Erasmo fits in nicely while I see mirages in bong smoke...

I found myself waiting in the drive through at McDonald's while surfing the radio dial and Dave and Andy were on the radio. What the devil? The Rays were playing a midday game and I didn't even know!
"Big Mac please,"
"That'll be five dollars," the radio spoke.
God it was so fucking hot outside already. Summer is here. As I gazed over the menu one more time my mind ran astray. It's amazing to think that these meals were only five dollars. I don't know when the last time I had a salad was. Maybe in a McDonalds. The lettuce tasted like rubber but it was only one buck. I loved this McDonalds. Just shy of where I-275 and I-75 meet. The place is made of brick and the homeless swarm at all times of the day.
"There will be no game on TV today," WDAE announced.
The Rays were so poor, they didn't even broadcast every game. No wonder there is no real fan base.
Going home to watch the game was out of the question so I just did what every American did, I sat in my car and drove around aimlessly...like how my mind functions.

Erasmo Ramirez got the start today when it should have been Chase Whitley but that would make too much sense right? Only in Rays Baseball. Needless to say, Erasmo was stretched out so they threw him in the fire. Two strikes to Ian Kinsler then crushed to left field. 1-0 Tigers. Erasmo to me is a two pitch pitcher. Fastball and breaking pitch. He should be a guy people can replicate success from because he knows how to locate his fastball just like Bartolo Colon. It aint always about velocity; it's where you place it to each hitter. Opposing us was Daniel Norris. The key piece in the David Price trade to Toronto back in 15'. He has shown a lot of life on that fastball of his and good movement. Bottom of the first, Rickie Weeks reaches on throwing error by Dixon Machado and Souza scores. Tie game and from there unleash the offensive annihilation. Bottom 2nd. Souza triples bringing in two. KK singles tacking on another. Bottom fifth, T-Beckham forces a grounder tacking another run 5-1 Rays. Bottom 7th. KK finally hits one out and rounds the bases. Brad Ausmus challenges to see if he missed 2nd base, Joe West is pissed and the call remains. Homer. Bottom 8th. D-Rob hits his first Major League bomb off Aussie native Warwick Saupold (cool name bubba). Surely in heaven D-Rob's father was smiling from above. Cool moment. D-Rob is cool. Then for shits and giggles Souza hits a bomb to left field. Why not? The Rays come out on top. Erasmo finished solid going 5.0 IP 2 H 1 R 1 ER 5K 0 BB. Not bad sucka. Whitley went nicely too for his home debut 3.0 IP 1 H 2 BB 3 K. Welcome home Chase. To shut the door was Tommy Hunter and that he did. The Tigers leave swept and a nice boost of confidence after a very disappointing road trip. Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. In come the Astros Friday night and Alex Cobb will take the mound. A very good team needless to say. Stacked with talent.

I found myself gleefully driving around and wound up somewhere down Bruce D. Downs. "New Tampa" is what they deem it. On the radio was Neil Solondz's post game show. He was breaking down Erasmo's start. Meanwhile, I pulled out my mini-bong, took a rip and kept coasting down Bruce B. Downs Avenue. This whole part of Tampa seemed extraterrestrial and odd. In comparison to the areas around Ybor or South Tampa or even West Tampa, this "New" part of the city seemed peculiar. I hooked a left into one neighborhood that read Tampa Palms. Didn't know where I was going, you don't know when you are lost. Gated community after gated community. Never been in one of those. I rolled up to the front gate of one.
"Are you lost?" the guy asked.
"Maybe. I just wanna drive around the neighborhood,"
He looked at me coyly. He scanned my car, which was filthy and red, probably thinking I was a serial killer.
"Do you live here or know someone who lives here?" he demanded.
"No. I'm a prospective homeowner,"
Awkward.
"Sure buddy, get the fuck outta here," he snapped and went back into his little hut.
I left feeling slightly confused but again, the heart was glowing with joy due to a sweep of the Tigers. I passed by a dozen more gated communities and thought about the people who lived in there while taking another rip off the bong. Let it burn baby. Perhaps players? Perhaps not. Why did they live in gated communities anyhow? Were they afraid of something? Oh yeah...reality.
I drove back onto Bruce B. Downs and got back onto I-4 then merging onto I-75 heading back into the thick of obscurity and odd, which is to say, Downtown Tampa. There's no place like home.