An Unexpected Gift

So last week Steve called me up and asked if I wanted to go to breakfast on MLK day with Dave and him.  I'm off so I thought it would be cool to get with two of my best friends and have some breakfast.  It has been way too long since I got to hang out with either of them and baseball season just isn't coming quickly enough.
So this morning I leave at 7:40 to head out to Ontario for some breakfast.  Get there, we have breakfast and then they say they are kidnapping me.  My wife just texted me before asking if I was going to bring her breakfast so I said I had to tell her.  They said she knew so I told her I was being kidnapped and she said just bring it when I get home.
So out to Whittier we went.  We drove around and found the place, the Honig's store front.  For those not in umpire circles, Honig's is the umpire attire place.  Yeah, there are others but Honig's supports Little League and so Little League supports it.  It's good stuff too.
So we get there and they ask about a pair of plate pants, a pair of field pants, a belt and a pair of plate shoes.  So I try on 5 different shoes and finally find the one I like -- a pair of patent leather plate shoes.  They are being discontinued so they were on deep discount too.

Aren't they shiny?

So several dollars later, we walk out, me with new pants, shoes and a belt on the way.  I can't say thank you enough to my friends for taking some of the worry off and getting the season started right.  I tell you, being a volunteer umpire pays more than travel ball does and I'm not talking about swag.  I think I made the right choice my second year umping to do this as a ministry.