Tuesday, August 12, 2008

ON TOP OF THE SKY.

It is unfortunate that the weekend I decide to do some photo-heavy posts is the one I run into technical difficulties, some of which I am still working through. The challenge with being a baseball blogger is that no one really cares about what you have to say about the game two days later. I could write the best piece in the world about a game three days ago and the attention span would be zero.

Saturday we got to the game early because I had some photos to take. Last year at some point, I toyed with getting the domain lastdaysofshea.com and doing a photo essay just of the stadium. Obviously that didn’t happen, but I’m trying as hard as I can to take as many photos as I can, even of what seems like the most insignificant things - as well as the significant ones. I am taking endless photos of Mr. Met. I am still trying to capture our favorite beer vendor and our favorite nut vendor. I still have to find a night when the Mets are on the road to go out there with a tripod and do my photos of the neon.

Saturday, however, was the night we finally made our pilgrimage to this spot:

...because I knew if I didn’t specifically plan to do it, it would never happen. As it was, there was actually a LINE of people waiting to take photos (TBF: “Because there’s *nothing else* for people to take photos of."), and I am now wishing that the woman who had the tickets right below the number would have gotten the hint and just moved, instead of leaning out of the way, annoyed, because she didn’t want to be in photographs taken by random strangers (no, she wasn’t leaning out of the way out of consideration).

I have a love-hate relationship with the upper deck. Unlike most of you, I didn’t go through those years where it was the only place I could afford to sit. I have some great memories of sitting up there, but it’s rarely been my preferred location. It’s not just because it’s far away - it’s mostly because of the idiot factor. It’s harder for me to concentrate on the game up there. Too many people, too much up and down, too many people there not really paying attention or caring about the game. I realized on Saturday night that that’s changed for me somewhat. It helps that our section has a great collection of people (and not just the resident characters); there are plenty of people who clearly have a Saturday plan and are there to watch the game and not sample every single type of food sold by every vendor at Shea.

And then there is the sky. You don’t have the same kind of relationship with the sky downstairs as you do upstairs. When someone hits a home run and you stand up, arms outstretched, it makes you feel like you own the world. The sky is an accessory downstairs. Upstairs, it’s your neighbor, as much as the guys behind you that you high-five with.

The Saturday photo set is here.