It’s become a right of spring.  Every year we come to Tucson, one of us brings up the napkin story.  It was Yoda and Wolf’s first experience on a road trip with me.

We went to see a D-backs game but didn’t want to sit in the press box so we moved to the seats.  I was sitting with my legs draped over the seat in front of me.  I guess it was rude, but I figured in the second inning of a half-filled ballpark, no one would sit in front of me.

Around the third inning, a woman in her early 50’s wearing a long summer dress and full-brim sun hat, walked down the row.  I started to move in case I was in her seat, but before I could get my legs up she says, “Excuse me,” in that tone that means she wants to verbally spar or embarrass you.

Since you’re reading this, you’ve obviously gotten to know me over a period time.  I can’t explain this personality trait of mine but I’m very laid back around friends but if someone wants to go, I go.

That means something completely different to me than it does to Wolf.  When I go, I’m in a verbal spat with you.  If you’re nice to me, I’m one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.  If you’re a jerk to me, I’ll bring it right back.  I think people that are jerks always assume no one will call their bluff, well, I will.

If jerks are always allowed to get away with their crap, when will it end?  Other people think this is a major flaw of mine.  They wonder who nominated me for that spot and why can’t I just let it go.  I look at it the other way.  There’s a right and a wrong way of dealing with situations and if you want to handle it the wrong way, don’t expect me to cowar to your attitude.

Well–now back to the story–I let the first shot go.  I didn’t say anything to the woman after the “excuse me.”  I bit my tongue because I was with Yoda and Wolf for the first time.  Now that I have moved my feet and was sitting up, she stared at the seat (which was folded up now) and looked at me in disgust saying, “Do you have a napkin?”

I said, “Hell no, I don’t have a napkin.  You’re at a baseball game, not church.”

As you can imagine, the rest of the game was mostly spent with the woman murmuring to her friends who showed up a while later.  Yoda and Wolf didn’t know what to say because they saw the attitude the woman gave me (”fooshaw” wasn’t invented yet).  They knew she deserved the beat down but weren’t really thrilled that it was me giving it to her.

At the time, I’m not sure Wolf and Yoda really knew what they had in me as a partner.  Come to think of it, after 2+ years, they still don’t.