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Take me out to the ballgame…

Last Saturday we enjoyed a beautiful day at the Cardinal game in St. Louis.

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It was one of those bonus days where the first 30,000 people got a pullover.

We were downtown for lunch anyway so decided to hop in line about 45 minutes before the gates opened, grab our shirts and then do some sight-seeing.

The line we chose was fairly short and gated from the sidewalk by a plastic fence.

This is where we met Rodney, the most diligent ballpark employee we have encountered in all the years of attending games at Busch Stadium.

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As we stood in our line, many a hapless group of sports fans would wander up through the neatly formed lines working their way up what they thought was a thoroughfare, only to be hailed by Rodney.

He would call out to them and ask if they were just passing through and when they nodded yes, he would make an opening in the gate and wave them out to the sidewalk.

He would then urge them to remember the rules if they come back to another game so he wouldn’t have to fuss at them.

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Then there were the brave and clueless who were on the other side of the gate and dared to attempt to move the barricade themselves and join the lines that had had already formed.

These were greeted by a more stern Rodney, who would tell them he would have let them in if they had asked, but now they needed to go all the way to the end and get in the line that was forming down the way.

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He did this tirelessly and with a steady demeanor that never escalated into anything beyond:

  • correcting those in error
  • apologizing if he seemed mean
  • explaining it wasn’t fair to all of us who had been standing in line for others to cut in
  • shaking his head sadly and expressing his desire that all the gatekeepers would do their job correctly at every checkpoint around the stadium

At one point, a lady in shorts and a Cardinal t-shirt, with a purse over her shoulder and fan beads around her neck, took up Rodney’s position.

Rodney must have deputized her because she began to open the gate for the right people and usher the wanderers out while Rodney stepped away to help someone with ticket issues.

When I told her she was doing a good job, she said she was happy to help him out.

Apparently she only comes to the area he is working because he looks out for those who have been waiting in line and runs a tight ship.

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I don’t know if Rodney is a believer but I would bet my free, and rather cheaply constructed, new XL Cardinal pullover that he is.

He was diligent but showed grace.

He was firm but kind.

And he is consistent in his efforts, week in and week out as evidenced by his reputation.

And isn’t that what a believer in the workplace is supposed to look like.

Whatever your job is today, do it with integrity…diligence…kindness…patience…honor.

You never know who is watching.

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Your work ethic may be your loudest testimony    <3

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