So after my testy day dealing with the useless help at Espresso Royale, I bolted for the new Siebert Field. Since I couldn't get on the Internet to see if the first game of the doubleheader, which had a scheduled start of 10:30 a.m., got done in time, I assumed it would be the time the U.'s athletic website said it would start, 1:05 p.m. Except that I didn't give myself enough time to pack everything up, leave the coffeeshop, drop my stuff off in my car, then walk all the way to the field. Even though I couldn't surf the Web, I did hammer out an NCAA Championship Game preview.
I thought I was going to be late because I dawdled over that column, but it turns out that even though I got there a couple minutes after the scheduled start time, they also were starting a couple minutes late; I got there just as they finished singing the National Anthem. So I wasted no time in going up to the ticket counter and showing them my University of Minnesota identification card, which would get me in to the game for free.
Now, I have to confess something: This card is old. I mean, very old. It's so old that my picture on the back looks like the 10-year-old me. I got it when I was enrolled at the U. as a high school student. I've kept it ever since because it works when I want to get into Gopher sporting events where students get in free. Volleyball, soccer, baseball -- I have never had to pay a regular season game to any of those U. sports.
But I don't know how long that'll last. These IDs have obviously been updated since I was last in school. Still it works, but I had a close call yesterday afternoon when I tried to go to the baseball game.
There are two ticket windows and no lines. However, both counters were staffed with work-study guys, neither of whom gave me the impression that they put customer service at a premium. One of them was staring blankly in my direction, and for some reason I didn't like that. I went with the guy to my left, someone who was looking down at either a book or his penis.
I gave him my ID:
"Five bucks," he said.
"But I'm a student."
"Five bucks."
"That's a student ID."
"It's not a student ID as far as I know." (He may or may not have said this, I don't fucking remember.)
"It's an old student ID. I'm an old student." (I don't remember if I said this, but I know I was bullshitting at this point."
"Show this up to the gate." Oh, shit. I always forget that. A couple years ago the U. made a publicity effort to let students know that they can get in to many Gophers sports games for free if they just show their student ID. I have instead come up to the ticket window as if I was buying a ticket several instances.
Luckily, the girl working "security" at the gate didn't give me any shit when I showed her my U. ID. Glad there was no incident after I got into Siebert Field v.2.0, which looks great. Still, I wonder what goes through a guy who doesn't really give a shit about me and my student ID. Forget getting money as a work-study student; can't you just be a little less surly just in the name of human decency?
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