Two Hours of Stardom                                                                               back

       “I am standing in Fenway Park... I am standing in Fenway Park!” I mutter to myself. It takes me awhile to get it through me brain. Fans crowd around me. It seems all I hear are the sweating venders hollering “hot dogs, water.” The indescribable smell of food mixed with sweat fills the park.

        My dad and I are standing near the Red Sox dugout. I feel claustrophobic as more people and fans move around my dad and me. Next thing I know I am on the field. Well... not exactly... a teenager, no older than 18 with hair the color of brownies, walks over to me. Later on I find out that she is the Red Sox’s bat  girl and her name is Kelly. She asks, “What are you doing?”

        "Nothing much,” I respond and then look at my dad. “ I’m just hanging out waiting for some players to walk by so I can try to get an autograph.”

          “ Would you like to hang out on the field?” Kelly asks me. Once again I look at my dad waiting for an approval. My stomach feels as though it is in a washer machine. I can’t wait for the response. My dad answers saying:

          “Is parent guidance needed?”

          Kelly laughs and then says, “Yes.”

          So here I am standing on the warning track, brown dirt and green grass all around me. I walk in little circles so that I can take in the whole field. Home team dugout, visitor’s dugout and the green monster are the first things I notice. Then comes all of the security, on and off, the field and of course all of the baseball players. People look at me. they probably think I’m some V.I.P. or something of that sort, but I’m not. I’m not sure if I like the fact that people are looking at me. I decide to look down and away from the crowd, trying to forget that they are there.

       Kelly walks up to me again and tells me that I can go into the Red Sox dugout. I immediately start jumping with joy! My heart pounds as I walk down the five steps into the dugout. 1...2...3...4...5... I count to myself. I am officially in the Boston Red Sox’s dugout. I don’t know what to think. The only thing that comes to mind is "wow! Wow, wow, wow! How amazing is this!?" I sit down on the bench. It is as though I am sitting on metal. Hard and cold, very uncomfortable. The next thing I know Jay Payton comes and sits next to me. I inhale slowly trying hard not to have a heart attack. Jay Payton starts talking to me and even signs a baseball for me. I am in absolute awe at the moment. Everything is like a blur. I no longer notice the noises or people around me, the colors all look the same. I soon remember where I am and what I am doing there when a lady walks over to me with a camera. She starts taking pictures of me in the dugout and with Jay Payton. I am not a picture person. In fact, I completely do not like getting my picture taken. Today was different. I didn’t mind one bit!

          I start to think that I really am a V.I.P. As I climb the stairs out of the dugout there is a spring in every step I take. No longer do I mind the stares. I feel as though I am a movie star. I just smile and walk to our seats with my dad.

back