It’s probably no surprise to anyone at this point that 2014 has been a struggle for me. While it has not reached the level of bleakness that 2013 had, 2014 has been particularly frustrating because I have felt myself so close to my goals and dreams on a number of occasions, only to be detoured. Perhaps one of the most frustrating things is that even the things that I try to use as diversions from the daily frustrations have been frustrating in and of themselves. Yesterday was a prime example.
This past weekend, I went to St. Louis to see my beloved Seahawks face the Rams. Since it is a four and a half hour drive, we had to leave first thing in the morning. Even though I was quite drowsy, I was too excited to care. It’s not every day that I get to see my team play in person.
By the time we got to the stadium, things went downhill. From previous experiences I knew that most stadiums open their doors around two hours before kickoff so that fans can get settled, watch pregame warm-ups, and even try to get some autographs. However, the Rams’ stadium opened at 10:30 after the warm-ups were done. The entrance procedures were ridiculous and arbitrary, as some people funneled through nonexistent lines and some others were inexplicably exempt from the metal detector. Not quite the start I was looking for.
Once we finally got to our seats, we were amazed by how good they were. If I wanted, I could’ve thrown my phone and hit a player with it (I probably wouldn’t even have been removed from the game because security was a joke). I did not see or notice any ushers or stadium security. Many of St. Louis’ finest took advantage of this, as they went and sat wherever they wanted. Most people who sat in one of the six rows in front of me did not actually pay for one of those tickets but rather found a way to get to these seats. Of course, these people were not decent human beings in the slightest. As a Seahawks fan, I am used to friendly banter in opposing stadiums, but these people took it to another level by yelling, cursing, and calling me names. It’s one thing to have fun but another to try to start something with a complete stranger just for the color of the jersey they are wearing.
I’ve made it this far without making a mention of the actual game. Unfortunately, the Seahawks lost. They made too many mistakes on special teams throughout the game, and the Rams capitalized. However, even if they had won 100-0, it would’ve been a frustrating experience. After the game, all we wanted to do was go home. Much like everything else, even this did not go well. The city closed off the ONE road that we needed to get back into Illinois. Our GPS started going crazy and tried to lead us into the Mississippi River! Because of the GPS, the road closures, and the inept St. Louis police, it took an extra hour to get home, and we finally made it home at 8:30. After that experience, I truly hope the Rams move back to Los Angeles. St. Louis doesn’t deserve them.
I was hoping for a day that I would never forget. I probably should have been more specific with that hope.
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