If you've ever watched the tv series LOST then you know a little about how crazy a trip can go. This past week, my hubby's company chartered a bus and loaded it up with everyone in the company (all of the Hageman family except 2 members were on this bus) and took off for a Cincinnati Reds game in search of fun for all the hardworking employees.
Since we did all live to tell about it….here goes the low-down of our day!
Okay, first let start this story with the facts. WE ARE NOT REDS FANS! We are dyed-in-the-wool ATLANTA BRAVES people. But what can you do when your boss decides to set up a fun day for the company at a Cincinnati Reds game?
Well, I'll tell ya. YOU GO! Because, these people know how to have fun….EVERYWHERE THEY GO!
The trip started out on shaky ground when we had to wait an extra hour for our bus to arrive because they had to "upgrade" it 3 times! THREE DIFFERENT BUSES! Are you with me so far? THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RED FLAG! But since we are gluttonous for adventure…..we loaded up on the bus with all the faith of a Catholic nun (and no offense to the Nuns of the world)! We were just confident that the day's biggest challenges……would be how much we would eat, drink and do to have a great time!
Oh the naivete!
Let me introduce Cynthia. She is our bus driver. From the moment we hopped on board……her bus lady abilities were questionable. She seemed scattered and off her rocker and it was only 10:00 am in the morning! Instead of "getting ready" for departure, she jumped in the driver's seat and peeled off. Once she was driving, she started to do all the things a person would need to do to be set to drive: adjust the seat, look at a PAPER MAP, check her phone, figure out which way to go, read some mail…..you know? Just wacky stuff!! In the meantime, we are swerving and stopping in all directions. In the busy city of Indianapolis!
It was SCARY!
She weaved us in and out of the busy interstate traffic, yelling at other vehicles and complaining about HOW AWFUL THIS BUS WAS! We hung on and prayed…..other's in the back of the bus took it as a sign to open up some chemical courage. It wasn't even lunch time and people were drinking! If she got cut off in traffic….she would yell, "SOMEONE FLICK THEM OFF!".
Yes, this is all real! YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP (which became our theme statement of the day!)
By the time we reached Cincy….everyone just wanted TO GET OFF THE BUS! So much so, that we jumped off several blocks from the stadium and waved GOODBYE to Cynthia!! See ya later crazy C!!
Off we hustled…into the game (which was started at this point).
Since the Hageman's do nothing half-heartedly, we climbed the stairs to our seats in the Clubhouse area (because the elevators had a long line and there were 28 of us). Never will I be able to just "attend" a baseball game again! I blame the Hageman's for spoiling me to the luxury that is Clubhouse seating! The cool shade, the smorgasborg of different foods & drinks (all open buffet style)…..the air-conditioning!!! All of it, perfect pleasures for a snob like me!!
I ain't ever going back to regular game seats y'all!
Just look at us. Don't we look happy? We are living it up….
Even Ms. Sandy is unaware of all that awaits us once this long overtime (12 innings) game is over.
The newly-weds…..Adam & Chelsea. God love them. They handled the day like old pros!
Our son Gavin……eats, sleeps, drinks baseball! There was no way we could just leave him behind. He smiled the entire day, but that's just how he is as a person! Happy kid! He even handled it like a champ when Ms Sandy asked our waitress for her number for Gavin! So funny!
I told her to stop trying to pick out my daughter-in-law!!
I don't know it….but I'm almost positive my future DIL does NOT work in a Toby Keith restaurant wearing Daisy duke short shorts! I mean, he's 24! He would've shown signs of a that kind of taste in women by now….right?
Here is Shane asking this nice guy if he could snap a few group photos of us as we leave the game. He was kind enough to indulge….but only some of us made the photo! 🙂
I told you….YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP!! We laughed and laughed and laughed! What else can you do?
By this time, we've been gone all day. We herd our way out of the stadium and head back to our bus. Cynthia & company are awaiting us somewhere on a city street. So, we walk and walk UPHILL to where we finally find her. Only, there are emergency cones surrounding our bus and the lower deck doors are all opened with coolant bottles on the ground. ON A BUSY CITY STREET!! I haven't shared that the group of folks I'm with are FARM PEOPLE have I? This ecclectic group of people…..understand hard work, heat and make-do! This little breakdown didn't faze them! They were ready for it!
Several of them jumped right in to help poor old HOT Cynthia who was sweating like a leaky pipe and one second away from full-on tears.
The bus would not stay running. Nothing worked. They tinkered with the engine area, they added coolant…..they did mechanic stuff over & over. It would crank up…we would get a little further up the hill (trying to navigate the 5:00 Cincinnati traffic) all while cars and other buses were cutting us off and whipping in front of us. We just needed to get out of the city! And Cynthia….needed help!
This is Steve (the boss – Uhh, what's your boss' superpower?). He is stomping on the gas pedal (no, I'm not lying) trying to keep the bus running because Cynthia just can't do it!
The patient HOT crew! Everyone is just trusting……that this is going to work out. 3 hours from home! All while sweating to death!
Not one vehicle on this street would give us a break or get out of the way. I will never look at buses the same again! It was like NO ONE could see we were in trouble!
After jumping ship (bus), we wandered like the Israelites all over downtown searching for a restaurant to "hold up" while the bus company sent a replacement bus to pick us back up. An interesting note: The bus company we were chartered on was from Lafayette Indiana. Many hours away! This long day…..had the possibility of becoming an all-nighter!
We climbed back up the hill, carrying all of our stuff; coolers, backpacks, purses etc… until we found a place to eat dinner while we waited. A Toby Keith restaurant seemed appropriate for the motley crew of farmers, execs….employees and their wives. So, we took over one side of the place and ordered our dinner all while trying to cool off. Everyone had started to reach the point of deliriousness by this time.
Heat has a way of sucking the life out of you!
A few hours later….we were on our way with a new bus from a new company and poor old over-heated Cynthia up in the front passenger seat.
We made it home around 9pm, safe and sound still believing….YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP!! It was so much fun!
Thank you Hageman's! You sure know how to party!!