Someone's Going to Receive a Strongly Worded Letter

For this Fourth of July, we went with some friends of ours (that's four adults and three children, all under 4) to a minor league baseball game; we went to see the Inland Empire 66ers play the Lake Elsinore Storm at the San Bernardino field (if the bank that sponsors the field would like tme to mention their name, they can e-mail me and I will tell them where to send the check to buy me off as well). Normally, this is a fun event: a baseball game, lots to do between innings, music, fireworks, etc. This year was to be no exception.

Until we got there.

We purchased tickets a month in advance but they wouldn't mail them to us. Instead we had to go to will-call. When we got there, about 40 minutes before game-time, we discovered that there were two will-call lines, depending on your last name. The lines for each line stretched ACROSS THE ENTIRE ENTRANCE PLAZA! After about a 30+ minute wait to get the tickets (which took about 30 seconds when we got to the window), we got to stand in another 30 minute line (AROUND THE PARKING LOT!), this time to actually go into the stadium. Only one gate of three was open (although, later someone had the bright idea to open more gates) and they were searching people right inside. (Did I mention it was about 98 degrees out?)

Once in line, the food lines took about two innings each, all of the orders were messed up, and the game became an afterthought, which is just as well since the 66'ers lost 17-2. My friend literally missed six innings just waiting in lines!

After the game, it took nearly an hour for the band and fireworks to set up, and the band (not an orchestra, as advertised, but rather a modern jazz ensemble) was terribly disorganized to the point where at one point the conductor had to help a musician sort out his music pages between pieces. (Our part of the stadium filled in the gaps by singing a rousing rendidition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame.)

Now, granted, 10,000+ people is a lot of people in the Class A California League, but, they knew they had the tickets sold, and I have seen the place sold-out before, and it never ran like it did tonight. What a nightmare. Even the parking was a disaster.

No news, just venting. My problems are now your problems. Good Night Sweet Prince (of Darkness)!