Rain Delay
We arrive at the ball park, shepherding three grandkids.
It’s the Fourth of July, and the Loons vs. White Caps game
will be followed by fireworks.
The rain starts Before we even make it to our seats--
we dash to shelter beneath the outfield video screen
as tall as a house, and we keep squeezing backwards as the rain blows in.
Next to me, a dad and his son have brought their gloves
to catch a foul ball or a home run.
Others carry plastic cups brimming with beer.
A woman behind me checks the radar on her phone.
For half an hour we are squished in that anonymous crowd,
protecting three girls from rain.
The little one wants to be held and I pick her up,
bouncing to the stadium music.
This is not the bonding I envisioned, but it may be
the most memorable part of the holiday:
holding these kids close and mingling with the crowd.
Drew Frantz
July, 2024