By Jeff Iorg, President Golden Gate Seminary
Sports fan that I am, I have been to my share of stadiums and ballparks. For the uninitiated, football is played in a stadium and baseball in a ballpark. The reasons for this make an interesting essay – but not today!
I like to arrive early to tour a new facility, noting the architectural and historical accouterments that make every place unique. I also like to try the interesting food offerings that make each place special.
Part of the food experience is connected to the vendors – some of the most interesting characters in any stadium or ballpark. Until recently, my favorite vendor is a guy who works at least at two ballparks in Arizona.
This fellow has a booming, melodic voice and a signature call hawking his product. He bellows, “Lemonade, lemonade, like grandma made. You know you want it.” And, the way he says it, you do want it!
During the 2012 World Series, however, I met another vendor who was equally memorable. He carried his product into our section, set down his case, and shouted, “Alcohol.” Note he did not say “beer” or “wine” or “have a cold one” or “this Bud’s for you.” He just said, “Alcohol.”
This particular vendor cut out all the folderol and high-sounding pseudonyms and just asked people if they wanted the drug itself – “alcohol.”
While his product has no interest for me, his blunt appeal was refreshingly honest. He knows people want to self-medicate and he was willing to supply the means.
Even after all these years, it still amazes me how much people drink while watching sports. One guy in the row in front of me drank a beer an inning, and then doubled up in the seventh when they cut off the sales.
He started out a nice guy, but ended up a belligerent boor his friends apologized for as they helped him out of the stadium.
As if alcohol hasn’t been enough to keep us plastered, recently Colorado and Washington voters have approved the recreational use of marijuana. It’s sad so many people need a lubricant to ease their anxiety in social situations or a drug to self-medicate personal pain.
And it’s not just young people who use and abuse. A senior adult recently told a friend of mine, “I’m lonely at night but a drink or two gets me through.”
Life is hard, no doubt. It can be frightening, lonely, and intimidating. Those of us who have found peace through Jesus are mandated to get the word out – he makes life meaningful without the hangover.
Rather than shout, “Alcohol,” perhaps we should be more vocal with another one word answer, “Jesus.”