And not without a great road trip blooper.
Have you ever been to this fine Texas establishment?
Well, this restaurant just happens to be across the street from the Dr. Pepper Baseball Stadium in Dallas, TX.
Dr. Pepper Baseball Park and the 3rd Base Sports Grill and Bar across the street. Makes sense right. Baseball field and your local sports bar. No big deal to stop in for a good burger or a solid plate of nachos.
So Dr. Barthell, the dean of the college I work with, and I stop to eat lunch.
Nice looking restaurant. Across the street from a ballpark.
We pull into the parking lot and park. We exit the vehicle and head toward the entrance.
~~~~~~~~~~Details at this point are very important~~~~~~~~~~
I beat Dr. Barthell to the door of this welcoming, nicely groomed sports grill. Across the street from a baseball field. On the third base side.
I look back towards Dr. Barthell as I begin to pull on the handle that is shaped like a baseball bat. I was thinking as we approached the doors of the entrance that Andrew would have loved the handles since he has already been asking about playing baseball this spring.
I look back to the restaurant as I open the door about 65% of the way and begin to take a step inside.
My eyes were greeted by a young lady and the first thing I notice is her laced-up Ugg boots. Cute boots. And then I notice that her legs are bare. Very tan. And then I realize what she is wearing...a purple floral print BIKINI!!!
I immediately slam the door shut. I look back to Dr. Barthell stunned, mouth gaping and eyes wide, and ask, "Do, do, do you still wa-want to go in-inside?!?" Dr. Barthell later described my reaction as a perfect "Lucille Ball moment."
We walk/run back to the car. Upon sliding back into our seats and closing our doors. We look at each other and roar with laughter.
I can't stop thinking that I had just thought of Andrew before opening the door to something he should not see until he is THIRTY!
When we could breath again from the side-splitting, knee-slapping and streaming tears of laughter that consumed the inside of the rental car, Dr. Barthell asked, "Did you really ask me if I still wanted to stay and eat there?" "To be honest," I responded, "I couldn't tell you what I said to you. I was in total shock."
Why would anyone think that a SPORTS BAR across the street from a BASEBALL FIELD would be anything more than a nice place where you could catch a good game on TV, order some wings, chili cheese fries and perhaps a nice cold beer.
A place like this needs to have a flashing neon sign that warns you about what you will find inside. Hooters certainly does. And the Hooters' girls wear parkas compared to the voluminous girl I peered at momentarily through the 3rd Base Sports Grill's doorway.
We have had a lot of funny stories and humorous experiences traveling, but this one certainly TAKES the CAKE!
Typically, your logic that an establishment next door to a ballpark would be family friendly would be true, but you have to remember that you're in Dallas, TX.
ReplyDeleteI remember that on the way to Dallas, as you crossed the state line, that there was probably the world's largest XXX video store, so giant that no one could possibly miss it, just on the other side of the river. That was probably my first awkward conversation with the parents as a child. "Mommy, what does XXX mean?" That's always been my first impression of Texas, so it doesn't surprise me in the least.