On the radio...

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

I was driving up to Wal-mart to grab some things and remembered that the Indians were playing, so I tuned them in on the radio.  As soon as play-by-play announcer Tom Hamilton’s voice came over the speaker, I began to feel a sense of calming and peace that hadn’t been present in me for some time.  I drove and listened to his calls, imagining the action on the field and feeling like I could smell the fresh cut grass of the field and the breeze blowing, snapping the flag overhead.

I called John and began sharing my thoughts on listening to the game on the radio.  He agreed entirely.  What was it about this phenomenon that could evoke such strong, emotional feelings in us?  It took me back to my childhood; to playing on our makeshift ball field in the vacant lot next to our house, collecting and swapping cards, running bases, pitching against the garage door, and wearing the dirt and dried blood from hard play. 

And it was about more than just baseball…it was the radio.  I have such vivid memories of my grandparents’ kitchen…my absolute favorite place in the world…and the old radio sitting on the shelf above the kitchen table.  It would be playing first thing in the morning during breakfast and again in the evening just before dinner, to bring the latest news into the house.  It was background noise for me, but as important as the sound of sausage or bacon sizzling in its own grease in the iron skillet or grandpa saying the world was going all to hell. 

“We both need to get some old radio at a garage sale and make sure its playing in the house for all the games,” I told him as I walked into the store. 

I finished shopping and drove home, immediately going to the Rec Room where I knew Holly had a boom box sitting that she used to play her CD’s while exercising.  I turned it on and tuned in 1100 AM and the Indians game.  I cranked it up some so I could hear it wherever I walked on the lower level of the house until I started receiving complaints from Holly upstairs.  She did not have these emotional attachments to the radio and baseball, and she did not want to hear the game.  I lowered the volume, but continued to play the game…and enjoy the serenity it offered.