Dearest God:

I just wanted to thank you for bringing me this close to the opening day of Baseball Season.

I know the first day isn't until Thursday, and anything could happen before then, but I wanted to thank you for even bringing me THIS close.

You see, God, there is no surer sign that the cold darkness of winter is behind us, and that warmth and light lay ahead, than the Opening Day of Baseball. Remember, God, when I left my home and young family that one bad winter up in Washington because there was no work? And I got down to Mountain View, to Ma's house, and I found carpenter work on that motel on the El Camino?

Remember, God, when that crazy bastard I was working with came to me one day and said, "Hey! Let's Go!" "Go where?," I said. "Opening Day, Man! Giants and Dodgers! It's a day game! Let's go!" "What are you, nuts?" I said, "They'll never let us off for that. We're running behind, man." "Listen," the guy says, ...remember, God?...the guy said "I don't care. It's Opening Day, man. My buddy works the gate! We can get in free! They won't fire us. They need us. Lets. Just. Go!"

And we did, didn't we, God?

Me and that crazy bastard simply ditched out of work, got in his car and went to the Opening Day game at Candlestick Park. Capacity crowd. Sunny day. Bunting all around and fireworks. The whole enchilada. I don't even remember if the Giants won. And I don't care, God. I want to thank you for giving me the freedom of choice that day to go to that game.

In fact, I want to thank you for somehow making the game of baseball possible, even if you had nothing more to do with it than inventing people, so they could play it.

So, again, God, thank you for bringing me this close to March 31, the Opening Day of Baseball, when I will watch the Giants vs. the Hated Dodgers.

Amen.