Nacho Helmet - Need I Say More?

Just one of those nights having a hard time falling asleep.  Matt is out like a light, but my mind is just racing.  As mentioned in my last post, I have accepted the part-time job at DePaul in the admissions office.  Now, I am torturing myself trying to think of other part-time jobs to look into.  So, I am trying to slow down all the racing with some Will and Grace.  ALMOST as good as Friends.  Although Debra Messing should never wear another red or orange with that hair.

I usually read a book when I want to fall asleep.  Not because I don't enjoy reading and it puts me to sleep.  But when I lay in bed with one, my whole body relaxes and before I know it, I'm done.  However, I have read every book on our book shelf.  Well, almost every book.  Matt has a lot of sports books that I have never read that I intend to.  I just can't quite curl up with one of those books.  I need one with a great story, where the characters engulf me to the point of feeling like a friendship is over when I finish the book.  Those are always the best. 

I could have one at the blink of an eye on my Kindle.  I have a whole list of books I am dying to read, but I am way too cheap right now to buy one.  Everytime I think about buying a new book for my Kindle, I think about rent, groceries, laundry and everything else I need to pay for first.  Not to mention the fact that there is a library on the corner of our street.  Apparently they still exist and people still check out books.  So, I think I might cough up a dollar tomorrow to get myself a Chicago library card!  I feel like I can handle that.

On a different note, Matt and I went to my first Cubs game tonight at Wrigley!  Tickets were only $20 and we soon learned why.  We were seated behind one of the steel beams.  Shortstop and left center were completely blocked out by the pole.  But for $20 to see a major league baseball game, I am not complaining.  Just the sights and the sound of the game make it worth while.  As soon as we got to the game, I went directly to the food.  You can't go to a baseball game without getting a hot dog.  Its just not done that way.  So, I picked up two hot dogs for Matt and me plus some pretzel bites to spice things up.  As expected, the dogs were delicious.  I am not sure if they put something in stadium dogs, but you can't beat them.

About 3 innings into the game, Matt and I saw something that changed our night.  We saw a grown man carrying around a plastic Cubs helmet.  When we heard him say "well, I have to clean it out first," we almost broke our necks to see what was in there.  Nachos.  It was a helmet full of nachos.  Jackpot. 

We reverted back to 10 year olds and could not think about anything else but getting us one of those nacho helmets.  At the end of the 4th inning, we literally ran down the stadium steps and into to concourse.  The following conversation actually happened:

Me: OK, the next person we see with a nacho helmet, stop them and ask them where they got them."
Matt: I am just going to ask this usher right here.
Matt: Excuse me - where can we buy the nacho helmet?

Now, Matt won't stop and ask anyone for directions but he did not hesitate to almost knock into the usher to find out where we could purchase this magical helmet.  This is one of the reasons why I love him.  He is just as obssessed with food as I am.

Apparently, there was only one concession stand that sold the nacho helmets and we found it, and found it fast.  I have never seen so many grown men and women get so excited about food served in a helmet.  Every time an order of nachos came up, you could see people trying to hold back from going to the bathroom on themselves they were so excited.  It was awesome.  If people were not responding quick enough to their name being called for their helmet, everyone else in line was ready to pick off the nachos.  No mercy.  This was not Little League - we were running with the big timers.

The rest of the game was a blur as we focused mostly on the nacho helmet.  Before I knew it, the helmet was almost empty.  I started to slowly panic because as much as I love Matt, I would fight him for the last couple of bites if I had too.  I gave him the last pretzel bite earlier in the night, but this was a whole other level.  However, this was not Matt's first rodeo and he tricked me into letting him have the last couple of chips.  We were talking about how many baseball stadiums Matt has been to (17).  He said "I will count to myself how many I have been to, let you know the number, then you try and remember which ones they are."  Just for the recorded - I remembered 15 of the 17.   After celebrating my awesome memory and rubbing it in his face that I DO in fact listen to him, I looked down at the nacho helmet.  How could I have been so naive.  Of COURSE Matt would eat the remaining chips while I was playing his stupid little game.  Touche.

As far as the game went, the Cubbies were up 2-0 in the 9th inning.  Long story short they lost 6-3.  Difference between the Cubbies' closer and Papelbon: Pap loves to keep it interesting by putting 2 or 3 people on base before striking out the next 3 to end the game.  And NO ONE boos him.  This clown tonight walked 3 straight batters, gave up a 3-run double and walked the next 2 batters before he was finally taken out.  People booed.  He is no Jonathan Papelbon.  I almost felt bad for the guy, and told Matt "I never boo at players, because its too insensitive."  I retracted my statement after recalling the many crappy innings Manny DelCarmen gave the Red Sox. 

So, as I finish this post, I look over at our new possession: a plastic Cubbies helmet.  I will wash it out in the morning so that we can use it again.  I suggested that Matt and I bring it to a yogurt place where you pay for your yogurt and toppings based on weight.  "Don't worry - I brought my own cup, thank you."  Matt wants to eat chips out of it again.  Or cereal.  I still vote for the yogurt place.  I will let you know who wins out.