section7mfu | A lttle drabble will do Ya--American Favorite Pastime

Through a group of drabbles, Napoleon introduces Illya to American favorite pasttime--another in a series of Illya's introduction to Americana.

Illya opened the door to find his partner dressed in a Yankees tee shirt and jeans.

“Well, are you ready to go?” Napoleon asked.

“I see you are taking this seriously. No suit?”

“For a baseball game? I am wearing the typical uniform for spectators.”

“Where is your special?”

“Ankle gun.”

“And your explosives?”

“In the heels of my shoes.”

“Communicator?”

“Really Illya, we are going to a game not a Thrush outpost.”

“You can never be sure.”

“Come on tovarisch, you’re taking all the fun out of this.”

Illya grinned as they left; he did love teasing his partner.

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As they reached the car, Napoleon threw a bag at his partner.

“You’ll need that.”

Illya pulled a Yankees hat out of the bag.

“What am I to do with this?”

“Wear it, of course.”

“Why would I want to wear this hat?”

“It shows support for your team.”

“Where is yours?”

Napoleon pulled his from the bag, placing it on his head.

“You will mess up your hair.”

“This is a baseball game, we’re supposed to be causal.”

“So you are dressed in a tee-shirt and wearing a hat with a big Y on it.”

““It’s traditional.”

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“Why are we here so early? The game does not start for 3 hours.”

Napoleon pulled out a few lawn chairs, and a grill.

“We’re going to tailgate.”

“Tailgate? Is that not someone driving to close to you?”

“Yes it is, but it is also a celebration of the game in the parking lot.”

“What exactly is this tailgating?”

“Tailgating includes drinking alcoholic and grilling food before the game.”

“So all these people are tailgating?”

“Yes, start the fire, won’t you?”

“Does this stadium not sell food?”

“Yes, they do.”

“So why do we cook our own?”

“It’s tradition.”

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“So what is this game all about?” Illya asked as they took their seat.

“It’s the national pastime. A team of nine players try to score runs by hitting a ball and running around the bases while the other team tries to catch the ball and tag them out before they make it around them.”

“Let me understand. Grown men hit balls, run around a diamond, and try not to get touched.”

“You got it.”

“They get paid for this?”

“Of course”

“This is considered a pastime?”

“Yes”

“Why do people pay to see them do this?”

“Tradition.”

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“Napoleon, what is a triple play?” Illya asked as he watch the Yankees pull off a miracles that now put them ahead. When he didn’t get an answer he looked up from the field, to see his partner talking to the cute lady sitting on the other side of him.

“Hummm, oh sorry partner, what was what?”

“I see you have found something else to hold your attention.”

“She was asking me to explain the score card. I can’t say no to a lovely lady.”

“You cannot say no to any lady.”

“Well…….”

“With you, that is traditional.”

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It was the seventh inning and everyone was singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game, including Napoleon.

After he sat down, Illya said, “They have a song for the seven inning?”

“Yes, it to cheer the home team on.”

“But your team is losing.”

“They still have time to win.”

“And this song is sung to help them win?” he said doubtfully.

“It’s the seventh inning stretch and shows support for our team.”

“I do not know, it seems like a strange American custom.”

“Really, Illya! You can be impossible.” Napoleon sighed.

“I know, it is tradition.”

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“I see you found something that you can enjoy about the baseball game,” Napoleon said as he looked over at his partner.

On Illya’s lap was a box of popcorn, bag of peanuts, three empty brat sleeves, a container with French fries, and a cup of beer.

“Do you have enough to eat?”

“I do find one thing about your sports interesting. They all seem to have specific foods that go with them.” Illya said putting another fry in his mouth.

“And I see you found the food associated with baseball.”

“Like you keep saying Napoleon. It is tradition.

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On the way home, Illya was looking over the player’s stats in the game book. He asked Napoleon about a few of them and was surprised when his partner began to rattle off one after another.

“Let me get this straight. You know all the stats for each player?”

“Of course, that’s how you follow players.”

Illya shook his head.

“Now what do you find so unbelievable?”

“Napoleon, you cannot remember half the miscellaneous information we receive doing a briefing, but you recite baseball stats like your life depends on it.”

“It’s tradition.” the two men said together.