Bagging It

My bag that I take to the ball games seems to get fuller every game we go to. You can't see down into the depths very well, but there is my scorebook - with a couple of #2 pencils - the umbrella, the fan spray bottle, an extra shirt (protection from the sun), the tickets, the sun screen, sunglasses, a pencil sharpener, the radio, sometimes the camera, etc.

All of the pockets are handy to make sure some things just don't get buried. Reactions to the bag are always fun (every bag has to be held open so it can be examined at a table before you enter the ball park). Men doing the screening don't seem to pay any attention to it, but the women examiners almost always do. First they notice and make some comment about the fabric. Then they ask if I made it. When I say "No, it was a present from my sister," there's always a comment about how lucky I am.

In addition to my bag, Forry has been carrying our little insulated bag with a couple of bottles of frozen water, along with the seat cushions he packs as well.

This year, they are still doing manual checks of bags at the gates. It's my understanding that by next year, all of the parks are supposed to have metal detectors. I've heard that Safeco Field in Seattle has already been outfitted with them.