It's official. Ian is not allowed to go to any sporting events with Matthew EVER again. It's not that Matthew is negligent. He doesn't let him run amuck, he does not overload him on junk food (much), and no one has ever had to make an announcement for Matthew to come pick up Ian at the Guest Services booth. He is attentive, vigilent, and nurturing. What I am about to tell you is out of his control. Ian has a target painted on the top of his head, and luckily, no one has hit the bullseye--yet!
Some of you may have heard this story but I have to tell them again simultaneoulsy for the WOW factor. Matthew and his boss took Ian and his son Max to a Ranger's baseball game a couple of months ago. While feasting on hot dogs and enjoying a well deserved boys trip, the unthinkable happened. Seated just slightly to the side of home plate, a foul ball came whizzing staight toward Matthew's unsuspecting charge(Matthew said it went so fast it sounded like a zipper). Before, he could even react the ball grazed Ian's ear, hit his chair, bounced off the man's stomach behind Ian (as the story goes on you will hear no more detail about said man -he was fine-Ian's ear and chair slowed the ball) and was caught by a fan in the next section over. If it can have that many things slowing it down and still make it the distance that it did, you can only image how fast that ball was going (or what it would have done to Ian's beautiful, albeit sturdy, head). This all happened in a split second. Needless to say it scared the corny dogs out of Ian, and he became hysterical. No one knew if he had been hit. The batter for the Seahawks (who shall remain nameless) stepped off the plate, the game paused, thousands of people sat silent, and the paramedics came rushing (I am NOT exaggerating). Oh, did I forget to mention that just a few days before this incident a person (I think it was an assistant coach) was KILLED by a foul ball. When it was confirmed that he was unscathed and his lovely face was still lovely, the crowd cheered, the batter came to check on Ian, and the person who had caught the ball
brought it to Ian. With all eyes on him, Ian threw the ball back on to the field. Did they really expect him to keep this weapon of his almost mass destruction? Everyone laughed and cheered and the batter retrieved the ball for Ian. Again he threw it back out. Seriously, what did they not understand? He eventually wound up with the ball, and Matthew hightailed it out of there to call me and assure me in case I had been watching. I had not. When I heard the story I cried, and immediately thanked God for reaching down into that baseball field and putting a helmet of protection on my son's little head.
Fast forward to December 5th. Matthew had some fabulous tickets to a Stars hockey game, and he decided to take Ian for some quality guy time. I tried sugggesting friends, family, my friends spouses, neighbors, the produce guy at Tom Thumb. Matthew would have nothing of it. He wanted his son to see a hockey game. Up close. Right before they left last night, I asked innocently, "So where are your seats?" Matthew looked at me, knowing what I was thinking, and swallowed hard.
"The third row," he said as he turned and pushed Ian out the door before I could object.
Stay calm, deep breaths. It won't happen twice right? RIGHT?
Matthew assured me. It's behind tall plexiglass. If it goes that far up, it won't fall in the third row right? WRONG!
The story is not that dramatic though. The puck did not hit his perfectly shaped head, it bounced off of the guy next to him, and into the next section. Who do you think they brought the puck to? That's right, Mr. Lucky, Ian Scott. Again, we thank God and his angels for Ian's little helmet! Unfortunately, Ian is going to think he gets to bring home the game ball (or puck) everytime he goes to a sporting event. One thing is for sure, Matthew is not taking him to any Nascar events anytime soon!
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