Media Darlings

One summer morning, I was just hanging around the computer when I read about a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Omaha Royals stadium, just up the road here.

With no other plans for the day, I decided to take my boy, so that in years hence, I can tell him tall embellished tales of how he was there when they started building the stadium or something. There were shuttle buses provided by VIP Limousine to ferry people from Michael's alleged future High School, to the cornfield site a mile away. VIP Limousine doesn't have the most efficient shuttle buses in terms of people-carrying capacity, but they had big flatscreen TVs showing the Cubs game.

When we got to the site, we found free theoretical "baseball fare" set out in warmers, but these warnt no Quarter Pound All Beef Royal Dogs; these were some giant super dogs of a like I've not seen before. Michael was hungry, but after eating half of one he stated that if he finished it, his stomach would explode. I, of course, was able to help him out.

There were cans of Coke products in ice... Everyone else had taken all the real Cokes; which was God's way of telling me I needed a Diet Coke 'cause I'm getting fat, and Michael needs a Coke Zero 'cause caffeine & kids don't mix.

There were various dignitaries there, cornered by the Channel 3 guy...

Buffett is part-owner of the O-Royals; the other owner was there, too, along with the Royals CEO, the President, and the GM. Bigwigs from the parent Kansas City club, and the Pacific Coast League were there. Public officials from the city, the county, and the state were there. But the stars were Hall-Of-Famers Bob Gibson and George Brett.

I saw Jennifer's favorite local reporter, Todd Andrews from Channel 7, and took a picture for her even though he had his own camera guy. And while the VIPs were all speechifyin', Michael played around in the corn. He later said he had a good time, which I found a pleasant surprise. I thought it was hot and boring.

But later on, while we were watching the Channel 6 news, I caught a glimpse of him. And they used the same footage on their website.

Sure, Michael knows he is an awesome dude; but he didn't get interviewed by the Omaha World Herald as we were leaving! And I got a speaking part in the paper— quoted in the same article in which Warren Buffett is quoted! Jennifer asked if I said anything pithy. I said, "Nothing real great, but a lot of it." Of course, it's at the very end, 'cause you gotta save the best for last.