DA JAYS

I am one lucky girl, I have been able to attend two Blue Jays games in five days. One with the love of my immediate life, the other with CycleHer . Both days were sunny days with wins! GO JAYS!! We need all the help we can get.

Our family has been Jays fans for a number of years - over 20 years to be exact. We have been lucky enough to share tickets for that long, an adventure to a game with Dad was the event the summer for the kids. Each of them got to go to one game with Dad, each game developed a pattern.

First off came the long car ride from that community to the west of us into the BIG SMOKE....holy cow they were going to TORONTO!!! The excitement that glowed from their little faces as game day approached was magical. I would hear how they would bounce in their seats with excitement the whole way to Toronto. After parking the car, the next stop would be the Royal York Hotel. Dad and which ever lucky kid it was that day would find a prime location to sit in the lobby and people watch, something that we all still love to do today. Next up would be the long walk to the Rogers Centre as it was known back in the day. I say long because when you are little there were and still are plenty of things to distract you along the walk.

Once inside there was the mandatory bathroom stop, then a stop at the snack bar. Our seats began at the top of a section, close to the bathrooms and over the years moved closer to the field. The rule with Dad was what ever you wanted to eat or drink you could have - seriously whatever. There was LLB’s 8th birthday when we arranged to have her birthday up on the Jumbotron. As the big moment arrived she informed her Dad that she had to go to the bathroom - “could you wait a few minutes honey”? Ten minutes later LLB apparently began the big seat wiggle...”can we go now Dad”? “Just a few more minutes”. Finally her birthday appeared on the screen, and they could make a run for it. That year our seats weren’t close to the bathrooms - it was a run and thank goodness they made it.

I have heard stories about being permitted to eat ice cream, popcorn, candy floss, wash it all down with pop - make a trip to the bathroom to toss it all up and start again! No wonder he was Daddy Fun and I was the homework ogre!

Over the years and as we moved, the car ride turned into a GO train ride. The candy floss and popcorn to Beer and Street Meat. I too have had a couple of games with the girls..don’t think I have been to a game on my own with the boy. I have learned about the game, though don’t think I will ever have the knowledge of the rest of my family. No matter how they play, Da Jays hold a special place in our hearts and memories.