Friends show up in the strangest places

Imagine going away on vacation to a place that, while it is not

exactly the moon, is also not exactly the place you’d expect to run

into someone you know.

But that’s what happened to the Smiths last week. Off in the snowy

Sierras, we were enjoying a magnificent day of skiing at Yosemite’s

Badger Pass. If there were a hundred people on the slopes on a

gorgeous day, I would be shocked. So when I took off my skis to go

get lunch, I was even more shocked to spot Kevin Montague on the deck

at the ski lodge.

Kevin, his wife Stephanie, their kids and some family friends had

all come up on the same day we had. They hit the road from Costa Mesa

at almost the same time we did.

Cay and I remarked on how quickly we had made it to Yosemite

Valley, despite having hit traffic in two places. One of the reasons

for the quick trip was that we had given the kids Dramamine before

driving the mountain roads.

Their stomachs thus remained in neutral and we did not have to

stop to quell any queasiness.

We arrived Monday, skied Tuesday, relaxed Wednesday and skied

again on Thursday. That’s when we saw the Montagues.

After we talked for a minute, Kevin said, “I’ve been meaning to

call you.” When I hear that sentence from people, it usually means

that a) I owe money, or b) they have an idea for a column.

In Kevin’s case, it was purely philanthropic.

“I want to make a donation to the Costa Mesa National Little

League.”

My eyes lighted up, and I said “thank you” before realizing just

how serious he was.

“Here,” he said, “Let me write you a check right now.” And out of

all the usual mountain of ski and snow-related items, he pulled out

his checkbook and wrote me a nice check.

I was thinking about Little League donations on the way home.

Around Fresno, I checked my messages and was pleased to pick up two

from more people who wanted to donate to this all-volunteer league. I

should go away more often.

The timing could not have been better, for today is opening day of

the Little League season.

I don’t understand the timing of the Little League season and it

seems more and more illogical each year I participate. When I was a

kid, we played baseball in he summer. Winter and spring were the

seasons we played basketball or football -- not baseball. Now, it’s

not even spring, and we’re hitting the diamond.

The conflicts arise when kids can’t make it to practice because

they have remaining commitments on the basketball court or soccer

field, because they have science camp or because they are going out

of town during the week in February that schools have off these days.

Then, there has been all this rain. While I’m thankful for the

water and snow it’s bringing, it is making a joke out of anyone

trying to organize baseball practices.

All of these challenges would be overcome if we started in May

instead of March, but since I have no hope of the schedule changing

in my lifetime, I have to live with the havoc it creates.

And since we’re on the subject of havoc, what on Earth is all this

negative reaction to Wendy Leece’s appointment to the Costa Mesa

Parks and Recreation Commission? Judging from the mail, you’d think

she was named school superintendent.

Leece is quite qualified to serve on the board, and I am certain

she will do a good job. Leece has government experience, is heavily

involved in AYSO through the success of her daughter Emily and she

does her homework.

That last bit is one thing even her worst detractors could not

claim about Leece’s tenure on the school board -- she always did her

homework.

I’m hoping that maybe Leece will be out there today. If she is, I

plan to introduce her to Kim Pederson to let him tell Leece a thing

or two about the state of baseball diamonds in this city.

Kim, you see, has been caring for the fields on his own time for a

long time. He knows every root, every weed and every bad hop

possibility on the fields. Fortunately, they are kept in playable

condition thanks to Kim and a few other dedicated parents.

But one day, Kim will decide to move on, and the landscaping torch

may not get passed on. If Pederson does decide to take a break, I’m

going to recommend a trip to Yosemite -- it can be very profitable.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and freelance writer.

Readers may leave a message for him on the Daily Pilot hotline at

(949) 642-6086.