out to the ballpark with mister willie!

Here he is, Mr. Willie Smith, Jr.,
being escorted to his seat
by Mr. Top Banana himself,
Jesse Cole.
Willie had called last week to say
that Berry Aldridge wanted him to
come in for an interview.
Willie then asked that I accompany
him... and so I did, of course.
(smile)

Willie finally made it to his seat -
hey, it's been months since he had to tackle stairs.
He was even joking that they needed to put in an elevator.
(smile)
Today was also rather humid and that makes breathing difficult, too.
Good thing he got a pacemaker for his 80th birthday last October!

Willie was showing Ben, the photographer and video guru Banana, how to do various pitches.
I don't know that Ben is much of a sports fan, but he did listen.
(smile)
And see that baseball?
Alex Rodriguez, a Savannah Banana last summer, signed that one for the old man and Willie had brought it with him.

I was listening, too, because I know that Willie's son, Willie Everett Smith, was a pitcher for the New York Yankees.
(smile)
Then Jesse returned to the stands, and magic occurred!
Bippity boppity boo!
Suddenly, Willie was transformed into a Bananas man, resplendent in shirt and ballcap!

Lookin' good!
Then there was the adjusting of the microphone and the light stand.
At last, time for the interview!
What was I doing?
Well, mostly I was being quiet and trying to stay out of the way.
(smile)
Surprisingly, I did manage to do well at both of those feats!

I learned a few things, too.
For instance, Willie picked out that seat as his favorite when he was in high school, in the mid-1950's.
That meant this: he has been sitting in his seat since before I was born.
Wow.
It's been his for six of the seven decades that he was been coming to Grayson Stadium.

And one of those sayings he has?
That "Sit down in your seat" admonishment to a player who was struck out?
He picked that up from a guy named Joe that he once sat with.
I'd never heard that story before!
(smile)
Now I have to wonder if any of those other chants might have been Joe's.

Perhaps some had belonged to Willie's dad.
He's responsible for Willie's love of baseball, for his appreciation of the game's strategy.
As Willie said, football is harder than baseball, but only because of the physicality of football.
Baseball is more difficult, because there are so many variables at play.
(smile)

What about music at the games?
Well, Willie didn't talk about Elvis, but he did speak of Ernie Banks.
Apparently, the man singing the 7th inning stretch song had made an impression.
Then, wonder of wonders, Willie regaled us with the song, a cappella!
Don't feel that you've missed out -
it's here on youtube, from 2014!
(smile)

Willie talked about me, too, several times, and my dancing - especially at the Bananas games!
I thought it hilarious that he mentioned that, as he is always after me to sit down in my seat!
(smile)
Then, the interview was over.
Nearly an hour had passed by, but it seemed a mere blink of an eye.
Time truly does flit more quickly during good times!

And what about the baseball season?
Well, the field is looking like it's ready for some action, isn't it?
Right now, a local high school team is making use of it.
Those college boys of summer won't test its turf until May 30th - and I already have my ticket, so I'll be here, Lord willing.
I hope Willie will be, too.
(smile)