Mets Dash & the Hidden Perks of the Child

"Ohmygodlookhowcutethhatis!" Most women have the unique ability to convert an entire sentence into a single thought to somehow state the thought out loud without sounding like they have a mouth full of marbles. As a male all I can do is reverse engineer the statement and fill in the missing parts like the rendering of an image. I heard: Oh, cute, and that. The rest of the sentence filled in accordingly.

A very attractive woman was looking at myself and Sienna* - or more specifically daughter facing the world while being held snuggly in place against her father's chest via a Baby Bjorn. Thankfully my father had warned me of this specific moment. Yes, in a world of fatherly advice about taxes, drinking and the awesomeness of a garage sale my father's FAVORITE memories of my brother and I as little children was carrying us around beaches while attractive women would come up and tell him how cute his children was (he would only take us one at a time).

Consider it a hidden perk of a child.

A non-hidden perk of Sienna is one I have been aware of since Danielle started working for the Mets: the Mets Kids' Dash. Children age 12 and under run around the bases at Citi Field. Children that are too young to run the bases are accompanied by an adult. I like the Mets Dash so much I've tried to borrow children the last couple of years. Okay, I really like the concept of running around the bases.

Yesterday, the finest Sunday EVER as far as I was concerned, was a Mets Dash and we went to the game. Heck yeah I carried my child around the infield. I "fist bumped" with Mr. Met**. I avoided being trampled by other children as they sprinted around the bases.

I think Sienna may have even been awake for it.

It really is amazing (no pun intended) watching the kids run around the bases - pure joy, optimism, and the parents grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Danielle has worked the Mets Kids' Dash in the past and warned me how fun it turns out. It really is a great reminder of both baseball and a hidden perk of raising a child.

The moral of the story: Whether it is walking down the street or running around bases Ican'thelpfindhiddenperksofthechild.

Wayne

*The attactive woman's Europeanly handsome swarthy boyfriend seemed equally amused at her reaction.

**I don't think Mr Met recalls last season how myself and some very inebriated friends nearly tackled him in the Delta Club in an effort to get a picture.