STEVE SMITH -- What’s Up?

WEST SIDE STORY

Costa Mesa resident and businessman Bob Miller, who owns the exceptional

BMP Fabrication, on the bluffs on Costa Mesa’s West Side, told me of his

indignation at the city’s error in not including local business people in

the early rounds of West Side revitalization discussions.

“How can they ‘forget’ to mail notices to businesses about the

revitalization meetings when they never seem to have a problem

remembering to mail us our business license renewal forms each year?”

Miller asked.

KID STUFF

As adults, we are supposed to teach children -- not just our own kids,

but all those with whom we come into contact. Most of the time, that

means simply setting examples of decency and thoughtfulness.

But as adults, we often do not lead by example. Any child witnessing the

last few months of the airport debate, for example, would have learned a

lesson in exactly how not to behave in a public forum.

Often, adults find that children are the best teachers. Before Cay went

out of town on business last week, she asked me to take the helm of her

Minor B softball team, the Phillies. Minor B is still at that “fun”

stage, where some of the kids look forward more to the postgame sugary

snacks that are provided than they do the actual game. And that’s OK.

The girls in this division range in age from 9 to 11. According to league

rules, nine players are required in order to play and to avoid a forfeit.

We had eight. Without that one player, the game would not count. So, I

did what any self-respecting, out-of-shape, acting manager would do -- I

stalled, hoping that one more player would show up at the last minute.

It was a pretty good act, too. I re-chalked the batter’s box, adjusted

the bases, even dragged out the hose and watered down the entire infield.

Alas, no player appeared. We decided to forfeit the game and play for

fun, but we still needed to borrow a player from our opponents, the

Angels, in order to take the field.

Without hesitation, Julia Hayward volunteered. Why? Because she’s a good

kid who just wanted to play. Julia has not yet been indoctrinated into

the “them vs. us” mentality we adults seem to live by.

Lo and behold, seconds before the now-delayed game was about to begin,

our ninth player arrived -- without a Phillies jersey. The umpire was

clear on this one: no official jersey, no official game. I raised one

legitimate argument, which caused him to walk a couple hundred yards to

the snack bar to check with a league official.

While we were there, someone spotted Emily Carr, 11, who is a member of

the Phillies in the major division -- same team name, same jersey. And so

a parent asked her if she would volunteer her shirt so we could play.

Without a half-moment of hesitation, Emily said, “Sure.”

Two kids, two lessons in spirit and cooperation. And then there is my son

Roy, who 10 days ago volunteered to join the Marlins, the opponent of his

farm team, the Rockies, when they were short a player.

Roy’s hand shot up immediately, before I had a chance to talk him out of

it. As he walked over to the Marlins’ dugout, I told him to play just as

hard for them as he would for his own team.

“I know, Dad,” was his reply.

Apparently, he did. He went 4-for-4 and contributed to the Marlins’ 13-11

victory (that’s black market information -- we’re not supposed to keep

score).

After the game, I asked Roy why he volunteered so quickly to go over to

the Marlins.

“Dad!” he said, rolling his eyes. “I get two snacks!”

SCHOOL BOARD KUDOS

What you missed at last Tuesday’s school board meeting was something out

of a Frank Capra film. First, three cheers to this school board, which

voted unanimously to endorse “National No-TV Week” as a way to promote

reading in our schools. Turning off the TV helps tremendously, as studies

have shown.

That night, board member Jim Ferryman had everyone in stitches with his

personal take on the resolution.

But it was two reactions from audience members that warmed my heart.

Julie King, Adams Elementary School teacher and sponsor of the

resolution, along with board member Wendy Leece, had family obligations

and were not able to attend. One of King’s colleagues told the board from

her seat that she didn’t know about No-TV week, but that at the next

morning’s staff meeting, she was going to try to get something organized

at the school right away.

The other reaction came from an unidentified district person who said

they now have the ability to use a broadcast phone message system for all

the schools and that a districtwide reminder of the event would be sent

immediately.

And to think they did it all without the promise of snacks.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and freelance writer. He can be

reached via e-mail at o7 [email protected] , or call our Readers

Hotline at (949) 642-6086.