The World Series begins this week, and we will be glued to the TV. Walter is passionate about baseball, and now I’m watching it with him. It reminds me of growing up in Milwaukee when my dad took my sister and me downtown to watch major league baseball. He’d buy us each a team ball cap, a juicy hot dog, and a box of Cracker Jack. Dad probably had an ice-cold beer. After all, we lived in Milwaukee!

Now living in Virginia, Walter and I cheer for the Wahington Nationals even though they had a rough time of it this year and did not make it to the playoffs. But Gus, our baseball bear, never gave up on them. Gus is a button bear that was given to us donning a navy-blue sweater and red and blue ball cap. We placed a “W” on his cap, a number on his back, and gave him new tennis shoes to be part of the Nationals’ lineup. He watches all of the games with us and complains when there’s no ballgame on TV.

Walter has been to several live games in Washington, DC, but when his daughter got tickets for us to join her and her husband at a Nat’s game, we were there. We could see the capitol building from the stadium, and we had outstanding seats above the dugout.

We were excited and ready for the big game when it started raining—a two-hour rain delay. Well, that called for just one thing—hot dogs. Walter’s favorite food is a hot dog with mustard, onions, chili, and slaw. He judges a restaurant by the hot dogs they serve.

When the rain stopped and the sun came out, we walked down a hundred steps to our seats, only to melt in the heat and humidity. After the rain, our seats were steamy hot. Eventually, Walter and I walked up those steps to sit in the shade at the top of the stands. I wouldn’t have traded that experience for anything, but I think I’d rather watch baseball on TV in the air-conditioned house.

When we got home, that’s what we did with Gus, our baseball bear. We found a replay of the game we attended and saw ourselves on TV rooting for the Nats. When the camera was on the pitcher, you could see us in the stands.