the crowd cheers as the team takes the field...screaming and clapping the sound almost deafening... fireworks explode in the air... pop... bang... pow... and rain down like rainbows of fire...the world only exists right here...this place at this time with the crowd in unison a voice raises as one... the doors are closed tight... the roof zipped up... the air is balmy with the energy of the fans... the anticipations of the day is overwhelming... fathers stand with their sons... smiling and waiting as their favorite player to runs across the field to the roaring of his introduction... vibrant colors fill the world... palm palms shake... only the game is at stake... the pride of the team... win or lose they all get paid...

friends tip $8 dollar beers to eachother... spilling them on the heads and the shoulders of those in the seats just below... $6 buys a soda... $4 more some popcorn... another $5 might get you some nachos (though jalapenos will be an extra $.50)... and the tickets... oh yeah the tickets... $$$.$$ was the price just to get you in... before that $10 to leave your car in the parking lot... the atmosphere... is electric in here... the game almost secondary to the solidarity of the crowd... the real world disappears... the windows painted over by the denial of the blind... outside life continues... the world goes on... oh no time did not stop because you had a game today... its easy to see it that way... but the world goes on...

in the shadow of the excitement... in the darkness of reality... someone moves about... hearing the muffled sounds of the crowd protected by the security of thier blinded eyes... housed by bricks and morter... their piece of mind comes from security guards at the doors and walking in the corridors of their sanctuary... the fortunate ones see with tunnel vision and ignorance to what lies beneath... in the parking lot littered with $10 parking spots... cars... suvs... a few motorhomes sit lifeless... awaiting the return of thier drivers... hoping to take them home safely after they have indulged in too many $8 beers... among the depths of the overpriced american and imported sports cars... the gas guzzling non-environmental suvs... a wounded soul stumbles about... cast out... his life has fallen to pieces... once he had dreams... hopes... ambitions... he wanted to be somebody... do something... now he just wants to eat... he just wants to be able to sleep without the relentless sounds of traffic that flows over his head as he lays under cardboard just below the exit ramp that the fortunate ones took before the world disappeared into the distant blur of their favorite pastime...


he passes by them as they exit the building... their faces still plastered with the smiles and the excitement of the game... dirty... he has no pride left... hunger and desperation have seen to that... he asks if anyone has any spare change... he just wants to eat... his thirst is immeasurable... he waves off the looks of disgust... he is human too... just not as fortunate as you... young men pat their pockets and shrug as to say they dont have anything to spare... (huh... too many $8 beers today)... women look at their friends... knowing if they dont make eye contact... then there is really no acknowledgement and they can pretend not to notice... the parking lot clears... the cars have taken their drivers home... littered remnants of snacks... drinks... food containers strewn about... the debri becomes a smorgasbord... the waste left behind by the fortunate ones... as he rummages through what is so easily discarded by others... a slight smile graces is face... nearly a smirk as he realizes on sundays he is the fortunate one...