'For the love of the game'

By Ed Piper

Friday, March 28, was a hectic day. I got a text from MTS saying that my Pronto pass to ride the trolley would revert to regular adult admission ($2.50 each ride) if I didn't call or come in with a document verifying my senior disabled status for reduced rate ($1.25).

Now, I walk okay, but I do have a permanent condition with my neuropathy in both feet--pretty much total numbness--so when I saw the notice, I thought, Aaah! I've got to save my status, at least to go to the pair or threesome of Padres games I attend at Petco Park each season.

I had a full-day subbing assignment that day, but then I arrived at school and noted that the teacher had a last period prep--no class.

I high-tailed it from school after the second-to-last period. I swung by home, carrying my trusty DMV statement that goes with my handicapped placard (fortunately, I save it each year, and had the current one for 2025 I had just received in the car document holder over the dash.

By 2:20, I was headed down the 163 to 12th and Imperial, not the most scenic of locations, but site of the MTS Transit Store, tucked next to the trolley stop at those streets.

An earlier call had informed me that I could either call the transit store, or go in. I preferred to go in, since I had the time and the motivation to take care of the situation once-and-for-all.

Hard to believe, but as fans began to arrive early in the afternoon for that day's 6:40 p.m. Padres game, I found an open curb parking spot a block from the trolley stop. One last spot, a couple of unfortunate homeless individuals lying on the sidewalk. Even with a newer-looking truck, I figured it was worth it.

Adrenaline pumping, I crossed the multiple streets (and trolley tracks), went up to three trolley police, and asked them where the transit store. There, around the corner to the left--in the shadow of Petco Park--was a line, and a door, and the store.

Two guards stood at the door. I asked one if that was the place to submit my document. He indicated yes.

By now, it was only 2:40, the store was open till 5, the phone option open until 7, my chances were looking up from the moment I first got the text message.

I was about the sixth person in line. As I got closer to the door, around now to the right, I could see the gentleman in uniform I had inquired of was letting people go in even before there was a place at one of the (three or four) windows.

My physical Pronto pass (plastic) in hand, my DMV document also clutched and ready to go, I was finally let in. I went to the far end, where the line snaked around to standing to be the next person called to a window.

At my future window, way back near the entrance to the store, a man cupped his hands around his microphone to call out, "Next."

I walked up and said, "You ought to be an announcer for the Padres with that voice."

He said, "I cup my hand around the mic. That's why it comes out (so loud)."

I said, "The Padres need you. Ted Leitner is retiring." (Irrelevant, because he dropped doing the Padres a few years ago. He was, though, just retiring from announcing SDSU Aztec basketball. Actually, I'm not a big fan.)

He looked at my pass and my document. "Good day for you. We're extending it till '45."

I thought he was joking. I wasn't sure what he meant, either. I asked, "'45? What do you mean?"

The man said, "We're extending your disability status on the pass another 20 years, until 2045." I had never heard that year and number used in any context?

I reacted, "Wow, that's great."

He said, reading my mind, my not having said anything about it, "So, you can ride the trolley for $1.25 going and $1.25 coming to Padres' games, for $2.50 total."

I said, "Wow, I can do that for a long time."

I had another question. "I opened an online (to use my cellphone, not physical card) Pronto account in my hurry when I saw the notice. I put $10 in there. Is there any way to close that?"

He said, "You have $15 in your physical account. I'll transfer the $10 you have in the online account to the other account. Your total will be $25. That's the best I can do."

I said, "Wow, I can ride the trolley (to Padres' games) forever."

Done, and out the door. The car was fine, after navigating my way through the 12th and Imperial multiple tracks and curbs, down the street away from the one bordering Petco Park on the south. Quick and dirty, home by 3:15 or so. Amazing.