Ollie gets touched, LHJ scores

when I was nine years old, I knew how to score a baseball game well enough for my father to use the bathroom whenever he wanted to during a game, confident that I'd be able to "pick [him] up" on the scorecard. it's an important milestone in my family, when one has reached proficiency with scoring a baseball game.

LHJ had never scored a game when we met more than six years ago. Last night he went to the game with a friend from work, and scored it for the first time without me there. he did a great job! I was teaching as the game was going on last night, so it was really exciting to see how the game unfolded on his scorecard when I got home.

it was not, however, exciting to see how badly the Braves beat up Oliver Perez in the first three innings.

nor was it exciting to see how much the Mets did not hit.

but I know LHJ is a real member of my family now-- he writes the weather conditions and seat locations for the game on the top right hand corner of the scorecard, as we all do.