by a band of pirates. Well, one pirate. I’m sure you will agree that my version is the most believable one.
When we arrived home, Stuart, our therapy dog, was told both versions. And because I usually fix his meals, he sided with me.
Shonk is a 1960 graduate of Southport High School, a ’63 grad of Indiana Central College (now the University of Indianapolis) and a retired bus driver from Beech Grove Schools.